|silverdex=It ferries people across the sea on its back. It may sing an enchanting cry if it is in a good mood.
|silverdex=It ferries people across the sea on its back. It may sing an enchanting cry if it is in a good mood.
|crystaldex=This gentle Pokémon loves to give people rides and provides a very comfortable way to get around.
|crystaldex=This gentle Pokémon loves to give people rides and provides a very comfortable way to get around.
|stadium2dex=<big><big>'''SOMEONE WITH ACCESS TO STADIUM 2 PLEASE PUT THE CORRECT ONE, VOLTORB'S WAS HERE BEFORE.'''</big></big>
|stadium2dex=
|rubydex=People have driven Lapras almost to the point of extinction. In the evenings, this Pokémon is said to sing plaintively as it seeks what few others of its kind still remain.
|rubydex=People have driven Lapras almost to the point of extinction. In the evenings, this Pokémon is said to sing plaintively as it seeks what few others of its kind still remain.
|sapphiredex=People have driven Lapras almost to the point of extinction. In the evenings, this Pokémon is said to sing plaintively as it seeks what few others of its kind still remain.
|sapphiredex=People have driven Lapras almost to the point of extinction. In the evenings, this Pokémon is said to sing plaintively as it seeks what few others of its kind still remain.
Lapras is a large sea creature which resembles a plesiosaur. It has four flippers, however its front ones are notably longer than its hind flippers. It has a long neck, and large black eyes. It has unusual curled ears and a short horn in the middle of its forehead. Its body is largely blue, while its underside is a light cream color. Its most distinguishing feature is the heavy shell on its back, which is very dotted with blunt knobs.
There are no gender differences in the video game, but its is suggested that the female Lapras is more of a turquoise color than the males, as seen in Viva Las Lapras.
Special abilities
Lapras can sing Pokémon and people to sleep and can carry Pokémon and people on their backs. Some Lapras are able to develop Psychic abilities such as telepathy, like the one belonging to Santa Claus or Satoshi's in Pokémon Zensho. Lapras has the rare ability (among fellow Water-typed Pokémon) to wield Electrical attacks.
Behavior
Lapras are a social Pokémon, and swim through the sea in large pods. They keep track of their fellow pod members through use of high-pitched songs they constantly sing, much like whales. Unfortunately they are very docile and do not like to fight, this has made them an easy target for hunters. They are currently very rare in the wild. Their songs have become very sorrowful in recent times as it has become harder and harder for these peaceful Pokémon to find others of their kind. They are highly intelligent, and have been said to be able to learn human speech.
Lapras first appeared in Holiday Hi-Jynx. This one helped Ash and co. reunite a Jynx with Santa Claus.
In The Lost Lapras, Ash and co. saved a baby Lapras from a trio of thugs, and then again from Team Rocket. Ash captured this Lapras and mostly used it as transportation between the islands of the Orange Archipelago. It was returned to its family in Viva Las Lapras. Ash's Lapras made a return appearance in Lapras of Luxury.
The most notable role of Lapras in Pokémon Special was being one of the Pokémon of Pryce. In his youth, Pryce lost two of his favorite Lapras in an avalanche, just as the egg borne by them hatched. Unable to get over his loss, Pryce swore to save his Lapras and thus began researching into time travel, setting the events of the Johto saga in motion. Eventually, Pryce was able to capture Celebi and enter time, only to lose Celebi as the Poké Ball containing it was shattered, causing him to be unable to override time any further. However, the baby Lapras, Hewger, was able to enter the time in which Pryce's Lapras were separated, and the family enjoyed a happy reunion while Pryce was eventually lost in time.
In The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Ash saves a Lapras from a swarm of Krabby tormenting it. Like in the anime, Ash used this Lapras as a mode of transportation through the Orange Islands saga. It is not known in this version if he releases it.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2: Lapras is the Pokémon that ferries people to the Hidden Land. When Wigglytuff explored the Brine Cave and found the strange marking on the wall there, Lapras asked Wigglytuff not to investigate it further to keep the Hidden Land a secret. When the player and partner had to get to the Hidden Land to save the world, Lapras responded to their presence by the marking and took them there.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
People have driven Lapras almost to the point of extinction. In the evenings, this Pokémon is said to sing plaintively as it seeks what few others of its kind still remain.
People have driven Lapras almost to the point of extinction. In the evenings, this Pokémon is said to sing plaintively as it seeks what few others of its kind still remain.
People have driven Lapras almost to the point of extinction. In the evenings, it is said to sing plaintively as it seeks what few others of its kind still remain.
Lapras will not appear in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team until a rescue mission involving it has been completed, using the following Wonder Mail code:
F ? J ? 6 9 0 ? 4 Q 6 C
C ! ? ? 8 ? 6 6 8 Q ? ♀
Objective: Rescue Lapras on floor 2 of Tiny Woods.
This Pokémon is based on the fabled Loch Ness Monster in Scotland. The creature and this Pokémon are said to resemble the marine reptile known as the plesiosaurus. However, Lapras does not have the plesiosaurus's long neck, whereas the body is very similar to the creature that is said to be in Loch Ness. Lapras intelligence and rarity can be comparable with some cetacean.
Name origin
Lapras's name seems to be a corruption of its Japanese name, Laplace. The name may be a reference to Pierre-Simon Laplace, a mathematician who wrote several books on the mathematical properties of the sea and tides, or also from the French word la place, referring to how passengers sit on its back like a seat to be ferried across bodies of water. Its name might also be derived from Lapis, a bright blue gem.
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.
For other sprites and images, please see Lapras images on Bulbagarden Archives.
