it's not just marine life that inks, but mammals too. in splatoon 3's storymode, mr. grizz (bear #03), inks and is described by meta "ursine anomaly." he also "inks" and submerges as part of his routine. the word anomaly struck me in particular and reminded me of the real life anomaly CTVT.
canine transmissible veneral tumor (CTVT) is a cancerous phenomenon that developed from the result of mass inbreeding within a region of dogs. this region was so inbred the cancer registered other dog cell's as though it was its original host's, then spreading across bodies and rendering itself an immortal pathogen.
the canonical "fuzzy ooze" works by consuming any live cell balance it comes into contact as seen in storymode, and it's otherwise immobile. i like to think underneath every ooze heap is a hosting body, be it octarians, inklings, or grizzco employees of whatever marine race.
that "ink" that mr. grizz sweats and breathes is just a pure mucus. apparently his cancer ooze is so egregiously advanced that it can consume small-scale islands, grows hair, and has a fuschia/purple pigmented mucus. the inbred capitalist being the third game's villain is completely in line with the racial themes of splatoon.
