TiPB: Pokemon Taxonomy

Topics in Pokemon Biology: Pokemon Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the science of determining the evolutionary relationships between different species. In the study of pokemon, this is a particularly difficult task, as even the term 'Pokemon' is not a scientific one. Rather, it is a category comprising many unrelated creatures, sharing only the trait of being able to be controlled and trained, and being over eight inches fully grown. 'Pokemon,' then, is a fluid concept, constantly being revised.

There are, however, biological classifications for pokemon. Some of these, both taxonomic and non-taxonomic, are covered below.

Spumids: Spumids are asymmetric, 'blob-like' invertebrates. They have no organs, and are instead made up of muscular cells, reproductive cells, digestive cells, and sensory cells. These cells may aggregate when needed, but generally are dispersed through the pokemon's body. Spumids have extraordinary regenerative capabilities, even able to reform when passed through a sieve. They are generally scavengers.

(Ex: Ditto, Muk)

Echinoderms: Meaning 'spiny skin,' echinoderms are radially symmetrical, with a mouth in the center surrounded by several arms. Echinoderms have a hard internal skeleton made up of bony plates, and their musculature is hydraulic. They may be carnivores, filter feeders, scavengers, or herbivores, and are mainly aquatic.

(Ex: Starmie, Cradilly)

Petroderms: These strange and rare animals have shells, often with a rough, uneven surface, like a stone (hence the name, meaning 'stone-skin). They are unique in that they go through both asexual and sexual reproduction in their life cycle, alternating between budding and breeding. Their mouths are located on their undersides, and they may be carnivores or herbivores.

(Ex: Metagross, Probopass)

Entomon: Entomon appear similar to insects, but a closer look reveals that they are different. Entomon may have either four or six limbs, sometimes in addition to two or four wings. Their bodies and limbs are segmented, and have an external skeleton in addition to an internal supportive structure, both made up of chitin. They have a head, thorax, and abdomen, but the thorax may be fused with the head in some cases. Their eyes are compound, and they have variable mouthparts, including proboscises, cutting mandibles, and vertebrate-like jaws. They shed their exoskeletons to grow, and may go through a wingless nymph stage. Other entomon go through metamorphosis, with distinct larval and pupal stages.

Entomon show a great deal of diversity, and range from predators to herbivores and everything in between. They have colonized the deep ocean, the jungle, and the air, and include some of the most common and successful pokemon.

(Ex: Drapion, Beautifly)

Mollusks: Molluscan pokemon are quite variable, including many species that one would not guess are related. The three main groups are Bivalves, Gastropods, and Myribrachids. All have a mantle, a covering that secretes a shell, simple eyes, and a foot, which is a muscle that is used for locomotion. They are otherwise quite diverse.

Gastropods have one or no shell, held on their backs, and move with their foot along their belly. They can follow any diet, and eat with a raspy 'radula,' a tongue covered with teeth.

(Ex: Swalot, Magcargo)

Bivalves have two shells, held together by a hinge, and are sedentary filter feeders. Some grow to be quite large.

(Ex: Forretress, Clamperl)

Myribrachids are considered the most 'advanced' group of mollusks, or at least the most complex. They have one or no shell, and their foot is divided into two or more tentacles. Many also have tentacles emerging from the back of their mantle. Unlike their relatives, Miribrachids are not bottom dwellers, and can swim freely with jet propulsion or move on land with the aid of their tentacles. They have four beak-like mandibles, arranged radially around the mouth. All are carnivores.

(Ex: Glalie, Tentacool)

Vertebrates: By far the largest group of pokemon is the vertebrates. Possessing an internal calcified skeleton and a centralized nervous system, vertebrates can be found in all habitats and in many different forms. The major groups are listed below.

Fish pokemon are scaly and breathe water with gills. They are mostly found in aquatic environments, and are usually carnivorous. Fish have several sets of fins, and are powerful swimmers.

(Ex: Quilfish, Lumineon)

Amphibians have smooth, slimy skin and paired limbs. They usually breathe air, but when young breathe water, and so require both water and land to complete their life cycle. They are carnivores or scavengers. Some are bipeds, and others lack limbs.

(Ex: Toxicroak, Quagsire)

Reptiles have dry, scaly skin, and are not bound to the water for their reproduction. Many have sprawled out legs, but a subset known as the dinosaurs have legs set directly under the body for an upright, more efficient gait. Others have no legs at all. Reptilian pokemon are found worldwide, in many ecological niches.

(Ex: Feraligatr, Arbok)

Mammo-reptiles have mammal-like skeletal structures and teeth, but are covered with scales and give no milk. They are believed to be an evolutionary intergrade between mammals and reptiles, and vary in how much they resemble mammals or reptiles, in whether or not they have external ears, fur, and specialized teeth. They can occupy almost any ecological niche.

(Ex: Kangaskhan, Abomasnow)

Mammals are unique in the production of milk for their young, from milk glands (called mammaries) along the underside of the female. They often show prolonged parental care. Mammals are usually covered in fur, and may occupy any ecological niche.

(Ex: Leafeon, Crobat)

Birds are distinguished from reptiles by the presence of feathers and lack of teeth, but there are many intergrades, and the distinction between the two groups is contentious. Some pokemon researchers advocate making a new group for intermediates, the reptilio-avians. That said, most birds have feathered wings, while most reptiles do not. Birds may occupy any ecological niche.

(Ex: Xatu, Doduo)

Non-taxonomic classifications

Hexapeds: Hexapeds, or vertebrates with six limbs, were once all thought to be related, but it is now known that multiple pokemon groups have developed hexapedalism independently from each other. Birds, reptiles, mammo-reptiles, and mammals have all evolved hexapedal species. There is only one known species of octoped, and it is believed that it evolved from hexaped ancestors.

(Ex: Graveler, Salamance)

Multicaudality: Many unrelated pokemon exhibit multicaudality or partial multicaudality, that is, the presence of more than one tail. The precise reason for multicaudality in so many species is unknown, though it may have communicative or display purposes.

(Ex: Exploud, Floatzel)

Placentals: Almost all pokemon reproduce by laying eggs, or Ovipary. Eggs can be hard or soft-shelled, and laid singly or in clutches. Some pokemon hold their eggs in their bodies for extended periods, a condition called Ovovivipary, and only lay them a few days before hatching. A rare few do not lay their eggs at all, and instead allow them to hatch within the body. However, there are some pokemon that do not form eggs at all, and instead hold the embryos within a womb, like a human. This is called Vivipary, and has arisen several times in different taxonomic lines. However, it is very rare.

(Ex: Shaymin, Rayquaza)

League classifications: This is the way that most of the public classifies pokemon, as 'Ground Type,' 'Psychic type,' etc. It is not, however, a scientifically based system. Rather, it only takes into account the behavior and abilities of the pokemon in the arena. While this is very useful for trainers, it has little biological significance, and leads to echinoderms being classified with mammals and reptiles, all as 'Water Type!'

Most pokemon researchers discount this system as outdated and unhelpful.