Shellder (Pokémon)


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Shellder (Japanese: シェルダー Shellder) is a  introduced in Generation I.

It evolves into when exposed to a Water Stone.

Biology
Shellder is a black pearl-like Pokémon encased within a spiky, blue-violet bivalve shell. It has two round white eyes with tiny black pupils. Its enormously long red tongue is used to burrow itself into sand to sleep overnight, and also to lure and capture prey. It typically hunts along the. It can make pearls from accumulated sand, though it discards them as it can affect its hunting. Its soft and tender body is well-protected by its extremely durable shell, which is purported to be harder than diamonds and has historically been used by people to make shields. Prehistoric Shellder were apparently preyed upon by, whose powerful bites were capable of breaking through its shell. ,, and also prey on Shellder.

Shellder has an unusually strong appetite for the tail of a, and can develop a symbiotic relationship with the Dopey Pokémon. After attaching itself to the Slowpoke's tail, the two undergo a metamorphosis and together evolve into. Alternatively, if it attaches to the head of a Slowpoke in possession of a King's Rock, the two will instead evolve into. These relationships allow it to travel onto land and obtain a new stage in its life cycle.

Regardless of which form the two Pokémon evolve into, Shellder's shell transforms into a spiny, spiraled cone with several tiers. Sharp teeth develop around the rim of the shell to anchor it securely to the evolved Slowpoke, and its eyes now peek out from the bottom rim of the shell. In its crown form, Shellder will have a red jewel on its underside and a large horn on either side of its shell.

While in its crown form, Shellder will periodically release its venom into Slowking's brain. This is actually beneficial to Slowking, as it causes the Regal Pokémon's intelligence to increase. Higher quantities of venom intensify this effect, and Shellder is easily provoked into releasing more whenever Slowking yawns. However, Shellder's poison makes Slowbro more sluggish as it continues to drain nutrients from its host's body.

Shellder has two former signature moves. It can shoot spears of ice by using, or clamp tightly to its opponents using. Despite its hard shell, clamping on to an opponent will reveal its vulnerable parts. Because of this, it will only clamp itself to a foe as a last resort. It swims around its seafloor home by rapidly opening and closing its shell while facing backward.

In the anime

 * For a comprehensive list of Shellder's appearances in the as part of Slowbro or Slowking, see the anime sections of  and .



Major appearances
Jessie a  in The Evolution Solution. Later in the episode, it bit on a 's tail, making it evolve into a. Afterwards, it left Team Rocket.

Many Shellder were seen in A Crowning Achievement, evolving many Slowpoke into Slowbro, as well as a Slowking under Alice's former ownership.

A Shellder appeared in Battling a Cute Drama!, under the ownership of Marilyn. Despite what other people thought, Marilyn thought Shellder was the cutest and was to battle Brock's Happiny, but the match was interrupted by.

Minor appearances
Shellder debuted as part of a in Island of the Giant Pokémon.

The first time an unevolved Shellder was seen was in The Bridge Bike Gang. It was sick and Nurse Joy sent, , and over to Sunnytown (where Shellder was) to deliver some medicine.

Multiple Shellder appeared in The Misty Mermaid, under the ownership of the Sensational Sisters. One of them reappeared in Cerulean Blues and in a fantasy in SM102.

A Shellder appeared in Pikachu's Vacation as one of the Pokémon seen at the Pokémon Theme Park.

A sick Shellder appeared in The Joy of Pokémon, where it was treated by the Nurse Joy of an.

Multiple Shellder appeared in The Power of One.

A Shellder appeared in Slowking's Day, where it was living in the ocean surrounding Shamouti Island.

A Shellder appeared in a fantasy in The Totodile Duel.

A Shellder appeared in The Heartbreak of Brock as one of the Pokémon living at Temacu's father's lab.

At least three Shellder appeared in Mantine Overboard! as residents of the sea near Ogi City.

A 's Shellder appeared in Octillery The Outcast as one of the Pokémon participating in the Whirl Cup. It went up against Ash's Totodile during a qualifying match and lost.

A Shellder appeared in A Parent Trapped!, where it was seen living underwater.

Multiple Shellder appeared in Nice Pryce Baby, under the ownership of Pryce. They were seen at the Mahogany Gym.

A Shellder appeared in Enlighten Up! as a resident of Lake Slowpoke. It bit a 's tail, evolving it in the process.

A 's Shellder appeared in Old Rivals, New Tricks!, where it was participating in the.

Multiple Shellder appeared in Going for the Gold!, where they were among the Pokémon seen in the.

Three Shellder appeared in Alola to New Adventure!.

A Shellder appeared in Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio!, during a fantasy.

A Shellder appeared in The Sun, the Scare, the Secret Lair!, when went to explore a  and Shellder for a class assignment.

A Shellder appeared in Rocking Clawmark Hill! on the beach near 's house, after being washed to the shore by the tide.

A Shellder appeared in A Shivering Shovel Search! when and  were searching for  lost shovel underwater.

A Shellder appeared in Dewpider Ascending!, where it was half-buried in the sand.

Three Shellder appeared in I Choose Paradise!, where they were among the Pokémon seen at the Pokémon Paradise Resort. Two of them were under the ownership of different Trainers.

Pokédex entries

 * For Shellder's Pokédex entries as part of Slowbro or Slowking, see the Pokédex entries sections of and .

In the manga

 * For a list of Shellder's appearances in the manga as part of Slowbro or Slowking, see the manga sections of Slowbro and Slowking.



In the Pokémon Adventures manga
In Karate Machop!, Lorelei owns several Shellder. They were sent to attack Kanto alongside several other Elite Four Pokémon.

A Shellder appeared in The Last Battle XIII as one of the Pokémon sent to participate in the fight in Ilex Forest.

A Shellder was one of the aquarium Pokémon seen in Archie's collection in Stick This in Your Craw, Crawdaunt I.

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga
In Chapter 2, Misty threw a Shellder at Ash after he was constantly staring at her in her swimsuit.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga
was attacked by a Shellder in The Legendary Pokémon Appears.

Bruno owns five Shellder as seen in Clefairy's Under Training!!.

In the TCG

 * For Shellder's appearances in the TCG as part of Slowbro or Slowking, see Slowbro (TCG) and Slowking (TCG).

NPC appearances

 * : Three Shellder appear on the Red Table and give the player points when hit. When Catch'em Mode is activated, they also reveal the silhouette of the Pokémon attempting to be captured upon being hit.

Pokédex entries

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Game locations

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In side games

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In events

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Side game data











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Shellder forms

 * For the remainder of Shellder's sprites as part of Slowbro or Slowking, see the sprite sections of Slowbro and Slowking.

Trivia

 * In the anime, Shellder is required to evolve into  or . Shellder clamps onto a Slowpoke's tail to evolve into Slowbro, or onto its head while wearing the King's Rock to evolve into a Slowking. Even though Shellder changes form drastically when it bonds with Slowpoke to evolve (see above), it is not considered an evolution in and of itself.
 * In the episode The Evolution Solution, it is revealed that Shellder is still capable of speech as the shell of a Slowbro.
 * Shellder were shown to be capable of floating through the air in, a trait that has been seen in no other media.
 * Shellder and share their  name with . They are all known as the Bivalve Pokémon.

Origin
Shellder is similar to the, with its tongue representing a clam's "foot." The fact that it latches onto Slowpoke and produces a beneficial toxin may be inspired by es.

Name origin
Shellder is derived from shell and possibly shelter, referring to the fact that it lives in a shell.