Morphs [Oak Catalog #]
- Chinchou [#170]
- Lanturn [#171]
Notable Biology
Chinchou are small, blue, and round piscine Angler Pokémon with a pair of tiny white fins and two small blue feet. Chinchou's eyes have unique pupils that are shaped like plus signs. They are found in dark ocean floors at depths down to a mile. Their most famous feature are two antennae positioned on their rear with yellow teardrop-shaped bulbs that are positively and negatively charged due to a special species of bacteria. It uses them to attract and kill prey, defend itself from predators, and to communicate. A common use of Chinchou by fishermen is to use them to attract fish towards their nets, with a fish being given as a reward. Navies will use Chinchou as a replacement for signal lights on boats, as they are capable of surviving long periods outside the water, even though they are a deep-water species.Lanturn are also piscine Pokemon, but they also have some delphinoid features. The two antennae on Chinchou have now become a single antennae with two bulbs. Lanturn use their bulbs in the same way as Chinchou, but they are capable or generating a much higher electric current. Their bulbs are also much brighter, and are capable of lighting up the ocean's surface from three miles down. This has led to Lanturn earning the nickname of "The Deep-Sea Star", as their lights can give the sea the appearance of a starlit night.
Their communication is done primarily through flashes using their antennae. Every Chinchou and Lanturn has a unique flash pattern used to identify themselves, and there are about 1,000 recognized patterns known to science. These flashes are so bright that trainers are known to use Lanturn and Chinchou to attract wild Pokemon for capture by blinding them so that the Trainer can more easily catch them.
Another interesting attribute is their ability to convert electrical charges into energy, a unique side effect of their partial Electric typing. It works by the antennae catching electricity and the bacteria metabolizing it into energy, which is then absorbed by the Pokemon. A rarer subspecies of Lanturn is capable of healing faster by passing large amounts of water through their gills.
Habitat
Both Chinchou and Lanturn are mainly found near the deep ocean floor off the coasts of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos, with Lanturn living even deeper. They prefer temperate to tropical waters, explaining their rarity in the Sinnoh region. In Sinnoh they often come into conflict with their Finneon and Lumineon cousins, but due to their Electric abilities they tend to have the competitive advantage. Smaller populations also exist off the coast of Driftveil City and Route 18 in Unova, while in Kalos they're a common sight off the shore of Shalour City and the Azure Bay.Diet
Both members of the Chinchou line hunt and kill prey by using electric pulses from their antennae. Chinchou prefer small fish, whereas Lanturn will eat Pokemon such as Tentacool and Krabby after stunning them with an electric shock.Hazards
Both Chinchou and Lanturn prefer to avoid confrontation, and will swim away if they feel threatened. If a trainer persists, however, they will retaliate with powerful electric shocks amplified by the salt water. Brain damage and/or death have been known to occur if the shock is powerful enough. For this reason, it is advised for trainers to have a Pokemon with resistance to both Water and Electric moves on hand when attempting to catch one. [Trainer's Note: Similar to Wailord, it is not recommended to follow these Pokemon when diving, as your diving bubble will violently decompress and pop if you go deep enough.]Courting and Childrearing
Chinchou and Lanturn males attract mates by using flash patterns unique to each individual. Females will mate with the Pokemon with the brightest antennae, and will attach their eggs to seaweed in shallower water near drop-off points. After hatching, the young Chinchou head instinctively towards the darker depths, looking for a school to join.Social Structure
Chinchou live either alone or in small schools of up to 20 individuals, who keep together through flashes. After they evolve into Lanturn, they split up into groups of 3-5 individuals, though loners are not uncommon.Written by rmctagg09
