You know, I'm willing to swear we already have a thread like this. But since I can't find it right now I'll let this one be - if I'll find it, this will be merged into it.
Also, SquirtleLover: Pokémon already eat other Pokémon and always have. Also, we
do have an
anteater Pokémon - and an ant, to boot.
But yeah. Back on topic. There is an
effload of fascinating creatures on this planet that totally deserve some kind of Pokémon representation, and here's a few examples:
The Bombardier Beetle
Those of you who know me probably expected these things to be the first creature I'd mention, if only because they practically already
are Pokémon.
Bombardier Beetles are known for their rather unique defense mechanism - when threatened, they pump two different chemicals (hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide, if you care) from two different reservoirs in their abdomen to a reaction chamber at the tip of their abdomen. These chemicals react with each other and assorted enzymes lining the reaction chamber's walls in an immensely exothermic manner - producing a noxious, boiling jet of fluid which the beetle uses as a defensive weapon.
In other words, nature basically invented Scald - even though as a Pokémon I can totally imagine this thing as a Bug/Fire instead.
More Spiders, Damnit
I'm one of the few people out there who firmly believe that spiders are amazing, adorable creatures and that there should be more of them.
"But we already have Ariados and Galvantula", I hear you cry, to which I retort "Yes, yes, shut up, there's an ass-load of canine Pokemon and fish pokemon and I don't see you complaining about
those."
But okay, I'll bite. if Spinarak/Ariados represent more web-spinning sedentary species and Joltik/Galvantula represent active hunters like Jumpies and Tarantulas, how about we pull some of the odder denizens of the arachnid realm.
For example - how about a Bug/Water that doesn't lose its typing for something boring? Enter
Argyroneta aquatica, the
Diving Bell Spider - the only spider to spend all of its life underwater. It carries its air supply with it - using specialized hair on its abdomen and legs to trap bubbles of air which it uses to breathe when on the move (that is why their abdomen appears silvery in this picture - that's the air bubble around it). Diving Bell spiders build complicated 'diving bell' webs that are filled with air and their structure allows gas exchange with the surrounding water - that is to say, Oxygen diffuses in, CO2 diffuses out - like an artificial gill of sorts. The smaller females (an unusual thing for spiders, where the females are usually larger) live within their bell webs for most of their lives whereas the males are larger and are more active hunters (though they do construct diving bell webs as well, theirs tend to be smaller and require less air shifts).
Or how about the Mirror Spiders of the Genus
Thwaitesia? Their abdomens are lined with reflective 'scales' which they may change in size depending on how threatened they feel they are - can you imagine the potential of this for say, Mirror Shot or even Solar Beam?
Or take, for example, the net-casting spiders or ogre-faced spiders of the family
Deinopidae. Rather than building orb webs or pinning their prey down, these nocturnal spiders have developed the cunning strategy of spinning a web between their front legs and lying in wait for prey to pass by - which they then proceed to pounce on with their nets extended and ensnare. Perhaps one that specializes in trapping moves?
And if none of these are weird enough for you, try the
Assassin Spiders, also known as Spidnucks and Pelican Spiders (Because of their specialized 'necked' cephalothorax and long chelicera). Little is known about these tiny, weird little things - except for the fact they almost exclusively feed on other spiders. Most of what is known can be found in this
rather excellent article. Hell, look at these things - their weird alien form alone would warrant a Pokémon - maybe even a Bug/Dragon of some sort, for the hell of it? ^^
Eh. I can
dream, Harold!
But yes, excuse me for gushing about spiders. Let's see some other creatures then, shall we... preferably before I remember MORE spiders.
Or how about some unusual sea creatures?
And since I'm already on arthropods - how about the largest terrestrial arthropod, the
Coconut Crab? Essentially giant hermit crabs on steroids, their larvae are aquatic and their young live in gastropod shells like other hermit crabs - but the adults are fully terrestrial and can actually drown if immersed in water for too long. They are quite strong and largely feed on fruit, but they do feed on carrion and occasionally opportunistically hunt. They come in a variety of colors and are really goddamn big. Do not attack their weak points for massive damage.
Or what about about
Giant isopods? these lovely deep-sea relatives of the common pillbug (though they cannot curl up like one!) are about the size of a cat and have seriously
shiny eyes. They could evolve from a smaller roly-poly isopod, of course - but there is a vast variety of interesting creatures that they could be related to.
Like, for example, the
Sea Sapphire, a translucent copepod with some form of iridescent plating which makes them appear as vague sparkles when light hits them just right, like some kind of active-camoflaged wizardry.
And if we're already undersea, how about certain species of Polychaete worms, such as the
Bobbit Worm or even the mysterious deep sea genus
Tomopteris that is probably the closest thing to a Skyrim Ice Wraith we can get on this planet?
Or how about - *is dragged away before he drowns the thread with this post alone.*
Next time I'll cover some Tetrapods too, I promise. <<;
