#0564 · Unova · Generation 5 · fossil

Tirtouga

Prototurtle Pokémon · Water/Rock-type

Tirtouga is a Water/Rock-type Pokémon, the Prototurtle Pokémon, number 564 (#0564) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 5 and comes from the Unova region. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 16.5 kg.

Tirtouga is the Prototurtle Pokémon, a Water and Rock fossil Pokémon revived from a Cover Fossil. The Pokédex says it is reputed to be the forerunner of most turtle Pokémon, a hunter of warm seas about a hundred million years ago that could still crawl ashore after prey.

How to pronounce Tirtouga

Tirtouga is pronounced tur-TOO-guh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Tirtouga said out loud:

In Japanese it is プロトーガ (Protoga).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Tirtouga looks like a baby leatherback sea turtle, with a blue body, black spots along the edges of its flippers and a black shell with six round dents. Its black upper beak and face together look like a mask. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 16.5 kg, and Bulbapedia describes its shell as very tough.

Behaviour

Tirtouga was an active hunter. The Sword Pokédex says it can only crawl, yet it still hauled itself onto land hunting for prey.

Habitat

The Ultra Moon Pokédex says its hunting grounds stretched from the shore down past 0.8 km (half a mile) beneath the waves. In Sword and Shield's Crown Tundra it swims in the Frigid Sea. It is not available in Scarlet and Violet or Legends: Z-A.

Powers

Tirtouga's Abilities are Solid Rock, which weakens super-effective hits, and Sturdy, with Swift Swim hidden. It learns Ancient Power, Rock Slide, Aqua Jet, Withdraw and Hydro Pump. Base Defense of 103 is its strength, while Special Defense is 45 and Speed 22, so it is a slow, shell-first bruiser.

Name origin

Tirtouga may blend 'turtle' with a corruption of tortuga, Spanish for 'turtle' or 'tortoise'. The Japanese name is Protoga (プロトーガ), which may combine Protostega and tortuga. Its category, Prototurtle, may join 'proto-' ('first') and 'turtle'.

Design inspiration

Bulbapedia, citing Pokémon Fossil Museum material, says Tirtouga is modelled on a prehistoric sea turtle, either Protostega or Archelon, the two largest known genera of sea turtles. It also looks like a baby leatherback.

Evolution notes

Tirtouga evolves into Carracosta at level 37.

In the games

Tirtouga is a revived fossil: in Black and White, where it debuted, a Cover Fossil is revived at Nacrene Museum. Later games moved the revival to Ambrette Town in Kalos, Rustboro City in Alpha Sapphire and the Fossil Restoration Center on Route 8 in Alola.

In the anime

Tirtouga debuted in 'A Restoration Confrontation! Part 1', befriended by Ferris after he was swept back to the ancient past as a boy. In the present day he found that very Tirtouga as a Cover Fossil, which Team Rocket stole and revived. The Shell Sage's Tirtouga raced Team Rocket's Chewtle in 'Eyes on the Goal!'.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says Tirtouga and Carracosta are the only Fossil Pokémon with Rock as their secondary type.
• In Pokémon Adventures, Marshal released his uncontrollable Tirtouga the day before meeting Black and White, and Black then caught it and nicknamed it Costa.
• Its Speed of 22 is the lowest of any Water type introduced in Generation V.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Tirtouga (Pokémon) · Serebii: Tirtouga (Sword/Shield Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 54
• Attack: 78
• Defense: 103
• Sp. Atk: 53
• Sp. Def: 45
• Speed: 22

Tirtouga’s base stat total is 355. Its highest stat is Defense.

Type matchups

What is Tirtouga weak to?

Tirtouga takes extra damage from Grass (4×), Electric (2×), Fighting (2×), Ground (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (¼×), Normal (½×), Ice (½×), Poison (½×), Flying (½×).

Evolution

How does Tirtouga evolve?

Tirtouga evolves into Carracosta at level 37.

The whole family: Tirtouga, Carracosta.

Abilities

• Solid Rock: Decreases damage taken from super-effective moves by 1/4.
• Sturdy: Prevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO moves regardless of HP.
• Swift Swim (hidden ability): Doubles Speed during rain.

Moves

Moves Tirtouga learns by level up in Sword / Shield

TM moves (39)

Tirtouga can learn 39 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Dig, Rest, Rock Slide, Snore, Protect, Icy Wind, Attract, Sandstorm, Rain Dance, Whirlpool, Facade, Dive, Rock Tomb, Mud Shot, Rock Blast, Brine, Guard Swap, Round, Bulldoze, Body Slam, Hydro Pump, Surf, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Earthquake, Waterfall, Substitute, Endure, Sleep Talk, Iron Tail, Crunch, Muddy Water, Iron Defense, Earth Power, Zen Headbutt, Stone Edge, Stealth Rock, Scald, Liquidation.

Egg moves (6):Block, Knock Off, Rock Throw, Rollout, Slam, Water Pulse.

Move tutor moves (1): Meteor Beam.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Water 1, Water 3.
• Egg cycles: 30 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 3,840).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Defense effort value.
• Base experience yield: 71.

Pokédex entries

Tirtouga is considered to be the ancestor of many turtle Pokémon. It was restored to life from a fossil. (Shield)

This Pokémon inhabited ancient seas. Although it can only crawl, it still comes up onto land in search of prey. (Sword)

Its hunting grounds encompassed a broad area, from the land to more than half a mile deep in the ocean. (Ultra Moon)

It was restored from an ancient fossil. Tirtouga lived in the sea but came up onto the land to search for prey. (Ultra Sun)

Reputed to be the ancestor of most turtle Pokémon, it lived in warm seas approximately a hundred million years ago. (Moon)

Based on studies of its skeletal structure, it can apparently dive to ocean depths of over half a mile. (Sun)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Slowest Water type in Gen 5: 22 Speed.
• Taller than 34% of all Pokémon (0.7 m).
• Heavier than 38% of all Pokémon (16.5 kg).
• Base stat total 355, ranked #691 of 1,025.
• One of 11 Pokémon that are both Water and Rock.
• One of 170 blue Pokémon.
• Number 71 of 156 Pokémon introduced in Generation 5 (Unova).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 56 different moves in Sword / Shield.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 9 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: Tirtouga (Pokémon), Serebii: Tirtouga (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (tur-TOO-guh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

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

Explore

Water-type Pokémon · Rock-type Pokémon · Water/Rock weaknesses and matchups · Unova region guide · Solid Rock ability · Sturdy ability · Swift Swim ability · Compare Tirtouga · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 5 Water-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Rock-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Pokémon list · Blue Pokémon list · Water 1 egg group · Water 3 egg group · Pokémon that start with T · Turtle Pokémon

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