| Parasect | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Paras (juvenile stage) Mushroom Pokémon | ||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Original | パラス and パラセクト | ||
| Romanization | Paras and Parasekuto | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Insectoid | ||
| Average height | 30 cm (Paras) 1 m (Parasect) | ||
| Average weight | 5.4 kg (Paras) 29.5 kg (Parasect) | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-sapient | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Kanto region, Pokémon World | ||
| Habitat | Forests and caves | ||
| Diet | Tree sap | ||
| Locomotion | Quadrupedal | ||
| Status | LC | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Pokémon | ||
Parasect is a Bug/Grass-type Pokémon species and a composite organism resulting from the association of an insect-like creature and a parasitic tōchūkasō fungus. Its juvenile stage is known as Paras.
Biology[]
Parasect is a large, land-based, orange-colored arthropod; standing about a meter in height and weighing about 29.5 kg. It prefers to inhabit dark, damp environments, where it can sometimes be found in large groups. Such groups can easily infest trees and drain all the nutrients from the roots and lower trunk until the tree's death, after which they will promptly move towards the next one.
Like a typical insect, a Parasect possesses three pairs of legs, although the first pair is modified into a set of strong, crustacean-style pincers or chelae. Unlike insects, though, its body has more than three segments, it doesn't seem to have antennae, and its eyes aren't compound. Said eyes can be observed to have visible pupils in the Paras stage. However, as the animal matures into Parasect, the eyes become opaque and white.
The most prominent feature of a Parasect, however, is the enormous mushroom which grows out from its body and covers its entire back like a carapace. Although the fungus has been described as a parasite which takes over the mind of its host and sustains itself by draining the host's energy; it also provides the host with a defense mechanism by releasing clouds of sleep-inducing or toxic spores on opponents.
Populations of wild Paras and Parasect are known to exist in forests and caves of the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Unova and Alola regions. In Alola, Parasect often competes for territory with Shiinotic.
Paras[]
The juvenile stage of Parasect is basically a smaller version of it, but its body still hasn't been completely taken over by the fungus, meaning that the host organism still has control over its own actions. A typical Paras always has two mushrooms sprouting from its back.
Unlike Parasect, Paras has visible pupils and white multiple-part mandibles. This Pokémon stands about 30 cm in height and weighs 5.4 kg. Like Parasect, it sustains itself and its fungi by draining nutrients from tree roots.
Cultural significance[]
According to some Pokédex entries, this Pokémon's spores have medical, life-extending properties and have been traditionally used as herbal medicine in China.
Gallery[]
