A subspecies (Japanese: 亜種 Ashu) is an alternate form of a monster that usually sports different colors from the base form of a monster, and is considered more aggressive and dangerous compared to said monster as well.[1] The Guild defines subspecies as a population of monsters in which environmental factors or adaptive evolution has caused a certain group of monsters to change or mutate over time, creating a subspecies.[2][3] Although that is how the Guild defines subspecies, there are some exceptions to that rule.[4]
Baleful Gigginox is seemingly the result of a random mutation at birth.
Although subspecies from the Third Generation onwards are mostly distinct due to their use of different elements and status effects from their more common counterpart (with some exceptions such as Brute Tigrex and Green Nargacuga), most subspecies from the First and Second Generation are more similar to Variants, merely having stronger versions of the original monster's element.
An exception to this is Copper Blangonga, who uses sand attacks instead of ice.
Although Flaming Espinas originated in the Frontier Generation series, it was introduced globally in a Fifth Generation Monster Hunter game.
Pyrantula is the only one in the main series, although it is the small monster.
Other examples are all original monsters in the Frontier series. Strangely, Flaming Espinas and Lavasioth Subspecies are named in the same way as the main series.
Sources[]
Hunter's Encyclopedia [reprinted edition]
Monster Hunter: World - The Official Complete Works
References[]
↑Monster Hunter: World - The Official Complete Works - pg. 334
