#0917 · Paldea · Generation 9

Tarountula

String Ball Pokémon · Bug-type

Tarountula is a Bug-type Pokémon, the String Ball Pokémon, number 917 (#0917) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 9 and comes from the Paldea region. It is 0.3 m tall and weighs 4 kg.

Tarountula is the String Ball Pokémon, a spider wrapped in a ball of thread as strong as wire. The Pokédex says the secret of that strength is still under research, and the ball is springy enough to turn aside the scythes of Scyther, its natural enemy.

How to pronounce Tarountula

Tarountula is pronounced tuh-ROWN-chuh-luh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Tarountula said out loud:

In Japanese it is タマンチュラ (Tamantula).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Tarountula is a lime-green spider, 0.3 m tall and 4.0 kg, wrapped in a ball of white thread that it secretes from its rear. White patterns flank its two eyes, small mouthparts hide a tiny mouth, and it has eight spindly legs tipped in dark green.

Behaviour

Tarountula is sometimes found hanging upside down from trees by its thread. Bulbapedia says it can eject its ball of thread on purpose, which shows its bare abdomen.

Habitat

The Pokédex names no habitat. Serebii lists it in Paldea's grass and forest biomes, in all five areas of South Province and at the Pokémon League.

Powers

Tarountula binds foes with String Shot and Sticky Web and attacks with Struggle Bug, Bug Bite, Throat Chop and Skitter Smack. Its Ability is Insomnia, which prevents sleep, with Stakeout hidden, which doubles its damage against a Pokémon that has just switched in. Base Defense 45 is its best stat, so it is a frail first stage.

Name origin

Tarountula may combine 'tarantula' and 'round'. The Japanese name is Tamantula (タマンチュラ), possibly tama ('sphere') and 'tarantula'.

Design inspiration

Tarountula may be an orb-weaver spider combined with members of the Uloboridae family, which lack venom and wrap their prey in silk. Its yarn-ball look may also nod to the spherical pods that Deinopis spiders make to shelter their eggs. These are fan readings, not official statements.

Evolution notes

Tarountula evolves into Spidops at level 15.

In the games

Tarountula is a wild Pokémon of South Province in Scarlet and Violet, the games that introduced it. It is not available in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Two Tarountula, each owned by a different Trainer, made their anime debut in the Horizons episode 'Put Your Heart Into It!'.

Fun facts

• Its base stat total of 210 is the lowest of any Pokémon introduced in Generation IX, shared with one other.
• Its base Speed of 20 is the lowest of any Bug type introduced in Generation IX.
• Bulbapedia notes that Tarountula's Shiny colouring resembles the Destiny Knot.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Tarountula (Pokémon) · Serebii: Tarountula (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 35
• Attack: 41
• Defense: 45
• Sp. Atk: 29
• Sp. Def: 40
• Speed: 20

Tarountula’s base stat total is 210. Its highest stat is Defense.

Type matchups

What is Tarountula weak to?

Tarountula takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Flying (2×), Rock (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (½×), Fighting (½×), Ground (½×).

Evolution

How does Tarountula evolve?

Tarountula evolves into Spidops at level 15.

The whole family: Tarountula, Spidops.

Abilities

• Insomnia: Prevents sleep.
• Stakeout (hidden ability): This Pokémon's moves have double power against Pokémon that switched in this turn.

Moves

Moves Tarountula learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (31)

Tarountula can learn 31 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Protect, Struggle Bug, Thief, Trailblaze, Pounce, Facade, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Bullet Seed, False Swipe, Shadow Claw, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Grass Knot, Poison Jab, Rest, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Leech Life, Substitute, X-Scissor, Giga Drain, Bug Buzz, Tera Blast, Knock Off, Bug Bite, Lunge, Skitter Smack, Throat Chop.

Egg moves (4):First Impression, Lunge, Memento, Sucker Punch.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Bug.
• Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
• Catch rate: 255 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Slow Then Very Fast (600,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Defense effort value.
• Base experience yield: 42.

Pokédex entries

The thread it secretes from its rear is as strong as wire. The secret behind the thread's strength is the topic of ongoing research. (Violet)

The ball of threads wrapped around its body is elastic enough to deflect the scythes of Scyther, this Pokémon's natural enemy. (Scarlet)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Lowest base stat total among Gen 9 Pokémon: 210, shared with 1 other.
• Slowest Bug type in Gen 9: 20 Speed.
• Lowest base stat total among Bug types in Gen 9: 210, shared with 1 other.
• Taller than 4% of all Pokémon (0.3 m).
• Heavier than 13% of all Pokémon (4 kg).
• Base stat total 210, ranked #1001 of 1,025.
• One of 92 Bug-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 88 white Pokémon.
• Number 12 of 120 Pokémon introduced in Generation 9 (Paldea).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 44 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 255: about 33.3% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 2 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: Tarountula (Pokémon), Serebii: Tarountula (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (tuh-ROWN-chuh-luh): no English source says it out loud, so it is our best guess from the parts of the name.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Bug-type Pokémon · Paldea region guide · Insomnia ability · Stakeout ability · Compare Tarountula · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 9 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 9 Pokémon list · White Pokémon list · Bug egg group · Pokémon that start with T · Bug Pokémon · Spider Pokémon

← Oinkologne | Spidops →