alt Hacker NewsI can’t believe I’m nitpicking this on HN of all places, but the Taurus-Miltank thing is just fan headcanon based on nothing more than the analogy with real-life animals. While it’s true that Tauros is a male-only species and Miltank is female-only, they have separate Pokédex numbers and were introduced in different generations.
They can breed (because they’re in the same egg group) but the offspring can only ever be a Miltank. The only way to breed a Tauros is via ditto, same as with any other male-only species.
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> The only way to breed a Tauros is via ditto, same as with any other male-only species.
You're half right. I was wrong about Tauros and Miltank.
But Volbeat and Nidorino are male-only species that don't need to be bred via Ditto. You can breed Volbeat with Ditto and get an Illumise. You can breed anything with Illumise and get a Volbeat. You can breed anything with Nidoran-female and get a Nidoran-male. You can breed a Nidorino with Ditto and get a Nidoran-female.
Outside-of-universe, this is obviously because the technology of representing Pokemon within the game has changed over time. Later male-female pair species are given the same name and the same Pokedex number. But within-universe, that explanation isn't available.
Is Nidorino/Nidorina headcanon too? Each can also be one gender and have different entries in the Pokédex. Are they considered each other's male/female version?