prof-cycad

[prof-cycad]

Venonat are well known for their fuzzy bodies and giant eyes but many people find their way of walking to be quite endearing. What most Venonat fans don't know is that their admittedly silly walk plays a significant role in their biology.

By hopping about they encourage loose hairs to come out without losing their toxic powder. Venonat can indeed walk normally but it seems to distress them slightly.

[prof-cycad]

The small units that float around a Probopass are known as Mini-Noses. The idea that they are immature Nosepass is an old tale to dissuade children from taking them.

The Mini-Noses are extensions of a Probopass's sensory system. Much like the tentacles of an Octillery, these appendages seem to have a mind of their own. This isn't untrue as the Mini-Noses seem to have minor problem solving abilities and can even have "personalities".

Spotting a lone Mini-Nose floating through the air is a sure sign that a Probopass is nearby. It is exceptionally rare for a Mini-Nose to become lost from its Probopass.

[prof-cycad]

Kantonian Raticate have webbed hind feet that allow them to glide through the water with much more ease and grace than one would expect. The Rattata of Kanto lack this trait until they evolve.

Alolan Rattata are born with webbed hind feet and grow into them upon evolution into Raticate. Being able to swim between the islands helped the ancestors of the invasive Rattata dominate Alola.

It is believed that a Raticate's webbed feet allow it to jump into rivers while fleeing from predators. Their natural predators, mostly Arbok and Persian, are very poor swimmers. Some scientists think that they may help the Pokémon access nutritious plants that grow underwater.

[prof-cycad]

Vileplume and Gloom are parasites that obtain almost all of their nutrients from other plants, but Oddish do not. Their green leaves allow them to gain energy from sunlight through photosynthesis.

It is hypothesized that Oddish only photosynthesize during the day and feed parasitically at night. This theory is based on the fact that Oddish given little to no sunlight can still evolve with no issues.

Curiously, the skin of the entire Oddish family contains chlorophyll. This is considered to be a hold-over from before the ancestors of Oddish became parasites.

[prof-cycad]

The ongoing research on Paldea's Great Crater is fraught with some of the most rigorous of scientific regulations. Area Zero, the zone inside the crater, was considered a fully forbidden area until recent years.

The Paldean Pokémon League allows only a handful of researchers each year to enter Area Zero and study the uppermost layers. All are required to submit every finding to the League for analysis and potential "censoring".

During the two most recent surveys of Area Zero, the population of Corviknight seemed to be brooding all at once. The combination of a safe environment to raise young and the lack of Tinkaton seem to be a probable cause for this odd pattern.

[prof-cycad]

Bruxish are very popular in aquariums due to their striking colors and brash attitude. Often kept in tanks modeled after a tropical sea, Bruxish can live happily with Finneon and Alomomola. As long as there is only one Bruxish, it will thrive and grow wonderfully.

Attitude plays a key role in a Bruxish's success. If it doesn't have a chance to show off and act as haughty as it can, Bruxish might become very sad and reclusive. Those that lose territorial disputes often sulk in reef caves for weeks on end.

The largest Bruxish will even patrol their territory at night to scare off any other predators. Rather than risking a nasty bite from a frenzied Bruxish, most Sharpedo or Dragalge just move on.

[prof-cycad]

The strange things on a Wartortle's head are not ears but thermo-regulating organs. Like all reptiles, the Squirtle family have relatively simple ears.

Because river ecosystems are often controlled by a handful of particularly large Pokémon, those that are a medium size often have to spend more time on land.

Wartortle are prone to overheating and need to be careful about how warm they get. The organs on the sides of their heads help dissipate heat in a way very similar to a Fennekin's big ears.

[prof-cycad]

The carnyx, a musical instrument used by the ancient Galarians, was often modeled after the fearsome visage of a Flygon or Haxorus. This war-horn was known to produce a very loud and frightening sound similar to the cry of an enraged Dragon Type.

A manuscript from the libraries of Motostoke shows a striking scene including the carnyx and a wild Pokémon. A Bewear can be seen smashing the metal instrument between its hands to the shock of surrounding people. Scholars have hypothesized that this was made as a warning to the aggression and strength of Bewear.

[prof-cycad]

When a pair of Marowak are courting, they will work together to excavate a burrow for their young. This process allows the pair to bond and gauge each other's fitness. Once the burrow is complete and lined with dried plant material, the bonded pair will bring bones into it.

Apart from building the nest, male Marowak do not care for their offspring. The bones they drag to the nest provide the growing Cubone not only calcium but a set of beginner tools.

Cubone stay with their mother for about a year. Once the young have left the nest, most female Marowak will attempt to maintain the same burrow until the next breeding season. Large and successful Marowak have burrows so full of bones that they often get rid of subpar ones.

[prof-cycad]

Pokémon that lay eggs don't normally move them from place to place. Eggs are usually very sensitive and fragile regardless of how tough they may seem. However, Seismitoad regularly move their eggs around throughout their habitat.

As amphibians, Seismitoad lay eggs that are gelatinous and lack a protective shell. The oxygen and moisture in the water flow freely through the protein-laiden outer layer. Since drying out is a real concern, Seismitoad will carry their eggs between ponds that they have dug months before to manage this issue.

Of course, a Pokémon cannot stay inside its egg forever. As the Tympole begin to hatch, the surrounding Palpitoad and Seismitoad will sing for hours. This ceaseless croaking actually helps the Tympole find their way to their families.

[prof-cycad]

As a Bagon grows and matures into a Salamence, it has a great variety in diet. Their propensity to launch themselves off of high places may be frightening, but so are food prices for specialty Pokémon food.

When young, Bagon consume quite a lot of high calorie foods like acorns, chestnuts and other nuts. Their jaws are adapted to crunch through hard shells. They are quite fond of meat and fungus, but nuts are needed to fuel a growing body.

Shelgon are notoriously stubborn and sluggish. Spending most of their waking hours looking for forage, they consume less nuts and more roots and tubers. Because Evolution requires an incredibly high amount of energy to happen, Shelgon often gorge themselves into what is known as a "food coma".

[prof-cycad]

It may seem like an unlikely pairing but Scyther were some of the first Pokémon truly domesticated. Alongside the ancestors of Meowth and Growlithe, these Scyther really helped ancient humans.

Very similar to Cyclizar, Scyther were employed as guardians for livestock. Scyther worked alongside people in small villages who needed protection from wild Pokémon. It shouldn't come as a surprise but Scyther were quite helpful harvesting rice and grain as well.

Sadly, the breed of domestic Scyther fell into obscurity and eventually dissolved back into wild populations. Once people became more accustomed to living together with Pokémon, many of the older breeds became feral.

[prof-cycad]

Gyarados are not the rampaging monsters that many urban legends make them out to be but rather territorial and solitary creatures like Tyranitar or Aggron. In reality, more people are injured by Umbreon than Gyarados every year.

Many Gyarados are content to rule over a lake or river system without any issues. However, their destructive abilities make their outbursts much more noticeable than those of other species. After all, it is much easier to notice a Hyper Beam versus a Seismic Toss.

[prof-cycad]

Chikorita aren't particularly difficult to care for, but they present an issue common to most Grass Types. Because their botanical parts require the nitrogen and salts from the soil, many small Grass Types will eat mouthfuls of dirt every day.

The Chikorita family are somewhat picky about the dirt they eat. They love to eat clay-based soil due to it binding with plant toxins in their bellies. Because they live in forests full of ferns and sorrels, they seek out antitoxins in the form of clay-filled muddy puddles.

It may be an issue when a young Chikorita finds a suitable area of accessible clay due to the inherent messy nature of mud. Admittedly, it is a little disconcerting to watch a Chikorita eat mud.

[prof-cycad]

After the Aether Foundation was dissolved, the Alolan Pokémon League repurposed the numerous Aether Bases scattered across the islands. Almost all of them became rest areas for travelers. The Aether Foundation equipped each Base with atmospheric sensors and other special equipment which are now a great opportunity to learn more about Alola's environment.

After an unfortunate incident involving a group of surly Graveler, an Aether Base was dangerously close to sliding down the hill it was built on. Due to the Graveler and Geodude in the area, the surrounding terrain was mostly loose boulders and sand.

Thankfully, a pair of Rangers were able to push the Aether Base far enough to keep the Graveler's habits from destroying it. This new location allows the Pokémon far more room to play and even more accurate scientific readings!

[prof-cycad]

Recent studies into Ghost Type behavior has revealed that they play a critical ecological role in many secluded and isolated areas through fear. As they lurk through their habitat they unnerve and discourage larger and more powerful Pokémon from establishing themselves.

Just as the presence of a predator can keep herbivores from staying in one place for too long, the presence of a formidable Ghost Type can help scare away Pokémon from fragile ecosystems. Many of the places "haunted" by Ghosts are abandoned human buildings which are quite similar to natural caves.

Zubat and Woobat seem to cohabitate very well with Ghost Types. Scientists are unsure whether this trait is due to a preference for quiet or just a coincidence. This hypothesis may hold true as Noibat rarely seek out "haunted" locales.

[prof-cycad]

Are there any regional differences for Trubbish? In Unova, I've only seen the regular ones. But my friend in Ahola said that there are some who changed their diet to recyclable materials then regular trash. Is this true?

This is a pretty common occurrence for Trubbish across the board. If you change their diet to less toxic and foul material, they tend to smell much better.

Trubbish that live in Alola might have actuslly sweeter smelling smells.

There's a lot more strong and tropical fruits and material going into their trash.

Unova have some of the most smelly variations because of the large cities with some pretty high trash numbers, and unfortunately, they aren't the best at recycling.

However, I'd also say that Unova Trubbish are physcially stronger because their "bag" needs to be able to hold stronger and rougher materials.

So, smell and bag strength are the main differences.