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On the Origin of Species: Venipede, Whirlipede and Scolipede: Difference between revisions
On the Origin of Species: Venipede, Whirlipede and Scolipede (view source)
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A final feature that's only common to some species of centipede is that the back two legs will be angled backwards, pointing up in the air. This gives the appearance of a second pair of antennae at the animal's rear... and, in fact, that's exactly what these specialized legs function as. | A final feature that's only common to some species of centipede is that the back two legs will be angled backwards, pointing up in the air. This gives the appearance of a second pair of antennae at the animal's rear... and, in fact, that's exactly what these specialized legs function as. | ||
[[File:Glomeris-marginata.jpg|200px|thumb|left|''Glomeris marginata'', a common European species of pill millipede]]If we look at these descriptions and then compare them to Venipede, Whirlipede and Scolipede, it's apparent that these Pokémon have a lot more in common with centipedes than they do with millipedes. | [[File:Glomeris-marginata.jpg|200px|thumb|left|''Glomeris marginata'', a common European species of pill millipede]]If we look at these descriptions and then compare them to Venipede, Whirlipede and Scolipede, it's apparent that these Pokémon have a lot more in common with centipedes than they do with millipedes. They're all venomous and described as being aggressive. All three also have the rear antennae found on some centipedes (it’s hard to tell where Whirlipede begins and ends, but since it has two sets of antennae, we can assume that one is supposed to be at the front, and the other at the rear). Scolipede's Pokédex entry also mentions venom-injecting front claws: the forcipules mentioned earlier. Based on these features alone, we might conclude that this family of Pokémon is based exclusively on centipedes. | ||
There's a little more to it than that, though, and our first clue comes from Whirlipede's curious design. The ability to curl up into a ball isn't something that's seen amongst centipedes: perhaps not surprising, since it's a defensive action, and centipedes are much more adapted for attack than defense. It is something that we can observe in the meeker millipedes, though. Two orders of millipedes, {{wp|Glomerida}} and {{wp|Sphaerotheriida}}, have evolved this ability, and are collectively known as {{wp|pill millipede}}s due to their resemblance to the {{wp|Woodlouse|pill bug}} (also known as the woodlouse, a favorite creature of mine and one that sorely needs turning into a Pokémon). Glomerida are found mainly in the Northern Hemisphere and are quite small, making them easily mistaken for pill bugs. Spaerotheriida can get quite a bit larger, and are found in the Southern Hemisphere. | There's a little more to it than that, though, and our first clue comes from Whirlipede's curious design. The ability to curl up into a ball isn't something that's seen amongst centipedes: perhaps not surprising, since it's a defensive action, and centipedes are much more adapted for attack than defense. It is something that we can observe in the meeker millipedes, though. Two orders of millipedes, {{wp|Glomerida}} and {{wp|Sphaerotheriida}}, have evolved this ability, and are collectively known as {{wp|pill millipede}}s due to their resemblance to the {{wp|Woodlouse|pill bug}} (also known as the woodlouse, a favorite creature of mine and one that sorely needs turning into a Pokémon). Glomerida are found mainly in the Northern Hemisphere and are quite small, making them easily mistaken for pill bugs. Spaerotheriida can get quite a bit larger, and are found in the Southern Hemisphere. | ||