Pokemon Biology - Magikarp

Ahhh, Magikarp, one of the most enigmatic pokemon in the whole game.  It seems to exist for no reason whatsoever.  It's too weak to use in the beginning of the game, it takes forever to level up, it has abysmal stats (aside from sub par speed) and it is virtually unusable in the end levels.  Strangely enough, it's evolution is the complete opposite as upon reaching the magical level of 20, it transforms into a rampaging blue behemoth that looks nothing like it's predecessor aside from a few anatomical features.  

What gives?  Why the sudden transformation?  How does a pushover like Magikarp survive long enough to even become the bane of every Red and Blue playing child (It takes forever to kill this damn thing)?  From a biological standpoint, how does Magikarp even still exist?  Well, let's take a look.  

Based on it's anatomy, it is clear that if Magikarp were to exist in reality, it would belong to the class, Actinopterygii, otherwise known as the ray finned fishes.  More specifically, it would belong to the order, Cypriniformes, the group that constitutes carps and minnows.   To get a better understanding of Magikarp as a species and how it fits into it's environment, I believe that it is best to check the fossil record in order to check for any past features that worked (and presumably did not work) in favor of the species survival.  


There is a problem, however.  The fossil record with pokemon is woefully incomplete as there are only about 17 recorded species, none of which are even remotely related to Magikarp.  At this point, the true scientist must then resort to inference.  

What we know: 

1. According to Dexter (the pokedex), Magikarp's ancestors were presumably stronger than it is now.  


2. Slow aquatic pokemon of the past (Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, Kabutops) were driven to extinction with the introduction of faster prey. 


Thus, 3. It is not unreasonable to presume that Magikarp's ancestor was likely the "faster" prey item.  It is also possible that they could have been the predator, given the fact that they were stronger and faster.  

(Artist's rendition of possible ancestor to the Magikarp)

Looking at today's broader fossil record, we can see that during the Devonian Period (the Age of Fishes), placoderms and other jawed fishes started to become prevalent.  These fishes were heavily armored; thus, they were relatively slow, and as time went on, they too became extinct, along with the ammonites and trilobites.  What replaced them were the weaker, but faster ray finned fishes that we see today; the fishes that include Magikarp among other things.  They lost the armor plating; but, they gained added maneuverability and agility when it came to swimming.  The pectoral fin is very flexible in the directions that it can move a fish, and in this case, it would have been ideal in helping a fish avoid predators, and to catch prey.  

Why is it so common? 

(Recent biosurvey result of PokeEarth.  Most prevalent biomass is labelled with a graphic.)

Anyone who has ever played the games know just how common this fish is.  They live in almost every single body of water on every continent with the rare exception of the Unova Region (there is speculation that they were wiped out by hyper competitive Basculin).  This can actually be attributed to a variety of factors. 

1. Magikarp can survive in practically any type of water, be it saline, fresh, or polluted. 

This can be seen in many real life examples such as the black chin tilapia.  In Hawaii, these fish are one of the most common species on the island, and being invasive, are also a nuisance.  Quite often, I have seen them on the coastline, far from the mouth of any river or stream, and when I do see them inland, the water they reside in is often horrifically polluted, which is a testament to their hardiness.  Species like these can capitalize on environments that would normally be inaccessible to other species.  

2. They have a superior breeding strategy.

Okay, when a species is this common, you can bet your ass on one thing.  It either has a lot of babies in a short amount of time, or the way it takes care of its offspring is incredibly successful. In this case, it's probably safe to say that Magikarp (or Gyarados) lays a lot of eggs.  So Mr. Magikarp salesman was right to a degree.  It's just the whole "getting filthy rich selling the eggs" is a little skeevy.  What kind of marketing plan is that?  Sell what the consumers want.  

Adding to that, it's a fair bet to say that Gyarados is hyper aggressive and territorial; thus, it literally pushes all predators out of the area.  More so, Magikarp may be able to spawn without having to complete their life cycle, which is seen in many types of fishes and amphibians like the axylotl.  How an ecosystem is able to sustain such a large biomass of fish is a mystery to me however, but it is possible that they simply just eat anything they can or that they are cannibalistic.  This brings up a behavioral adaptation that is unique to Magikarp (and it's relatives).  

3.  Splash.  

Splash is a useful move.  Granted it is absolutely USELESS in battle, that is not what Magikarp is designed to do.  In the evolutionary grand scheme of things, it appears that Magikarp and it's relatives sacrificed power and defense in favor of a faster and streamlined body (see Placoderms).  However, out of water, a fish cannot move.  In this case, Magikarp actually can defy this land limitation by splashing.  It can flipflop to different bodies of water and populate them in times of drought.  This is the biggest explanation for their huge range.  Certain catfish can do this, but it is a much slower process.  

In times of crisis, splash could also be used as a defense mechanism to propel the fish in an erratic and unpredictable manner.   It could cause a huge scene in which only one fish is killed for the benefit of the entire school; a type of altruism that is seen in many animals today. Some people may claim that it could invoke pity; a fish flopping around does indeed look pathetic but to a predator, this is irrelevant.  

Feral Pigs in Kaimuki

There were reports of a feral pig that found its way into the Kaimuki District.  What I wanted to do was confirm that rumor along with getting a nice crown picture for my invasive species senior project.  At first, I found nothing but circumstantial evidence.

(Possible foraging site of the pig.)

Then, on the fifteenth of February, 2012, I found the pig on the way back home from school.  

(Caught in the act.)

Now that I had captured the pig on camera, I immediately had to think about the question of why these animals were coming down from the mountains that they normally lived in.  The obvious answer was that they were either running out of food or space.  Another answer to this question is the fact that these animals are opportunistic and intelligent.  It is a distressing thought if these pigs were actively seeking out areas like Kaimuki.  It wouldn't be too far off to say that they might eventually move to the Ala Wai and then the Waikiki district.  Imagine tourists, sun, beaches, and wild hogs.  It would be quite distressing indeed.  

The Mainstreaming of Nerd Culture

"You know, nerd culture is totally mainstream now, so when you use the term 'nerd' derogatorily, 

you're the one out of the Zeitgeist" ( Ben Wyatt - Parks and Recreation).   

For those of you who don't know what "Zeitgest" means,it means "the spirit of the times."  I've noticed a trend over the years.  I see people walking around with huge glasses.  I also see some of them walking around in pants, suspenders, and ties with full on pens in the pocket.  More often than not, I even see the casual pedestrian wearing a t-shirt with some kind of popculture reference.  There are a ton of movies and television series that have come out over the last 20 years that have consisted of nothing but references to the retro and obscure.  Ever seen The Big Bang Theory?  

Hey, I didn't say that retro automatically meant good.

It's suddenly okay to be nerdy.  In fact, I might even say it's becoming popular; however,  I mean that in the loosest way possible.  The glasses have no lenses.  The ties are clip on and the pens are purely aesthetic.  That casual pedestrian has probably never seen the tv show that his or her shirt depicts in his or her entire life.  It is a sham.  

Come on man.  You can't just put on glasses and pens in your pocket and call yourself a nerd.  There are procedures to gaining this honor (and curse, if you were ever a genuine nerd in those unforgiving elementary/middle school years).  First off, looks don't matter.  

First off, are you smart?  If you are then you might just be smart.  Many of the people that I described before are not intelligent.  They couldn't find the odd answers in the back of a textbook much less find their way out of a paper bag.  

Then there is social ineptitude.  Well if you are wearing nerd gear in order to fit in, then that is a big minus.  I wear my Godzilla t-shirt because I've actually watched the movies.  Pens are placed in the pocket for sheer convenience.  Need to sign something?  Bam, it's right there.  

Last but not least, there is obsession.  Every nerd has got his or her "tick."  Mine happens to be pop culture (television, film, and cartoons), classics (television, film, and cartoons), and books (I have a fortress of Tolkien, Alighieri, Doyle, and other classics surrounding my computer.  They occupy a book case hanging over my computer.  God I hope it doesn't break.)  

Dramatization.  I don't have a lamp.  

Finally, there is my pride and joy, the Transformers franchise.  God I just love it.  I actually used to collect the toys until they were thrown out.  I now have only one left.  Since I could go on for years spouting my love for everything cybertronian and how devoutly I love it, I'll just say that I know the mythology and language of a fictional race of robots.  There you go.  I'll even type out a final message for you to translate.  

Hail Lord Primus.