#003. Stegochar

Pokémon is © to Nintendo and Game Freak

Stegochar is © to me.

Wildfire Fakemon50% Male / 50% FemaleMonster, Grass(Lv. 36)Tropical rainforests of Suta Fakemon reserve.PhotoautotrophVulnerable (VU)The leaves on their back have specialized to efficiently convert sunlight into thermal energy, which is then stored in a thick layer of fat in these Fakemon's tail. Any excess fat can be burnt and used to expell thermal energy directly through the tail. Stegochar are often witnessed burning down entire forests to clear away any trees blocking sunlight from themselves and their offspring. Self-inflicted burning is avoided by a tough, fireproof skin, while their mud-covered feet and rock-like nails are used to put out any remaining flames after a forest has been cleared.Stegochar are currently under the care of Acuma's tropical Suta Fakemon reserve, as this region's high humidity prevents the potentially catastrophic wildfires these Fakemon are known to cause. This kind of environment also impairs their potential for fire abilities, thus Suta's Stegochar are generally weaker than they would be in their natural habitat. The issue of Stegochar's current geographical distribution is a controversial topic among experts. Many argue that introduction into an environment they are not fully adapted to would lead to a loss of their genetic diversity in future generations, thus this species could potentially lose all of its fire capabilities. On the other hand, due to an increase in the human population of Acuma over the past few centuries, allowing Stegochar to inabit their natural environment can lead to ecological disasters that could even compromise nearby human settlements.Wild Stegochar can be encountered in the protected forested and open areas of Suta Fakemon reserve. As the player is able to only use Reserve balls in this location, any attempt to catch a Stegochar will end in failure."Stegosaurus" + "Char"There we have it, the culmination of a very interesting Grass starter line based on thermoregulation, solar energy harnessment and their effects on an organism's environment. Like the previous forms, this Fakemon is based on the theory that ancient reptiles used sails, plates or other appendages in order to warm up their bodies more efficiently.Stegochar itself is based on...well, a Stegosaurus, duh. I've also utilized 2 interesting and controversial theories surrounding this amazing dinosaur species. The first is that the plates on its back were potentially used to warm their bodies, which is plausible because fossil plates show what appears to be a rich network of blood vessels. The second theory states that Stegosaurus had a "second brain" in its tail, based on a large canal evident on fossil specimens. Recent research links this canal with "glycogen bodies" in the tails of birds, which have an unknown purpose. In my design I actually thought about the Fakemon storing a lot of fat in its tail, and eventually burning it in order to torch its surroundings.Which brings me to the plant portion of this design, probably the most interesting part since it allowed me to merge the opposing Grass and Fire types. The leaves on Stegochar's back are based on Eucalyptus leaves. You are probably already aware of this Australian tree, however, what most people don't know is that it is a pyrophyte, a plant that encourages and survives wildfires. Since it lives in dry, arid environments, the Eucalyptus produces flammable oils in order to actually induce a wildfire. It is also resistant to burns, so basically the fire destroys any other trees in the vicinity, allowing the eucalyptus to spread and grow. Since this Fakemon line is highly dependent on direct sunlight, any of these species would be in direct competition with trees in their habitat. Thus, in order to get as much sunlight as possible, Stegochar tends to burn down any other plants that block out the Sun.I also touched upon the problem with this Fakemon causing potential ecological disasters and their effect on human settlements, which led to Stegochar being "quarantined" away into a new location where they cannot cause chaos, but there is also the potential of them genetically weakening over time because of this unnatural situation thei are brought into. Maybe I will even touch upon this in the future, adding in-game quests and backstory relating to this controversial issue.You can use or share my artwork however you see fit as long as you also credit me and/or supply a link to this page.