Ariados is a spider-like Pokémon in appearance. It has a red body with black stripes and markings that form an "unhappy face" on its abdomen. Ariados has four yellow legs with purple stripes; its fifth and sixth legs seem to have been moved onto its back. Both the horn and mandibles on Ariados are white. Ariados's feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. It spins a single strand of a special string endlessly out of its rear. The string can also be spun from its mouth; however, it is hard to tell which end is which. Rather than making a nest in one specific spot, it wanders in search of food after darkness falls. It will attach silk to its prey and set it free. Later, it tracks the silk to the prey and its friends. Ariados makes its nest in the depths of the forest.
An Ariados owned by J appeared in Mutiny in the Bounty! As J proceeds to steal her victims' Pokémon, she has her Ariados tie up her victims with String Shot. J's Ariados also made a short appearance in Pillars of Friendship!, where J told it to use String Shot to tie up Ash and co. and prevent them from stopping the legendary golems and Regigigas as well.
Multiple Aiados appeared in Defending the Homeland!. They are one of Florges's minions who orders them to attack Goodra's homeland in a flashback, they were used once more to attack Goodra and its friends. They reappeared in Beyond the Rainbow!.
Four Ariados appeared in XY098 under the ownership of the Ninja Army. They reappeared in the next episode.
Minor appearances
Ariados were mentioned by Misty in UnBEARable when Ash, Brock, and Misty were talking about scary Pokémon in the woods.
Ariados, the Long Leg Pokémon, and the evolved form of Spinarak. It attaches silk to its prey and sets it free. Later, it tracks the silk to the prey and its friends.
In the manga
Ariados in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team
Janine owns an Ariados which first appeared in Crossing Crobat, where she used him to scale from a building to Goldenrod Museum, after entering the vents he waited for Janine to return. She also uses him both battle and her job as a ninja.
In the Pocket Monsters HGSS Jou's Big Adventure manga
It can produce spider webs from both its mouth and spinneret. It's difficult to even differentiate the head from its back, where the spinneret is located.*
Ariados's feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. This Pokémon constricts the foe with thin and strong silk webbing.
Its feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. It constricts its foe with thin and strong silk webbing.
Ariados's feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. This Pokémon constricts the foe with thin and strong silk webbing.
Ariados is one of the few Pokémon whose sprites in both Gold and Silver are the same.
Origin
Ariados's appearance is based on the Myrmarachne formicaria spider, but with the prosoma (thorax and head area) and opisthosoma (abdominal area) reversed, fitting with its Pokédex entry.
Name origin
Ariados is named after the Greek myth of Theseus and Ariadne, wherein Ariadne gave Theseus a ball of twine before he entered the Labyrinth to slay the Minotaur, so that he may trail the strand behind him and find his route back to her. Ariados may also be a combination of arachnid (Latin for spider) and 脅す odosu (to threaten) or dos (Spanish for two, used possibly because it has two stingers, or because it is the second form in its evolutionary line).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
アリアドス Ariados
Named after the Greek myth of Theseus and Ariadne and the Spanish "dos" for two.