The Orloni are Everywhere

This reference also served to establish continuity between 2014’s film and this year's sequel.

When we first met the adult Star-Lord, James Gunn introduced a new race. No, we’re not talking about the apparently Korbinite skeleton we saw as Peter Quill danced; we’re talking about the space-rats known as the Orloni (Star-Lord kicked them and used them as microphones as he searched for the Orb).

It was also established that the Orloni could be found on Knowhere, and following that, these creatures seemingly became ubiquitous in the Andromeda Galaxy.

Apparently, they actually are everywhere, also appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. Whether during the fight against the Abilisk (during which the Orloni annoy Baby Groot, and one winds up as his horsie) or on Yondu's ship (where Baby Groot brings an Orloni, rather than the fin), James Gunn made it clear that we'll see them again.