Also like yanmega is based of a dragonflly ekans and arbok are snakes poocheyena and growlithe are dogs Arcanine is one o those lion dogs what are some more
You can see what animal or thing a pokemon is based off of, as well as an origin for its name by going to bulbapedia and looking up that pokemon's profile...as for the "pikachu" like pokemon, there is:
Pikachu-obviously, and all the pokemon in its chain. plusle/minun-the hoenn equivalent. Pacharishu-The sinnoh version.
-please note that my answer doesn't include the B/W pokemon.
Actually, I think most pokemon are but here is a list of chains: Charmender - Salamander (Later on Lizard) Squirtle - Turtle (all bug-types are bugs) Pidgey - Bird Rattata - Rat Spearow - Bird Ekans - Snake Pikachu - Mouse Sandshrew - Mouse Vulpix - Fox Zubat - Bat Digglet - Mole Meowth - Cat Psyduck - Duck Mankey - Pig/Monkey Growlith - Dog Polywag - Tadpole (A feline frog) Tentacool - Jellyfish Ponyta - Horse Slowpoke - Salamander Farfetch'd - Bird Dodou - Ostrich Seel - Sea Lion Shellder - Shellfish Onix - Snake Krabby - Crab Cubone - Dinosaur Lickitung - Chameleon Rhyhorn - Rhinoceros Horsea - Sea Horse Goldeen - Fish Staryu - Starfish Tauros - Bull Magikarp - Fish Lapras - Loch Ness Monster Eevee - Cat/Fox Aerodactyl - Pterodactyl Legendary Birds - Birds (How surprising!) Dratini - Dragon
Thats it for Gen. 1. You can see a lot of pokemon Look like animals from real life. I might do it for other generations but its not easy at all...