Aerodactyl
Aerodactyl is a Rock/Flying-type Pokémon, the Fossil Pokémon, number 142 (#0142) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 1.8 m tall and weighs 59 kg.
Aerodactyl, the Fossil Pokémon, is a Flying and Rock type that ruled the skies of the dinosaur age and was revived from DNA found in amber. Its saw-like fangs can shred even Steel types, and Bulbapedia notes it is the only Fossil Pokémon that can Mega Evolve.
How to pronounce Aerodactyl
Aerodactyl is pronounced air-oh-DAK-til. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Aerodactyl said out loud:
In Japanese it is プテラ (Ptera).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Aerodactyl is 1.8 m tall and 59 kg. Bulbapedia describes a bipedal, pterosaur-like reptile with blue-grey skin, large violet wings tipped with grasping claws, a spiked ridge down its back and an arrow-shaped tail. The Pokédex says its teeth are like saw blades, and that even modern technology cannot produce a perfectly restored specimen.
Behaviour
The Pokédex calls Aerodactyl ferocious, a Pokémon that goes for an enemy's throat. It glided on spread wings with high-pitched cries but walked weakly and slowly on the ground. The Ultra Sun Pokédex says the revived ones showed more ferocity than expected, with some casualties.
Habitat
Bulbapedia says it nested in the mountains for safety and seclusion, and its habitat category is Mountain.
Powers
Aerodactyl can have Rock Head or Pressure, with Unnerve hidden. It strikes with Wing Attack, Rock Slide, Crunch, Iron Head and Stone Edge, and base Speed 130 makes it very fast. With the Aerodactylite it becomes Mega Aerodactyl: its eyes glow bright green and black stony spikes sprout over its body, which some scholars think is its true prehistoric look. Mega Aerodactyl has the Ability Tough Claws and base Speed 150, but Bulbapedia says it is irritable and attacks anything that moves.
Name origin
Aerodactyl may combine the Greek aéros ('air') or 'aeroplane' with 'pterodactyl'. The Japanese name is Ptera (プテラ), which may come from 'pterosaur' or Pteranodon.
Design inspiration
Aerodactyl is based on pterosaurs, flying reptiles related to but not classed as dinosaurs. Its shape and head crest may follow the pterodactyloids and its long tail the rhamphorhynchids, while its pointed wings and strong jaws also give it the look of a dragon or wyvern.
In the games
Aerodactyl is the Old Amber Pokémon: players have revived it since Generation I, first at the Pokémon Lab on Cinnabar Island. In Legends: Z-A the Old Amber is revived at the Pokémon Research Lab in Vert District, and the Mega Dimension DLC adds wild ones to Hyperspace Lumiose, in 5-star Rock-type wild zones that need a special scan. It is unobtainable in Scarlet and Violet.
In the anime
Aerodactyl debuted in 'Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon', scaring off the other fossil Pokémon and carrying Ash away. Goh's Aerodactyl was revived from an Old Amber in 'Restore and Renew!' and went berserk because of Team Rocket, but Goh calmed it down and caught it.
Fun facts
- A real genus of pterosaur, Aerodactylus, was named in reference to it.
- In the Red and Green beta it came from a Wing Fossil rather than an Old Amber, and Bulbapedia says the Wing Fossil returned in Pokopia.
- It is the only Pokémon Lance and Clair own in the core series that is neither a Dragon type nor in the Dragon Egg Group.
- In Gold, Silver and Crystal Aerodactyl could be had by in-game trade, but not in HeartGold and SoulSilver, probably because players could revive an Old Amber there, Bulbapedia says.
Base stats
- HP: 80
- Attack: 105
- Defense: 65
- Sp. Atk: 60
- Sp. Def: 75
- Speed: 130
Aerodactyl’s base stat total is 515. Its highest stat is Speed.
Type matchups
What is Aerodactyl weak to?
Aerodactyl takes extra damage from Water (2×), Electric (2×), Ice (2×), Rock (2×), Steel (2×) moves.
It resists Normal (½×), Fire (½×), Poison (½×), Flying (½×), Bug (½×).
It is immune to Ground moves.
Evolution
Aerodactyl does not evolve, and it does not evolve from any other Pokémon.
Forms
- Mega Aerodactyl (Mega): Rock/Flying-type, base stat total 615 (HP 80, Attack 135, Defense 85, Sp. Atk 70, Sp. Def 95, Speed 150). Ability: Tough Claws.
Abilities
- Rock Head: Protects against recoil damage.
- Pressure: Increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.
- Unnerve (hidden ability): Prevents opposing Pokémon from eating held Berries.
Moves
Moves Aerodactyl learns by level up in Sword / Shield
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 |
| 1 | Ancient Power | Rock | Special | 60 |
| 5 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — |
| 10 | Wing Attack | Flying | Physical | 60 |
| 15 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — |
| 20 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 |
| 25 | Roar | Normal | Status | — |
| 30 | Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 |
| 35 | Iron Head | Steel | Physical | 80 |
| 40 | Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 |
| 45 | Stone Edge | Rock | Physical | 100 |
| 50 | Agility | Psychic | Status | — |
| 55 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Special | 150 |
| 60 | Giga Impact | Normal | Physical | 150 |
TM moves (46)
Aerodactyl can learn 46 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Fly, Hyper Beam, Giga Impact, Rest, Rock Slide, Thief, Snore, Protect, Scary Face, Steel Wing, Attract, Sandstorm, Rain Dance, Sunny Day, Facade, Swift, Rock Tomb, Rock Blast, Payback, Assurance, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Fire Fang, Round, Bulldoze, Brutal Swing, Flamethrower, Earthquake, Agility, Fire Blast, Substitute, Endure, Sleep Talk, Iron Tail, Crunch, Heat Wave, Taunt, Dragon Claw, Dragon Dance, Dragon Pulse, Earth Power, Iron Head, Stone Edge, Stealth Rock, Hurricane, Psychic Fangs.
Egg moves (6):Curse, Dragon Breath, Roost, Tailwind, Whirlwind, Wide Guard.
Move tutor moves (2): Dual Wingbeat, Meteor Beam.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
- Egg groups: Flying.
- Egg cycles: 35 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 4,480).
- Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 2 Speed effort values.
- Base experience yield: 180.
Pokédex entries
Aerodactyl's sawlike fangs can shred skin to tatters—even the skin of Steel-type Pokémon. (Shield)
This is a ferocious Pokémon from ancient times. Apparently even modern technology is incapable of producing a perfectly restored specimen. (Sword)
A savage Pokémon that died out in ancient times. It was resurrected using DNA taken from amber. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)
It flew through the open skies over the ancient continent as if they were its own. When it touched ground, its walk was weak and slow. (Ultra Moon)
Restored from DNA found in amber, this Pokémon exhibited ferocity that was greater than expected. Some casualties resulted. (Ultra Sun)
In ancient times, it ruled the skies. A widely accepted theory is that it went extinct due to a large meteor impact. (Moon)
Names around the world
| Japanese | プテラ |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Ptera |
| French | Ptéra |
| German | Aerodactyl |
| Spanish | Aerodactyl |
| Italian | Aerodactyl |
| Korean | 프테라 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 化石翼龙 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 化石翼龍 |
Trivia
- Fastest Rock type: 130 Speed.
- Fastest Flying type in Gen 1: 130 Speed.
- Fastest Rock type in Gen 1: 130 Speed.
- Highest Sp. Def among Rock types in Gen 1: 75.
- Highest base stat total among Rock types in Gen 1: 515.
- Taller than 82% of all Pokémon (1.8 m).
- Heavier than 71% of all Pokémon (59 kg).
- Base stat total 515, ranked #226 of 1,025.
- Its best stat is Speed, ranked #17 of 1,025.
- One of 4 Pokémon that are both Rock and Flying.
- One of 87 purple Pokémon.
- Number 142 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
- Can learn 60 different moves in Sword / Shield.
- Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Has 1 alternate form.
- Appears in 15 distinct Pokédex entries.
Sources and fact-checking
- Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
- Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Aerodactyl (Pokémon), Serebii: Aerodactyl (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex), Bulbapedia: Pokémon Red and Green beta.
- Pronunciation (air-oh-DAK-til): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Rock-type Pokémon · Flying-type Pokémon · Rock/Flying weaknesses and matchups · Kanto region guide · Rock Head ability · Pressure ability · Unnerve ability · Compare Aerodactyl · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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