Pokemon taxonomy: Is it a kingdom or a domain?

[Latias Dita]

One thing I've been wondering for some time now is whether Pokemon as a whole can be called a kingdom or even the more or less recent rank of domain. A domain is higher than a kingdom and there are two or three depending on who you ask (either Archaea, Eubacteria and Eukaryota or simply Prokaryota and Eukaryota). Pokemon seem to be different enough from animals that they would not be classified as part of the Animalia kingdom, but I'm not sure if Pokemon as a whole can be considered one kingdom.

The main reason I think this is because of Grass-type Pokemon, as well as the many inorganic Pokemon and Ghost-types. The cells of plants are different from animals, and likely Grass Pokemon cells are different from animal-like Pokemon. Perhaps they're different enough to be considered a different kingdom all together? What about Pokemon that seem to be both plants and animals, would they be a separate kingdom as well?

I personally think of Pokemon as a Domain. What makes Pokemon different from any other Domain is their ability to use special Moves as well as most Pokemon species' ability to undergo a rapid metamorphisis, or what we call "evolution". It is perhaps more related to the Doman Eukaryota (protists, plants, fungi and animals) than Archaea (very simple bacteria, believed to be among the vbery first lifeforms) or Eubacteria (most other bacteria), but it is it's own separate Domain. Biological classification is based on similarity in gentics as well as a common point of ancestroy. Since "all" Pokemon possibly descended from Mew (though I believe this is only regular Pokemon and perhaps some of the Legendaries),this is the common point for Pokemon.

Of course, trying to classify Pokemon using the taxony used for life in the real world can be tricky. For example what about the whole Pokemon being able to bred with other species so long as they are part of the same Egg Group? Being able to bred and produced viable offspring with each other is a big indicator of being part of the same species. Does this mean that all Pokemon of the same Egg Group are actually one species? If Pokemon biology were more like real life organisms, then Pokemon interbreeding would produce some form of hybridization rather than the baby being the same species as its mother. What do we make of this?

Well anyway, that's just my theory. What do the rest of you think?

 

[Ino-Chan]

I would say it is a kingdom because of the many different species and types. For instance, since some other animals in real life in other phylum to make a new species.

 

[Cheesus Is Lord]

I personally would think of them as a kingdom. The differences between plants and animals in pokemon are quite different, with the many of the same abilities and physiology possessed by both kinds. The divisions into domains are all based on fundamental differences at the cellular level. I believe that in this sense, Pokemon use the same basic structure as real-world eukaryotes, putting them firmly into the already established domain of Eukayota.

 

[paperfairy]

In my freshmen year I had an extensive debate regarding this, and we concluded that Pokémon would recieve their own kingdom.


We also tried to classify them, but it proved to be a ridiculously difficult task.

 

[Neverender_1862]

I tried to classify them, but found it erratic. Btw, I'd hazard a guess at kingdom.

Damn it's hard to correct.
Kingdom Pokemon
Egg Group Fairy/Field
Type Electric
Species Mouse
Scientific Name: Electric Mouse (Pikachu)

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

From the first volume of Electric Tale of Pikachu:

POKéMON--the name for a mysterious species not recorded in traditional biological taxonomies. Subspecies include animals, grass, insects, and a variety of other life forms. Due to similarities in genetic and cellular structure, they must be considered a single species.

Of course, that might only apply to that one series.

 

[The Outrage]

I really don't think we can apply our current taxonomy to Pokemon considering that in the games, they seem to be able to interbreed with other species, but that's only in-game mechanics. Though there seems to be inter-species relationships suggested in the Anime multiple times.

It would probably be its own Kingdom under the domain Eukaryota. Though that brings into question of what the Pokerus is. However, if it is what its name suggests, and it is a virus, than biologically speaking, it is not a living organism (a cell being the the base of all living organisms, and a virus is merely DNA/RNA with a protein coat)

I tried to classify them, but found it erratic. Btw, I'd hazard a guess at kingdom.

Damn it's hard to correct.

Kingdom Pokemon
Egg Group Fairy/Field
Type Electric
Species Mouse
Scientific Name: Electric Mouse (Pikachu)

Species would be its scientific name (I forgot what that two-name system is called ;-

Let's see if I remember bio:

Kingdom
Phylum
Order
Family
Genus
Species

Well now there's domain on top of that list. Now I can't remember it as Kinky people often find good sex

 

[Cheesus Is Lord]

Damn it's hard to correct.
Kingdom Pokemon
Egg Group Fairy/Field
Type Electric
Species Mouse
Scientific Name: Electric Mouse (Pikachu)

I was thinking about classifying Pokemon after this thread, but I completely forgot about egg groups. That really makes it hard to do, as they overlap with typing (which also overlaps with itself >_>)

From the first volume of Electric Tale of Pikachu:

POKéMON--the name for a mysterious species not recorded in traditional biological taxonomies. Subspecies include animals, grass, insects, and a variety of other life forms. Due to similarities in genetic and cellular structure, they must be considered a single species.

Of course, that might only apply to that one series.

Because of the interbreeding, this makes sense, though it really bothers me. There really should be multiple levels to pokemon classification.

Now I can't remember it as Kinky people often find good sex

How about, "Dudes! Kinky people often find good sex!!"

 

[Volkner582]

You forgot about class. It's Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. Try "Dudes, kinky people can (for Class) often find good sex."

 

[lapis-heart]

This year I'll be taking a serious Biology course. I'm going to bring up the issue of Pokémon to my teacher and see what he says on the subject!

And for the record, I'm totally stealing that DKPCOFGS memory device you've got there.

 

[ShinyAeon]

Above Kingdom, above Domain.

I think of it like this: There's Animal, Vegetable, Mineral...and then there's Pokemon. Since Pokemon can contain ALL of the other three, there's really only "Pokemon" and "non-Pokemon." All else is sub-classification.

 

[lapis-heart]

That makes sense. *nods*

 

[robosoup]

Pokéryotes.

 

[Jukain726]

Any form of classification system has to have a set of criteria that applies to everything that is put into a category. To classify pokemon by real life classification systems, it has to first be defined as life. There are pokemon made of pure energy, so that doesn't fit right away. (not made of cells) There was a scientific name described in a dex entry for Oddish, although that could mean they have a separate set of criteria that isn't known. Maybe a conscious bundle of energy counts as life to them.

A problem comes with separating pokemon from other forms of life, since for one thing, I can't be sure of what other kinds of life exist in the pokemon world because it keeps changing. At least with other animals. Other life does exist in the form of plants and humans. Although, on that, the main series of games is not the only official depiction of the pokemon world, and there are many, and there are a number of different things across these depictions. I'll try to keep it to the main series for now. For the sake of argument, there is nothing to really suggest that the plants and humans aren't the same as in real life, except for the presence of psychic abilities and maybe the channeling of energy (Aura). That wouldn't affect the classification at the base, though.

Maybe pokemon does still count as life, but it's life that's separate from the other forms of life, since it has to include a conscious bundle of energy. To use the Linnaean system, that would count as Domain level, I think. It would not be life that one can relate to the other forms of life, though, if genetics has to be important to that. At that rate, it could be something higher than Domain. Either something is normal life, or it's a Pokemon. There was once a proposed name for such a thing: an Empire. (this was going to separate prokaryotes from eukaryotes, it wasn't accepted. Although, apparently, there also exists the idea of separating cellular life from non-cellular life (viruses and prions). Although that would mean that the definition that I know of life needing to be made of cells isn't being used for that idea) Anyway, it seems that pokemon would also arrive at that level since it also contains something that isn't made of cells.

Like I suggest above, though, one can't demonstrate a genetic relationship in that, so it wouldn't work if you want to consider phylogeny.

Otherwise, "pokemon" becomes like "fish". Everything that is called a fish doesn't fit doesn't fit within a single line of descent, and it often excludes everything that came from fish, too.

 

[MikoKubotaJord65]

From the first volume of Electric Tale of Pikachu:

POKéMON--the name for a mysterious species not recorded in traditional biological taxonomies. Subspecies include animals, grass, insects, and a variety of other life forms. Due to similarities in genetic and cellular structure, they must be considered a single species.

Of course, that might only apply to that one series.

So that’s why our article on the Pokémon world and the general article on the Pokémon themselves claims taht Pokémon are one species. Yeah, that does not hold up. What about Ghost-type Pokémon, Pokémon like Golurk, and other non-organic ones? In my opinion, the only thing any Pokémon have in common are types, and one of plates or old verses say that the power of the plates were distributed through all Pokémon. Come to reckon about it, I ought to bring up that only that manga series ever claims that Pokémon are just one species.