The Science Behind Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Regional Fakes

gamerant.com:

Wiglett's reveal for the upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet games has left many fans divided about regional fakes as a concept, but just as when regional forms were first introduced there's actually some interesting real-world science behind the idea. This could be Game Freak's tentative steps into convergent evolution. Like regional forms being influenced by natural selection principles, Wiglett could be the first of many other Pokemon based on this alternative concept.

The most recent Pokemon generations have each strived to introduce new dimensions to the monsters' design, from the regional forms introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon to the regional evolutions specific to Pokemon Sword and Shield. For Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it seems Game Freak is keen to maintain this trend with a new dynamic that can pay homage to classic designs but with new twists. This means that future Pokemon, both set to appear in Scarlet and Violet and beyond, could embrace convergent evolution.

Pokemon Who Deserve Regional Forms in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

While regional forms had been based on the unique differences that evolved through natural selection, the new controversial regional fakes seem to stem from convergent evolution. This concept centers around the phenomenon where multiple different species and animals all develop similar characteristics, even when they have very little to do with one another. It's easy to see examples of this across the animal kingdom, such as how sharks and dolphins share an uncanny resemblance despite being fish and mammals, respectively.

The reasoning behind this is that these animals responded to environmental and biological stimuli similarly, reaching the same endpoint just with different paths.