{{Dex/Entry1|v=X|t=FFF|entry=By vibrating its cheeks, it emits sound waves imperceptible to humans and warns others of danger.}}
{{Dex/Entry1|v=X|t=FFF|entry=By vibrating its cheeks, it emits sound waves imperceptible to humans and warns others of danger.}}
{{Dex/Entry1|v=Y|entry=By vibrating its cheeks, it emits sound waves imperceptible to humans. It uses the rhythm of these sounds to talk.}}
{{Dex/Entry1|v=Y|t=FFF|entry=By vibrating its cheeks, it emits sound waves imperceptible to humans. It uses the rhythm of these sounds to talk.}}
{{Dex/Entry1|v=Omega Ruby|t=FFF|entry=By vibrating its cheeks, it emits sound waves imperceptible to humans and warns others of danger.}}
{{Dex/Entry1|v=Omega Ruby|t=FFF|entry=By vibrating its cheeks, it emits sound waves imperceptible to humans and warns others of danger.}}
{{Dex/Entry1|v=Alpha Sapphire|t=FFF|entry=By vibrating its cheeks, it emits sound waves imperceptible to humans. It uses the rhythm of these sounds to talk.}}
{{Dex/Entry1|v=Alpha Sapphire|t=FFF|entry=By vibrating its cheeks, it emits sound waves imperceptible to humans. It uses the rhythm of these sounds to talk.}}
Tympole is a round, tadpole-like Pokémon with a tan, circular face. It has large, oval, black eyes; a wide mouth with down-turned corners; and black eyebrows in the shape of quarter notes. Its spherical body is black with no visible limbs. Instead, it has two black-and-blue ringed cheeks akin to half-spheres on either side of its head. It has a long, blue tail with a fan-like shape and a black spot at its base.
Tympole vibrates its cheeks to create a sound too high-pitched for humans and other species of Pokémon to hear. The sounds are used in rhythm to communicate with others of its kind, particularly for warning of danger. They are known to sing in high-pitched voices, which creates graceful ripples on the water's surface. The anime reveals that Tympole swim and attack in groups.
Multiple Tympole debuted in Facing Fear with Eyes Wide Open!, where they attacked Oshawott underwater while under the command of a wildPalpitoad. They were trying to prevent him from getting the medicine to cure the team from the poisoning several Foongus inflicted. However, they were forced to flee when Oshawott opened his eyes while using Razor Shell.
Although it is simulated as swimming in Pokédex 3D, Tympole does not display the bubble effect that all other Pokémon simulated in an aquatic environment, such as Eelektrik and Stunfisk, display. The reason for this is unknown.
Origin
Tympole appears to be a combination of a toadtadpole and a loudspeaker. Its spherical bumps resemble headphones, and were probably inspired by either the toads' "warts" (known as parotoid glands), or the tympanum of a real-life toad, an eardrum-like body part located in the same area which the toad uses to hear. Its eyebrows resemble musical notes, specifically the quarter note.
Tympole and Palpitoad's designs were worked backwards from Seismitoad's design.[1]
Name origin
Tympole may be a combination of timpani or tympanum (both being types of drums), or tympanic membrane (eardrum; referring to the bumps on each side of its head), and tadpole.
Otamaro may be a combination of お玉杓子 otamajakushi (tadpole; musical notes) and 麿 maro (affectionate suffix for young men) or 麻呂眉 maro-mayu (shaved eyebrows).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
オタマロ Otamaro
From お玉杓子 otamajakushi and 麿 maro or 麻呂眉 maro-mayu
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.