Mightyena

[SnoringFrog]

What exactly is Mightyena supposed to be? Judging by the name and the mane I'd say a hyena, but Poochyena is a canine, which hyenas are not. In reality, hyenas are more closely related to cats then dogs, and most closely related to the family of mongooses(forgot what it's called). So, how is a yound puppy supposed to evolve into something of a completely different species?

 

[Barb]

Through the miracle of Pokémon evolution, in much the same way as a rather homely fish (Magikarp) transforms into a giant sea serpent (Gyarados) and gains Flying-Type abilities to boot. Or think of how a Carvanha (clearly modeled on a freshwater fish, a piranha) transforms into a Sharpedo (clearly modeled on a saltwater fish, a shark).

 

[SnoringFrog]

I guess that makes sense, well as much sense as can be made of it. It's like Remoraid, a fish, that evolves into Octillery, an invertebrate. At least in the instances you mentioned(as well as Pooch/Mightyena) they stayed in the same Phylum.

 

[Another Fan]

I truly dislike the thought of hyenas being in what seems to be a bad environment to see them in. Unless I am mistaken but does the region that Hoenn is based on have hyenas?

 

[BenRG]

I must say that Mightyena doesn't look like a member of the hyena family to me. It is some kind of wolf.

The name is probably just a red herring, a result of someone who saw it and said: "Hey, that looks sort of like a hyena" without knowing enough about the genus to make an informed judgement.

 

[Kthleen]

They're a brown hyena and probably cub (though I don't doubt that Poochyena has some puppy in it). It's more obvious when you look at the ears and the way the coat drapes over its body. One may say, "But that thing's brown and has striped legs!" Well, the giant salamander, on which Quagsire is based, isn't light blue and doesn't have a dorsal fin. Sawamura Tadashi has a head rather than a hump between his shoulders, unlike Hitmonlee (Sawamular in Japanese). And unless something weird happened, the noses of moai are the same color as the rest of them, unlike with Nosepass.

 

[Suicune]

What exactly is Mightyena supposed to be? Judging by the name and the mane I'd say a hyena, but Poochyena is a canine, which hyenas are not. In reality, hyenas are more closely related to cats then dogs, and most closely related to the family of mongooses(forgot what it's called). So, how is a yound puppy supposed to evolve into something of a completely different species?

Poochyena is a canine, and Hyenas are too... Yes, Hyenes ARE canines! They are the family of the wolf!

 

[Crimson Flames]

Although hyenas look like rather large wild dogs, they make up a separate biological family which is most closely related to Herpestidae (the family of mongooses and meerkats).

That enough evidence, Suicune? :disgust:

 

[Dragon Master]

Mightyena is a combo of a wolf and a hyena. That is what he is.

 

[pokejungle]

What exactly is Mightyena supposed to be? Judging by the name and the mane I'd say a hyena, but Poochyena is a canine, which hyenas are not. In reality, hyenas are more closely related to cats then dogs, and most closely related to the family of mongooses(forgot what it's called). So, how is a yound puppy supposed to evolve into something of a completely different species?

I'd say simply because this is Pokémon, and not the National Geographic Game.

They don't have to be logical =]

 

[Dan2]

I think "Poochyena" is a cross between the terms "Pooch" and "Hyena", so it's half-dog, half-hyena.

 

[Rukaria]

I would imagine Mightyena being a wolf that hunts in packs with an Alpha male and Alpha female. They would do everything wolves do, regurgitating for their young Poochyenas, finding mates, fighting for territory, and hunting in packs for Stanler and Tauros. I think the name 'Mightyena' is just because of the hyena-like mane, but Mightyena doesn't really look like a hyena anyway, it looks more like a wolf.