Croconaw is a bipedal, crocodilianPokémon. It has well-developed, rounded jaws with two fangs visible in the corners of the lower jaw even when closed. Its eyes are red with black markings around them. There are three clusters of red spikes on its body: one with three points on top of its head, one with two points between its shoulders, and a diamond-shaped one near the tip of its tail. While most of its body is blue, its lower jaw is yellow and there is an asymmetrical, yellow-and-blue pattern around its chest that resembles a spotted animal skin.
Although Croconaw is described as always having forty-eight fangs lining its mouth, only six are discernible. The tips of its teeth are slanted backward similar to a barbed fish hook; this makes them impossible to remove once embedded in something. Once Croconaw has bitten down onto something, it will not let go until it loses its teeth; any missing teeth will quickly grow back. Croconaw can rarely be found near water. As shown in Pokémon Sleep, Croconaw and its evolutionary relatives are known to sleep with one eye open and rest only half of its brain at a time — a practice known as unihemispheric sleep. During sleep, as one half of Croconaw's brain rests, the eye on the same side opens. This allows Croconaw to watch for enemy attacks while it sleeps.
Once Croconaw has clamped its jaws on its foe, it will absolutely not let go. Because the tips of its fangs are forked back like barbed fishhooks, they become impossible to remove when they have sunk in.
Once its jaws clamp down on its foe, it will absolutely not let go. Because the tips of its fangs are forked back like fishhooks, they become irremovably embedded.
Once Croconaw has clamped its jaws on its foe, it will absolutely not let go. Because the tips of its fangs are forked back like barbed fishhooks, they become impossible to remove when they have sunk in.
In The Champ Twins!, Bryan used a Croconaw in a battle against Ash and Dawn alongside his twin brother Ryan and his Quilava. The twins were initially able to defeat Ash's Turtwig and Dawn's Piplup due to the latter two having a lack of teamwork, but they were defeated in the rematch.
In The Pirates of Decolore!, a Croconaw abandoned by its Trainer had become the leader of a group of pirate Pokémon, which consisted of an Azumarill, Octillery, and Ducklett. After losing in a Double Battle between Ash, Snivy, and Pignite, Croconaw, and the other pirates stopped stealing and joined Officer Jenny's coast guard after apologizing to everybody they stole from.
Croconaw, the Big Jaw Pokémon, and the evolved form of Totodile. Once it bites down on something, it won't let go until it loses its fangs. But new fangs grow back quickly.
Silver's Totodile evolved into a Croconaw in Totodile Rock, which then evolved into a Feraligatr with the other two first partner Pokémon whilst fighting the powerful, angry Lugia of the Whirl Islands.
Croconaw is the first partner Pokémon with the shortest level gap between evolutions at 12, evolving from Totodile at level 18, and into Feraligatr at level 30.
Due to the censor that prevents Pokémon with offensive nicknames from being traded on the GTS, an English-language Croconaw cannot be traded on the GTS without a nickname in Pokémon Black and White.
Origin
Croconaw appears to be based on a crocodilian. In Pokémon Sleep, Croconaw and its evolutionary relatives are revealed to sleep with one eye open, just like real-life crocodiles.
It also appears to have a prehistoric theme, as its head spikes and chest patterns seems to be based on the wild hair and animal-skin cloth worn by cavemen, while its head resembles that of a theropod dinosaur. The crest on Croconaw's head is similar to the mohawk hairstyle which may allude to Croconaw's boisterous personality.
Name origin
Croconaw may be a combination of crocodile and gnaw, though it may also involve maw or jaw.
Mystic Water (100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Croconaw images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
