Shellder have a two-piece purplish-blue shell, with two spikes on the top and two on the underside. They use their shell for propulsion by opening and closing the two parts rapidly. Shellder have a large, red tongue that serves as a means for burrowing. Judging by its Pokémon Black and White sprite animation, they have a round black body. Their body is known to be tender.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Shellder's shell is harder than a diamond and can withstand powerful attacks. When sand combines with the body fluids inside of Shellder, beautiful pearls are formed. As clamping on to an opponent reveal their vulnerable parts, they use the move only as a last resort. When a Shellder latches onto the tail of a fishing Slowpoke, the two Pokémon undergo a fusion evolution as a Slowbro is created and the Shellder changes in appearance. Likewise, if a Shellder bites a Slowpoke on the head due to the attraction of a King's Rock or some other reason, that Slowpoke will instead become a Slowking, the poison secreted by the Shellder reaches its head making it extremely intelligent.
Behavior
Its tongue is always hanging out, as it sits on the sea floor. Shellder swims facing backward by opening and closing its two-piece shell. When Shellder sleeps it uses its broad tongue to burrow a hole in the sand and then sleeps in it. While Shellder is sleeping, it closes its shell, but leaves its tongue hanging out. Shellder are apparently attracted to the King's Rock since it is this item that makes the Shellder bite Slowpoke on the head and transform it into a Slowking.
When Shellder's mouth is clamped on Slowbro's tail, it will feed on the leftovers of food eaten by the host Slowbro. When it's on its own, Shellder is most likely a filter feeder. The Pokédex entry in Pokémon Stadium states that it hides in sand on the seafloor and catches prey with its soft tongue.
In the anime
For a list of Shellder's appearances in the anime as part of Slowbro or Slowking, see the anime sections of Slowbro and Slowking.
Shellder in the animeSpiral Shellder in the animeCrown Shellder in the anime
Pokémon Pinball: Three Shellder appear on the Red Table and give the player points when hit. When Catch'em Mode is activated, they also reveal the silhouette of the Pokémon attempting to be captured upon being hit.
Pokédex entries
For Shellder's Pokédex entries as part of Slowbro or Slowking, see the Pokédex entries sections of Slowbro and Slowking.
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
At night, this Pokémon uses its broad tongue to burrow a hole in the seafloor sand and then sleep in it. While it is sleeping, Shellder closes its shell, but leaves its tongue hanging out.
At night, it burrows a hole in the seafloor with its broad tongue to make a place to sleep. While asleep, it closes its shell, but leaves its tongue hanging out.
In the anime, Shellder is required to evolve Slowpoke into Slowbro or Slowking. Shellder clamps onto a Slowpoke's tail to evolve into Slowbro, or onto its head while wearing the King's Rock to evolve into a Slowking. Even though Shellder changes form drastically when it bonds with Slowpoke to evolve (see above), it is not considered an evolution in and of itself.
Some of Slowbro's Pokédex entries states that if the Shellder becomes detached, it will devolve back into a Slowpoke, one of the very few references to devolution.
Though Slowbro and Slowking's Silver Pokédex enties mentions that Shellder secretes venom, it cannot learn any Poison-type attacks by leveling up. However, it is still able to learn Toxic via TM.
Shellder and Cloyster share the same species name with Clamperl. They are all known as the Bivalve Pokémon.
Shellder are one of the few Pokémon to show their entire body in a backsprite before Generation V, which it does in Generation II.
Shellder and its evolution were shown to be capable of floating through the air in Pokémon Snap, a trait that has been seen in no other media.
In the episode The Evolution Solution, it's revealed that Shellder is still capable of speech as the shell of a Slowbro.
Origin
Shellder is similar to bivalves, more specifically the clam, with its tongue representing a clam's "foot".
Name origin
Shellder is derived from shell. It also may be a pun on shelter, referring to the fact that it lives in a shell.
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.
Pearl (25%)
Big Pearl (8%)
For other sprites and images, please see Shellder images on Bulbagarden Archives.
