On Quantifying Species
An annoying, high pitched mechanical voice. A digital screen embedded in a red box. Every Pokemon trainer's best friend. That is the Pokedex.
Somehow, it is always being updated. Just like how new arthropod species are always being identified, new Pokemon are found all over the planet every day. This is a mystery to many people, since Pokemon, unlike insects, are usually relatively large.
This mystery is relatively complicated, because the very definition of species is unclear. There exists a classification system in which each Pokemon is labelled as "the _(insert noun)_ Pokemon", but it is highly imprecise. Not only are Pokemon of the same evolutionary line sometimes classified into the same species, such as when Jigglypuff and Wigglytuff are both "the Balloon Pokemon", Pokemon of different evolutionary families are also placed in the same group. The most extreme example of confusion can be found in "the Dragon Pokemon", which, to date, describes a grand total of eight Pokemon - Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Salamence, and Goodra.
This discussion compels us the question the nature of the Pokemon species. Specifically, we will have to determine whether (1) Pokemon of the same evolutionary family are different species and (2) Pokemon of different evolutionary families but similar morphology are the same species.
The simplest method to resolve this issue would be to cite an accredited species definition and use it as a framework for discussion. However, if one searches for "species definition" one quickly becomes overwhelmed with over 20 different concepts, based on diverse classification schemes like morphology, reproduction, phylogeny, and ecological niche. Furthermore, even if we were to assume that only one of these definitions is correct, we would still not find a definition that applies nicely to Pokemon.
Suppose that we select the most widely applied species concept as a starting point for analysis. The biological species concept states that individuals of the same species are those that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. This is already problematic, of course, because it suggests that all Pokemon belonging to the same egg group are the same species, and that Ditto belongs to every species.
The morphological species concept states that all members of the same species look similar. This could potentially be a more powerful definition, since it tends to group Pokemon in the same evolutionary family together. For instance, Ponyta and Rapidash are clearly the same species. However, we come to the issue of such Pokemon as Venomoth and Butterfree, and the same problem with the biological species concept is once again present. Based on the morphology of eye shape, it is obvious that Venomoth should be grouped with Caterpie, and that Butterfree should be grouped with Venonat.
We could continue testing this argument with various species definitions, but it would be to no avail. Just as how Ash Ketchum is destined to never win a Pokemon League and how Team Rocket will never catch Pikachu, no species definition is sufficiently precise to be used for classifying Pokemon.
This leads to a very elegant explanation for why new species of Pokemon are always being discovered around the world - it is simply because we cannot properly define what constitutes a separate species. Suppose Professor Oak decides that Heatran and Volcanion are really just cousins, then he will not consider Volcanion separate from Heatran. When Gary comes along and analyzes the movesets of these two Pokemon, he may discover some statistically significant differences. This, coupled with a small sample size, may lead Gary Oak to conclude that he has, in fact, discovered a new species.
Of course, this explanation is too simplistic to explain the discovery of all new species. Pokemon like Trubbish and Vanillite simply have no counterparts to which they are morphologically similar. In these cases, there is an even less complicated explanation: these Pokemon are simply too skilled at hiding from humans.
Most of these strangely shaped Pokemon are located on an island known as Unova, on which Poke-humans had not set foot until recently. On such an island, all Pokemon are automatically considered new species because they are geographically isolated. Of course, members of the scientific community often question this reasoning. Are Alomomola and Luvdisc actually different?
The nature of human constructs is that they cannot ever encompass the full breath of natural variation. This is the reason why many criminal organizations such as Team Plasma prefer that ordinary citizens stay away from Pokemon. This reasoning is excellent with the exception of one flaw.
Even if we know that we can never understand something, that does not mean we cannot attempt to understand it. For even a small theory, only representative of part of the truth, can have an influential impact.
Never would I have predicted that the Pokedex is so controversial.
