Discussion: Why does Manaphy breed Phiones?

[Nah]

As most of you know, when you breed Manaphy with a Ditto, you get a Phione:

But why does this happen? Manaphy is classified as a legendary Pokemon, yet all other legendaries are incapable of breeding. Making this stranger still is the fact that Manaphy breeds Phione, which does not become a Manaphy through any currently known means. What are your theories on this matter, everyone?

 

[GhastlyGastly]

As most of you know, when you breed Manaphy with a Ditto, you get a Phione:

But why does this happen? Manaphy is classified as a legendary Pokemon, yet all other legendaries are incapable of breeding. Making this stranger still is the fact that Manaphy breeds Phione, which does not become a Manaphy through any currently known means. What are your theories on this matter, everyone?

On the Origin of Species: Manaphy and Phione

Wikipedia: Clione

This might clear up a thing or two :pink_smile:

 

[Nah]

On the Origin of Species: Manaphy and Phione

Wikipedia: Clione

This might clear up a thing or two :pink_smile:

You're right, that does clear up things. I had no idea that the Japanese were so into cliones (or that these things even existed). I can see how the cliones and Manaphy/Phione are related now.

...But the Japanese sure love to make references that only they get (unless you look into this stuff), don't they?

Oh, and if a mod sees this thread, could you please lock it? This thread doesn't really warrant a discussion anymore, and since the question has been answered, no more posts are needed here.

 

[PokeMastermind]

It didn't clear it up for me? Still didn't get an explanation why manaphy is able to reproduce and create phione. Other than its a slug like pokemon who could be a hermaphrodite ? >. <

 

[DarkPoke001]

In the main series games, Manaphy is impossible to find, as the conditions do not fit the criteria needed for a Manaphy egg to be produced, and Phione is theoretically the same species as Manaphy but Manaphy is kind of a mutated form due to different condition in other regions.
It is implied that a Manaphy can only be
conceived in the cold oceans of the Ranger
regions. When a Manaphy is bred in the trainer
regions, a Phione is born instead.

 

[GhastlyGastly]

It didn't clear it up for me? Still didn't get an explanation why manaphy is able to reproduce and create phione. Other than its a slug like pokemon who could be a hermaphrodite ? >. <

In the main series games, Manaphy is impossible to find, as the conditions do not fit the criteria needed for a Manaphy egg to be produced, and Phione is theoretically the same species as Manaphy but Manaphy is kind of a mutated form due to different condition in other regions.
It is implied that a Manaphy can only be
conceived in the cold oceans of the Ranger
regions. When a Manaphy is bred in the trainer
regions, a Phione is born instead.

Clione limacina occurs in two separate races: a larger race, and a diminutive race. The larger race lives in northerly, colder waters (Fiore is stated to be closest to Sinnoh, the northernmost of all known regions of the Pokémon world), while the smaller race lives in warmer, more southerly waters. One could speculate that Manaphy is intended to represent the larger race, and Phione the smaller race: when the Manaphy egg is produced in a warmer, more southerly climate and environment from Fiore, it hatches into Phione (the post-natal development of many mollusk species, such as the clione, relies upon temperature and environment).