Dragalge is an aquatic Pokémon that resembles a common sea dragon. Its body is curved in a way that vaguely resembles the number three. Its sides are a light purple with slender vertical lines, while most of the rest of its body is a dull brown. There is a light purple patch on its face surrounding its red eyes. It has a tubular, upturned snout and on the back of its head is a thin appendage. On top of its head is a red, leaf-like crest with two brownish-green antennae. On either side of its body is a skinny, leaf-like appendage and its tailfin also resembles a large leaf. There are three small spikes along its back.
Dragalge is a territorial Pokémon that will spit poison at whatever trespasses on its territory. Its poison is strong enough to melt the hulls of metal tankers. As a result, it is said that ships sailing through the seas where it lives never return. It hunts by hiding itself in seaweed and then ambushing prey such as Finizen with a spray of poisonous liquid. However, it is known to coexist well with Dhelmise. Dragalge can create Dragon energy by absorbing the sunlight through the plume on its head.
Mega Dragalge grows larger and more ornate, with much more kelp decorating its body. The crest atop its head expands into six flowing, cape-like fronds that are purple on the underside, draping over most of its body. The green antennae on its head expand into antler-like shapes, each of which bears a purple and pink orb in its center. Mega Dragalge's limbs grow longer and more spindly, with several leaf like protrusions along their length. Closer to its neck and tail, the purple of its body transitions to a deeper red color.
Mega Dragalge produces a liquid that causes the regenerative ability of cells to go berserk, enhancing its healing ability. However, the liquid is a deadly poison to every other living thing.
Two wild Dragalge debuted in An Undersea Place to Call Home!. They were among the Pokémon who made their home in the wreckage of the S.S. Cussler, and were responsible for welding the pieces of the ship together to make a home.
These parallels were lessened, however, when Dragalge received a Mega Evolution in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, while Clawitzer lacks an alternate form of any kind.
Origin
Dragalge appears to be based on a leafy seadragon, but bears resemblance in shape and body appendages to the weedy seadragon. Both of these animals are capable of mimicking the appearance of aquatic foliage as a way of camouflage, like Dragalge. The Pokédex entries for Dragalge and its pre-Evolution make several allusions to a diet, habitat, and resemblance based around rotten kelp, a kind of seaweed. Notably, rotting seaweed releases highly toxic gas, and can cause poisonings.
Mega Dragalge resembles multiple species of kelp in the Phaeocypheae class, between its head bulbs evoking the pneumatocysts of Sargassum kelp and its plume of long blades imitating the shape of Laminaria ochroleuca. Its power to amplify cell regeneration implies that its toxin is carcinogenic. The carcinogenic properties of its toxins may reference the nature of seaweeds absorbing heavy metals from the ocean, or may serve as an inversion of Laminaria's status as a medical remedy for both radiation sickness and cancer cell growth.
Name origin
Dragalge may be a combination of dragon and algae.
Dramidoro may be a combination of dragon and 水綿 aomidoro (Spirogyra).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please see Dragalge images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
