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Revision as of 23:30, 21 August 2021 by HopHoppipHarvest(talk | contribs)(→Trivia: Fixed origin (Shellos is based on nudibranchs in general, not Chromodoris lochi specifically))
Shellos have two different appearances: West Sea (pink and white) and East Sea (blue and green), found on the respective sides of Sinnoh's mountain range.
Shellos is a sea slug-like Pokémon whose appearance changes drastically depending on the sea it is found in. However, both forms have amorphous, slug-like bodies. Like real sea slugs, they have mantles covering the top halves of their bodies. Unlike real sea slugs, they have bulbous heads and six small feet rather than one large foot. Both forms also have black oval-shaped eyes, tiny noses, wide yellow lips, and yellow outlines around their eyes and mantles.
In the West Sea form, the underside is white and the mantle is pink. The mantle has several small spike-like protrusions on it. On its head is a ring of pink fleshy knobs resembling the gills of a nudibranch.
In the East Sea form, the underside is green and the mantle is blue. The shell has two flap-like protrusions, resembling cerata. These protrusions are lined with yellow. On its head are two white-tipped tentacles resembling rhinophores that extend away from its face.
The Nurse Joy featured in Gateway to Ruin! revealed Mt. Coronet's formation led to the allopatric speciation event, with the original population of Shellos being separated into two. As a result, Shellos' color and other physical differences began to vary due to environmental differences and population isolation over time. West Sea Shellos' appearance is theorized to have been influenced by warm ocean waters, while East Sea Shellos is believed to have been influenced by cold ocean waters. It is also believed that diet influences a Shellos' form, but this has yet to be proven. The two forms are still able to interbreed; the child takes the mother's form or the father's if bred with a Ditto. If Shellos is pushed or squeezed, a mysterious purple fluid, said to be sticky and similar to greasy sweat, will ooze out of its body. In the anime, West Sea Shellos can extend their necks to incredible lengths. It is unknown if the East Sea form can do this as well. Shellos live along the seashore. They are said to have great regenerative capabilities. The species’ diet consists of plankton. Shellos can live on land or in the sea, though its skin dries out if it stays on land for too long.
In the anime
West Sea Shellos in the animeEast Sea Shellos in the anime
Shellos, the Sea Slug Pokémon. Shellos's shape and color varies depending on where it lives. Two different varieties have been confirmed in the Sinnoh region.
Shellos, the Sea Slug Pokémon. A mysterious purple fluid oozes out of its soft body when Shellos is strongly squeezed. Two kinds of Shellos, pink and blue, have been confirmed.
Shellos's most notable appearance is that of a companion of Mr. Fuego's. He typically keeps his East Sea Shellos on his shoulder, continuing to do so even after he accidentally imprisoned himself to avoid Team Galactic. It first appeared in Maddening Magby.
Both Shellos and Gastrodon have early back sprites that can be found in the game data for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl; however, there are no front sprites for these forms.
In Diamond and Pearl, no in-game Trainer uses East Sea Shellos in battle, even on the east side of Mt. Coronet.
Shellos is the only Pokémon with Sand Force that benefits from its sandstorm immunity, since the other Pokémon are naturally immune to its damage due to their typing.
Origin
Shellos is based on a sea slug. It resembles various species of nudibranchs, and its ability to secrete purple fluid may be based on sea hares, most of which secrete a purplish ink for self-defense.
Name origin
Shellos may be a combination of shell and loss or lost (referring to its lack of a shell), or the German suffix -los (-less).
Karanakushi is a combination of 殻 kara (shell) and 無くした nakushita (to have lost) or 無し nashi (without).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
カラナクシ Karanakushi
From 殻 kara (shell) and 無くした nakushita (to have lost) or 無し nashi (without)
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.