Mudkip

Mudkip (ミズゴロウ Mizugorou) is a -type Starter Pokémon in the Hoenn region. This Pokemon can also be chosen by a player in the games Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. It evolves into Marshtomp at level 16, then into Swampert at level 36.

Appearence
Mudkip are small blue Pokémon with a large fin on their head that allows them to sense movements within the air and water, acting as a radar. While in the water, they use the orange, spiky gills on their cheeks to breathe while using their large tail fin to propel themselves.

Behavior
When sleeping, they bury themselves within the soil at the edge of the water. Mudkip and members of its evolution family dwell in swamps or other wetlands, deep inside isolated islands, because of their dislike of fresh water lakes and ponds.



Special Abilities
The fin on a Mudkip's head can be used for sensing air and water currents, and can discern nearby bodies of water. The fin can sense danger as well, giving Mudkip warning. Mudkips breathe underwater using the gills on their cheeks, and their powerful tails drive them through the water quickly. Mudkip can lift big boulders. In a pinch, Mudkips will find strength enough to crush even rocks that are bigger than themselves. Mudkip has the ability Torrent, which will increase the power of Water-type moves in a pinch.

Behavior
Mudkip will bury themselves in soft soil at a river's edge to sleep. They live in groups to combine their strength and overpower any threatening enemies.

Habitat
Mudkip are born on beaches, and then swim to swamps on remote islands to live. Very few Mudkip are hatched in swamps. Mudkip and its evolutions tend to live in swamps and wetlands because of their dislike of fresh water ponds and lakes.

Evolution
Evolves into Marshtomp at Lv. 16 and then Swampert at Lv. 36. (After the first evolution Mudkip gains a type --Ground-- making it a dual type Pokémon).

In the Anime
In the anime, Brock gets a Mudkip after winning the trust of Old Man Swampy, who styles his hair like a Mudkip. In the events leading up to this, Old Man Swampy offers to let Brock see his eggs hatch. Brock agrees, and is treated to the sight of a baby Mudkip hatching.

Old Man Swampy suggests that Brock take one of his older Mudkip. At the last minute, Brock asks the Mudkip's permission, and it agrees and decides to join Brock for all the great adventures they will have together. However, within a couple of episodes it ends up spending almost all its time in Brock's Poké Ball.

Later, Brock's Mudkip evolves into a Marshtomp, making it the only Hoenn starter to not evolve into its final form.

Trivia

 * The concept of Mudkip was based on a breed of Axolotl.
 * It is unknown but marrision may have started with a Mudkip.
 * Mudkip is the only water-type starter to walk on all fours.
 * The Mudkips meme has gone all over the Internet.
 * Mukip's name is based on its behaviour. It is said to kip in the mud, kip meaning to sleep.
 * Mudkip has the highest physical attack of any first evolution starter.

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