Dunsparce are pale yellow, serpentine Pokémon with two small, white-colored wings that are capable of lifting the Pokémon a few inches off the ground. They also possess a drill on the end of their tail, which resembles a rattlesnake's rattle, and is used for digging. Besides their main pale yellow coloration, they have accentuations of blue, such as the ring patterning encircling their eyes, the thick stripes on the pattern on their back, and their underside. They also have beige accentuations, such as their eyelids and back. Dunsparce's eyes seem perpetually closed and goggle-like in appearance, and there are pointed prongs on the underside of their chin.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
At first glance, these Pokémon appear plain. However, Dunsparce make themselves quite elusive.
They also are able to dig extremely well and fly a little using their small wings.
Behavior
Dunsparce are extremely shy of human beings and rarely ever make themselves known. However, they are known to swarm on random occasions.
Crystal and her Chikorita accidentally get caught in one of Lt. Surge's electrical traps trying to retrieve the ball containing a Dunsparce that they captured.
Much later, in Volume 23, a little girl that owns a Dunsparce faxed Bill and informs him of Deoxys' rampage and Giovanni's subsequent appearance on Kin Island.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity: Dunsparce is a supporting character throughout the game. His best friend is Emolga. He is known to be a coward but despite that, he goes off into dungeons without his friend's consent. Dunsparce first appears as a client on the request board who needs to be rescued from Stompstump Peak. The partner and partner give a crystal they found while in the dungeon to him. When Virizion arrives into town, he uses the crystal as a proposal for Virizion to be his friend. Virizion refuses, and Dunsparce flees. Two Pawniard appear saying that they can help him become stronger when in reality they just want to rip him off of everything he's got. Dunsparce buys into their scam and they head off into the Desolate Canyon dungeon together. The player and partner follow. When they get to a clearing, Dunsparce realizes that something isn't right and tries to flee but Pawniard trap him and make demands. The player and partner arrive just in time. Panwiard, realizing that they are outmatched and outnumbered call upon two Galvantula and Venipede to back them up. When looks like it is the end for the team, Emolga, Gurdurr, Timburr, and Virizion all suddenly arrive and with their help they defeat the gang who then flees further into the canyon. It is after this heroic feat that Dunsparce and his friend Emolga decide to join the player and partner's exploration team and are accepted as the first two members. When Espeon and Umbreon arrive in Post Town and explain their mission, the player, partner, and friends decide they want to help. Quagsire says that one of them will have to stay behind because it is a rule of HAPPI. After Scraggy makes a suggestion that the weakest member should stay behind, Dunsparce gets worried that he might be the one who ends up staying behind. The night before the expedition, Dunsparce takes time to reflect on top of the hill in Post Town, when Virizion suddenly comes up to it. Dunsparce tells Virizion it's goals and the two have a heart to heart conversation. The next morning, Virizion volunteers to stay behind. It, Emolga, and the player and partner become upset with the decision and Emolga decides that the only way they can be fair is to draw straws. The next day, the team draws straws and whoever gets the shortest one ends up staying behind. Thinking that he influenced Virizion's decision to stay behind, Dunsparce voluenteers to be the one to stay back in Pokémon Paradise. As they are about to depart via the Magnagate, Dunsparce and the team say their farewells and Emolga decides that Dunsparce should go and pushes him into the Magnagate and stays behind willingly. After getting teleported to the front entrance to Telluric Path, Dunsparce regrets that Emolga can't go but decides to move forward and that Emolga wouldn't want him moping around. Early during their trek through the Glacier Palace, Dunsparce comments that he is having trouble breathing. He decides to ignore the feeling and go on with this teammates. When the team gets deep into the palace and enters a long hallway, soon everyone begins to have trouble breathing and collapses. Only the player is unaffected and left to watch his comrades slowly dying. Thankfully, Kyurem foresaw their arrival and saves them from their fate. He says that the part of the palace they were in was surrounded by a mysterious energy and that not even Kyurem has been able to enter past there. Kyurem says that the rest of the palace is off limits and that they should turn back now, but not before rewarding them with its great treasure.
Spoilers end here.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation II.
Dunsparce has a drill for its tail. It uses this tail to burrow into the ground backwards. This Pokémon is known to make its nest in complex shapes deep under the ground.
Dunsparce is based on the mythical tsuchinoko. Similar to Bigfoot or the Chupacabra, sightings and reports appear in Japanese media; however, hard evidence is always lacking. Tsuchinoko are 30 cm to 80 cm long, with a large head and poisonous fangs. Its body is thicker than its head and tail. The noises it makes resemble squeaks, chirps and snores. Unlike real snakes, which slither from side to side, a tsuchinoko wiggles ahead in a straight line. The tsuchinoko curls its body to leap through the air. Moreover, the fact that Dunsparce, a snake-like creature, has wings also brings to mind the motif of the Feathered Serpent, a prominent deity or supernatural being in many Mesoamerican religions. In addition, Dunsparce shares some traits with bumblebees, including their stripes, tiny wings, stinger-like tail, and the fact that they burrow into the ground. This may be a visual pun inspired by the name "bachi hebi" (literally "bee snake"), which the tsuchinoko is also known by.
Name origin
Dunsparce may be a combination of dun (grayish yellow or gloomy) and sparse (referring to its rarity).
Nokocchi is an anagram of つちのこ tsuchinoko, a fabled snakelike creature.
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.