Poliwhirl

Poliwhirl (ニョロゾ) are one of the fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar Pokémon media franchise – a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. The purpose of Poliwhirl in the games, anime and manga, as with all other Pokémon, is to battle both wild Pokémon, untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments, and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers. Poliwhirl is a portmanteau of polliwog and whirl. Whirl refers to the spiral on its stomach, while Poli is also the "family" name for this evolution chain. The Japanese version of the name is probably onomatopoeic: "Nyoro nyoro" describes "wiggling" or "squirming" or "slithering", which is how a tadpole or a "Poliwag", its most basic form, would move.

A water type Pokémon, Poliwag evolves into Poliwhirl at Level 25, which is also a tadpole Pokémon. Misty owns one in the animé, and battles often with her Poliwhirl, who later evolves into Politoed. It evolves into Poliwrath by the use of a Water Stone, and into Politoed when traded with the King's Rock attached.

Biology
Poliwhirl is a large, amphibious froglet-like Pokémon. It is capable of living in or out of water; in order to live out of water, it must sweat to keep its body slimy. It prefers to live underwater in ponds where there is less danger.

In battle, it uses the spiral-shape on its belly to put the foe to sleep. It does this by subtly undulating the spiral, causing drowsiness and eventually sleep. It is also capably of easily escaping the grasp of foes due to its greasy skin.

Poliwhirl's spiral goes in the opposite direction of Poliwag's.

In the video games
Poliwhirl is obtainable in most of the Pokémon RPGs by surfing or fishing. Alternatively, Poliwhirl can be obtained by evolving Poliwag at level 25.

In Pokémon Red and Blue, Poliwhirl can be found by fishing (using the Super Rod) at Celadon City and at routes 9 and 10. In Pokémon Yellow, this is routes 22 and 23.

In Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal, it is found by surfing on Ecruteak City, Mt. Silver, Violet City, Viridian City and routes 22, 28, 30, 31 and 44.

It is unobtainable in the wild in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald but there are lots of them in Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green, more specifically in Cape Brink, Four Island, Icefall Cave, Ruin Valley, Route 22, Route 23, Viridian City, Route 6, Route 24, Route 25 and Cerulean Cave (by fishing).

Poliwhirl has two choices of evolution. It can evolve into a Poliwrath via a Water Stone, or it can be evolved into a Politoed by trading it with the Kings Rock item attached.

Poliwhirl was also featured as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In the anime
Misty had a Poliwhirl in the Johto series, after it evolved from the Poliwag she caught in season 2. It later evolved into Politoed.

In the card game
Poliwhirl appears several times in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. More specifically, it appears in the Base Set, Base Set 2, Gym Heroes (as Misty's Poliwhirl), Neo Discovery, Expedition, Skyridge, EX Fire Red & Leaf Green and EX Unseen Forces.

In the manga
Red starts his journey with a Poliwhirl and a Bulbasaur, the former being his friend for a long time, and had evolved into Poliwhirl from Poliwag to save him from drowning. It later evolves into Poliwrath to save Red from drowning a second time. Poliwhirl was the only Pokémon of Red's that fought against Lt. Surge to free all of the captured Pokémon.