Foongus is a mushroom-like Pokémon. Its cap looks quite similar to a Poké Ball, and its white, stem-like body sports stubby, digit-less arms, a large pink mouth, and pinprick-like dark eyes.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Foongus uses the Poké Ball-like pattern on its head to lure others, then releases a cloud of poisonous spores.
Behavior
Foongus moves by either hopping or turning on its side and rolling on its cap. When Foongus is caught, it releases poisonous spores as a defensive tactic.
Foongus made its anime debut in BW032, when a group of Foongus poisonedAsh and company's Pokémon after Ash's Scraggy used Headbutt on the Mushroom Pokémon.
Foongus, along with its evolution, is similar to Voltorb and Electrode in that it resembles a Poké Ball.
However, unlike Voltorb and Electrode, it only has a Poké Ball design on it, instead of being in the shape of one.
Likewise, it features the whole design, complete with the circle resembling the button in the middle (contrary to Voltorb's evolution line having just the shape and general colors, and according to the Pokédex, being transformed Poké Balls themselves).
Like Voltorb and Electrode, Foongus's Shiny form's coloration is reminiscent of that of the Master Ball. It shares this trait with its evolved form.
These are also the only Pokémon that can have the ability Effect Spore without having come from the Dream World.
Despite being based on a mushroom, Foongus and its evolution can learn and use SolarBeam and Synthesis. They share this degree of similarity with Vileplume, who is based on the rafflesia, which cannot perform photosynthesis, like the mushroom.
Origin
It appears to be based on amanita muscaria or mushrooms of the agaricus genus, due to it being Poison-type. The cap is designed to look like the front of a Poké Ball.
Name origin
Foongus's name is a corruption of fungus and it along with its evolution's name are a corruption of the phrase fungus among us. It may also come from fool, meaning to deceive, referencing its use of its Poké Ball-like cap to attract unsuspecting prey.
Tamagetake may be derived from 茸 take, mushroom (or, more specifically, the Shiitake mushroom), and 玉 tama, sphere, referencing the design of its cap. Another possible origin is the word 魂消る tamageru, "to be astonished."
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.