Disclaimer: What? Pokemon belongs to Nintendo? Oh darn.
Common Name: Hitmonlee, Sawamurer
Scientific Name: Calcitrosus sawamurae
Description: Hitmonlee are reptilian bipeds, standing 59 inches tall with their neck extended. They have long legs covered with large beige scales, and three-toed, clawed feet with yellow, callused knobs on the bottoms and sides. Their arms also have beige scales, and they have three fingers on each hand. The rest of their body is brown in color, with black markings beneath the eyes.
Hitmonlee are well-known for their highly unusual, 'headless' appearance. The Hitmonlee's actual head is perched on a skinny beige neck, and is extremely broad and flat, with a flat crest projecting off the back. When threatened, they assume a distinctive defense posture, retracting their heads into their bodies. The neck folds up and the top of the crest fits flush with their shoulders. Hitmonlee's large yellow eyes face forward, so even in this retracted position they are able to see. The overall effect of the defense posture is to make the pokemon appear as though it has no head, with the mouth hidden.
Because of this pokemon's nervous temperament and the fact that it is often only seen in the arena, it is mostly depicted in media in its defensive posture.
Range: Hitmonlee were once found in northern and central Kanto, but have been reduced to a small, fractured range north of Celadon City, where they were last seen. They are likely extinct in the wild.
Habitat: Hitmonlee live in open woodland and savannah.
Call: Hitmonlee groan and grumble to each other to keep in contact.
Diet: Hitmonlee are herbivorous, living off of broadleaf plants.
Life cycle: Hitmonlee travel in small, loose family groups called 'strikes,' rarely mixing with Hitmonlee outside of their immediate group. They only come together during the mating season, when males become vicious in their competition for mates. The males whirl and kick with their clawed feet, and as a result are often covered in scars, despite their thick skin. Thankfully, they rarely are seriously injured, and never aim for each other's eyes, despite the obvious advantage this would give them.
Female Hitmonlee are much more placid in disposition, and lay 2-3 eggs in a scrape, which they care for. Her mate does not incubate the eggs, but he will guard the female. When the eggs hatch, the pale pink young can already walk, and follow their mother and father for two years, when they reach breeding size and leave. Sibling pairs may stay together for years, even rearing each other's young.
Hitmonlee live for about 17 years.
Relationship with Humans: Hitmonlee are well-regarded for their power and agility in the arena, and have been collected to near extinction. It may even be completely extinct in the wild, as there have been no recorded sightings for several years. It is too early to tell, however. Captive breeding has been successful, but no efforts are currently underway to reintroduce this species.
There are standing laws permitting only the capture of male Hitmonlee, but this law is nearly redundant, as due to their more aggressive temperaments, only male Hitmonlee are traditionally used in battling.
Naturalist's Notes: Hitmonlee have excellent balance, able to stand on one leg while kicking with the other for a long period of time. They are very fast, due to their long legs, and can reach speeds of 50 mph, tucking their heads in to reduce drag.
Hitmonlee are surprisingly cautious pokemon, and in the high-stress environment of a battling ring do not relax out of their defensive posture. It is very rare even in the wild to see these pokemon with their delicate necks extended. And for good reason, as they are prey for Scyther, Nidoqueen/king, Arcanine, and their cousins the Hitmonchan. They do not make easy prey, however, and defend themselves by kicking.