Sandile is a short, quadruped with a long snout and tail. Its body is mostly light brown with the exception of black stripes crossing over and under its legs and its pink underbelly. It has a black stripe on its snout in front of its eyes, and black covering the tip of its tail. Its eyes resemble shaded binoculars and are shrouded in black all around their front. The black is a membrane that prevents sand from getting in Sandile's eyes and helps it see in the harsh desert sun. Its long snout is tipped by two protruding nostrils, and its mouth comprises the bottom half. Its feet are flat and contain three sharp, black claws. They are attached to stubby legs on its sides.
Sandile is only found in deserts. It usually burrows under the surface, with only its nose and eyes above the sand. Due to being so close to the surface, it can move around the desert and allow the heat of the sand to regulate its body temperature. As seen in the anime, in the wild, Sandile can be mischievous and potentially troublesome to humans. However, Sandile will protect another of its species, and can be caring at times. Sandile is known to prey on Trapinch.
Major appearances
A group of Sandile led by a Sandile wearing sunglasses debuted in A Sandile Gusher of Change!, where they were trying to lead a bunch of Pokémon to safety. The Sunglasses Sandile reappeared in Here Comes the Trubbish Squad!, and then in Dancing With the Ducklett Trio!, where he evolved into Krokorok. He was eventually caught by Ash in Battling the Bully!. Later, in Ash, Iris and Trip: Then There Were Three!, he evolved into a Krookodile during a battle against Iris's Dragonite.
Minor appearances
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in Dreams by the Yard Full!.
A Trainer's Sandile appeared on a computer screen in A Rival Battle for Club Champ!.
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in A Connoisseur's Revenge! at a Poké Mart near Castelia City.
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in Iris's flashback in Iris and Excadrill Against the Dragon Buster!.
A Sandile appeared in Crisis from the Underground Up!.
Multiple Sandile appeared in Lost at the Stamp Rally!.
Multiple Sandile appeared in Ash Versus the Champion!.
A Sandile appeared in a flashback in A Maractus Musical!.
A Sandile appeared in The Mighty Accelguard to the Rescue!, under the ownership of a shopper at the Driftveil Market.
A Trainer's Sandile made a cameo appearance in Cilan Takes Flight!.
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in Climbing the Tower of Success!.
A Sandile appeared in Crisis at Ferroseed Research!.
A Sandile appeared in Rocking the Virbank Gym! Part 1.
Multiple Sandile appeared in All for the Love of Meloetta!.
A Sandile briefly appeared in the elder's flashback in A Village Homecoming!.
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in Curtain Up, Unova League!.
A Sandile briefly appeared in Mission: Defeat Your Rival!, under the ownership of Antonio.
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!.
A Sandile appeared in a fantasy or a flashback in The Journalist from Another Region!.
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in Summer of Discovery!, Foggy Pokémon Orienteering!, and Battling Into the Hall of Fame! .
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in Alola to New Adventure!.
Multiple Sandile appeared in Deceiving Appearances!, where they were among the Pokémon seen at Aether Paradise. They reappeared in Don't Ignore the Small Stufful!.
A Sandile appeared in Some Kind of Laziness!, where they were walking through the Ruins of Abundance.
A Trainer's Sandile appeared in Securing the Future!, where it joined the rest of Alola in showering Necrozma with light so it could return to its normal form.
Pokédex entries
Episode
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Pokémon
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Source
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Entry
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BW003
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Sandile
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Ash's Pokédex
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Sandile, the Desert Croc Pokémon. A dark membrane protects its eyes from the sun, and it buries itself in the sand with its eyes and nose sticking out.
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Origin
Sandile seems to be based on a crocodile; it has traits from both the slender-snouted crocodile and the spectacled caiman. Its striped design is similar to a stereotypical burglar. Based on its Pokédex entry, it also seems to be inspired by a sandfish, a desert skink that's able to "swim" through the sand.
Name origin
Sandile is a combination of sand and crocodile and also a play on sandal, which is footwear used for walking on sand.
Meguroco may be a combination of 目黒 meguro (black-eyed) and crocodile.