PETALING JAYA: In the world of game creation, Pokémon creatures are often inspired by real plants and animals. This is evident in the creatures in the Pokémon franchise, which are based on real-life animals and plants.
But what if the reverse were possible? Could it be that there exists a new species of cockroach that is named after a Pokémon? The answer is yes.
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In an ironic turn of events, a newly discovered species of cockroach in a forested nature reserve in Singapore was named after the Ultra Beast Pokémon Pheromosa in 2023.
Entomologist Foo Maosheng, who helped discover the new cockroach species, said, “There are some similarities between Pheromosa (the Pokémon) and the delicate cockroach that we found, such as having a long antenna, wings that mimic a hood, and long, slender legs.”
“Both my collaborator and I are also Pokémon fans, so we thought why not name it after a Pokémon inspired by a cockroach.”
The discovery of Nocticola Pheromosa, published in the Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology on Feb 27, 2023, marks the first time a cockroach from the genus Nocticola has been detected in Singapore.
“I’m just like one of those bug-type trainers (in Pokémon) as I go to different places to find out more about what insects we have,” Foo said, highlighting the importance of discovering and studying new species.
“This contributes to the museum for research and education and The Biodiversity of Singapore website, which is kind of like our local Pokédex,” Foo was quoted as saying.
Pheromosa made its first appearance in 2016 as one of the seventh-generation Pokémon in Pokémon Moon on the Nintendo 3DS console.
It is described as a thin, white, feminine-like, cockroach-like Pokémon with a goldfish-shaped mane and long antennas.
Known by its code name UB-02 Beauty, the Pokédex entry in Pokémon Moon reads: “One of the Ultra Beasts. It refuses to touch anything, perhaps because it senses some uncleanness in this world.”
While unique, this cockroach is not the first animal named after a Pokémon. In 2021, three Australian beetles were named after rare bird Pokémon Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres due to their fiery colors.
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