Steelix like to burrow underground and prefer to live inside mountains or on mountains, or even caves. They are long, large and their body is harder than any other Pokémon's.
Physiology
Steelix resemble giant iron snakes. They are a reflective, silvery gray, which reflects the sunlight making them shine slightly. They are about 30 feet long. Their body is made up of rock-like sections, some of which have massive rock spikes coming out of them. They have a massive head mainly made up of their jaw. The jaw is large and wide with sets of large square teeth inside. Along their bottom jaw are a pair of ridges (varies with gender). Their eye sockets are slightly set in, giving them good eye protection. Underneath their bottom jaw and chin, on the underside of the jaw, there are small square domes. Their heads have two long ridges going from the eyes up to the top of their heads. Their jaws also have massive ridges where they meet their skull.
The rock portions on their body start at the back of their head. There are three slightly larger sections that have the massive rock-like spikes coming out of them. The tail ends in a long sharp point, but with a blunt tip. Steelix's rock-like sections don't look perfect and can easily be mistaken for rocks, for they have many chips and scrapes all along them from fights and tunneling.
Gender differences
A male Steelix has two pairs of sharp ridges on each side of its bottom jaw, one big one and one slightly smaller one. But a female Steelix has only larger pair of the two ridges on either side of its bottom jaw.
Special abilities
Steelix are harder than any other Pokémon. They can create sandstorms by spinning their body round and round and they can tighten and harden their Template:M2 so they can attack.
Behavior
Steelix are rather rash and often charge into situations without thinking about the consequences of their actions. Often if they are disturbed they will attack anyone rather than the actual person responsible for disturbing them. They also often prone to being a bit vain and in some cases a bully to other Pokémon that happen to live in the area they are living in. This could be from evolving from Onix and realizing how powerful they have become and letting this knowledge go to their heads, as Onix are usually more peaceful than Steelix. Steelix don't give up until they are beaten. Often they are adamant about their choice of action.
Habitat
Steelix live far underground, miles from the surface. They don't often surface above ground unless provoked. They can be found roaming around in deep caverns and tunnels.
Diet
Main article: Pokémon food
Steelix only appears as a random trophy.
Trophy information
A combination of Steel- and Ground-types, Steelix are the longest Pokémon yet to be discovered, reaching over 30 feet in length. Since they live so deep under the surface of the earth, the intense pressure has made their bodies stronger than diamonds. Evolved from Onix, Steelix is every bit as intimidating as its relative.
- Steelix, since it was revealed in Generation II, is the second longest known Pokémon, only beaten by Wailord.
- In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Steelix is the only Pokémon obtainable through trade evolution while holding an item that can also be captured in the wild. And one of the very few special evolution Pokémon available in the wild without the use of a cheating device. (others being Raichu and Wigglytuff in Pokémon Red and Blue and Gengar in the same games as Steelix.)
- No other Pokémon has the same type combination as Steelix.
Origin
Steelix, like Onix, may be based on a mythical wyrm.
Name origin
Steelix's name is likely a combination of steel and onyx or Onix. Its Japanese name is based on 鋼 hagane, steel, possibly combined with the English word nail which, in romaji, comes out 'neiru'.
In other languages
For other sprites and images, please see Steelix images on Bulbagarden Archives.