PaléoDex #0004 - Mendraking, the WonderKing Pokémon!
Widely considered a major antagonist and competitor to Armaldo, Mendraking was a dangerous predator of the Spiculan Period seas. It is now widely believed by PokéPaleontologists that Armaldo's vaunted plate armor was a co-evolutionary response to attacks from Mendraking's three head-like appendages, each armed with jagged edges and two ocelli. Three true eyes surround what appears to be Mendraking's body, but actually form a crown on its head, giving it 360-degree vision. On what was originally believed to be its stomach, a mouth is fed by the three appendages, which hold fast onto food. The wings on Mendraking's back are used for swimming through the water, which it would rarely leave. While the coastlines and Armaldo's domain, the shallow seas and waters belong to Mendraking.
Modern observations show that Mendraking was likely an apex predator, feeding on a variety of Pokémon. However, like its own pre-evolution and Anorith, it struggles to survive in the chemical composition of modern oceans, likely due to a higher content of oxygen and other anthropogenic chemical changes. Likely, Armaldo's surperiority comes from the evolution of book lungs, allowing its descendants to evolve from modern Bug-type lineages, where Mendraking's Bug- or Dragon-type descendants may have stayed aquatic.
Inspirations: Armaldo, dinocarididans, Opabinia, King Ghidorah
Back, with the evolution to Pseudracith! Not sure what people may have been expecting with this one, but you may have seen in the Inspiration section that there was one particular inspiration for this design. I'm not the biggest kaiju person, but I've seen my share of the classic Godzilla fare. And for whatever reason, Armaldo has always reminded me of Godzilla! Maybe it's the kinda dumpy appearance in his stature? But when I was set to come up with a rival to Armaldo, I never had a doubt in my mind that it was going to be inspired by Monster Zero, the Devil with Three Heads, the Death Song and False King himself, King Ghidorah, the Three-headed Monster! Couldn't resist, what can I say? So, with that, here's the evolution to Pseudracith: a big old Dragon-Bug with three "heads"! Honestly, I just had fun with this design, so take from that what you will. Next time, we dip into a particular mechanic in Pokémon: Paradox Pokemon. Maybe. You'll see. Stay tuned!