Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon introduced 81 new Pokémon species.
The games are the first installments of Pokémon’s seventh generation and were released worldwide in 2016. Their new species joined a setting that also featured regional variants of Pokémon from earlier generations.
The Alola region added distinctive mechanics alongside the new species, including Alolan Forms, Z-Moves, and Ultra Beasts. The starter Pokémon were Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio, while Solgaleo and Lunala served as the cover Legendary Pokémon.
The number 81 refers to newly introduced species, not the total number of Pokémon available in the games. The Pokédex also contains older species, regional forms, and special categories that can make different counts appear in discussions.