Kabutops is a bipedal prehistoric arthropodPokémon with a skeletal, well-armored build. It has a flat, half-circular head with a point on each side and two small eyes on the front. It is mostly brown, except for its light gray chest and abdomen. There is a ridge down its back with three flat spines on either side and it has a flat, pointed tail. Instead of hands, its forearms have large, sharp, gray scythes. Its thin legs are brown lead to small feet with two large gray claws.
Before it went extinct, Kabutops was in the process of evolving into a land dweller as evident by changes in its gills and legs. This change is thought to be due to its prey moving onto land as well. In its ocean home Kabutops could tuck up its limbs to help it swim extremely fast, up to roughly 29 knots. It used its sharp scythes to slice enemies and drink their internal fluids. Any leftovers left behind by Kabutops are consumed by other Pokémon. It is unknown what led to Kabutops's extinction.
In Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias, a giant Kabutops was resurrected from a fossil alongside an Aerodactyl by Annie and Oakley. In the English dub, they were used by an evil Trainer to torment the civilians of Alto Mare but drowned when a Latios brought water to the city. After being resurrected, it was sent to chase after Ash and Latias. Its resurrected look had blank, yellow-tinted eyes with no pupils and a thick black outline.
Omanyte and Omastar, Kabuto and Kabutops. It is believed these Pokémon became extinct tens of thousands of years ago. The detail of their behavior is shrouded in mystery. Though some have speculated that they may still exist, none of these Pokémon have ever been seen alive.
Kabutops swam underwater to hunt for its prey in ancient times. The Pokémon was apparently evolving from being a water-dweller to living on land as evident from the beginnings of change in its gills and legs.
Kabutops once swam underwater to hunt for prey. It was apparently evolving from being a water dweller to living on land as evident from changes in its gills and legs.
Kabutops swam underwater to hunt for its prey in ancient times. The Pokémon was apparently evolving from being a water-dweller to living on land as evident from the beginnings of change in its gills and legs.
The radio drama The Birth of Mewtwo contains an announcement about Kabutops' discovery by a Pokémon academic circle where it is believed to be the oldest Pokémon discovered and said to have retained its original form since 2 million years ago.
Kabutops has a scientific name, Kabutops maximus, which was stated in Fossil Fools. The only other Pokémon with a known scientific name is Oddish, with Oddium Wanderus. The name Kabutops maximus does have real meaning; when translated, it means "the largest kabuto-face", referring to the size and shape of Kabutops's head.
Kabutops and its pre-evolved form share their category name with Blastoise. They are all known as the Shellfish Pokémon.
Origin
Similar to how Kabuto is based on horseshoe crabs, Kabutops resembles eurypterids, prehistoric arthropods that hunted in seas and rivers and are believed to have been related to modern horseshoe crabs. The large head is also identical to the cephalon in trilobites and the spines down the back resemble their thoracic sections, though the scythes and predatory nature closely resemble eurypterids more. Because of the cross-similarities, it may also be based on the Cheirurus genus of trilobites.
Name origin
Kabutops may be derived from 兜蝦 kabutoebi (Triops), 兜 kabuto (helmet), Triops and -ops (common suffix in names of prehistoric animals derived from the Ancient Greek word for face).
For other sprites and images, please see Kabutops images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
