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Serket
Serket is a minor goddess of scorpions and other venomous things. People call to her if they get hurt by something venomous. She is depicted as a woman with a scorpion on her head primed and ready to strike. She protected the throne of the king in the form of a scorpion. In a select few other interpretations she has been depicted as a woman, holding knives, with the head of a lioness and a crocodile head coming out of her back. She is the mother to a god named Nehebu-Kau, and she is also seen as a minor death goddess who guards the canopic jars or the god Qebehsenuef.…
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Sea Bishop/Bishop Fish
The Sea Bishop is a bizarre creature from Medieval times. It resembles a large fish with a head resembling a bishop’s miter hat, pectoral fins ending in claws, and a tail resembling legs ending in fishermen boots. Some were thought to have been captured in the Baltic Sea. There is an incident of Sea Bishops pleading for freedom from actual bishops and succeeding. Another was captured and refused to eat until it died. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Rosen, Brenda. Mythical Creatures Bible: The Definitive Guide to Legendary Beings. Taiwan, Sterling, 2009.
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Sanguisuga
The Sanguisuga is a Latin form of vampire. The name means “blood sucker” though it’s sometimes referred to as a “horse leech.” The term was used before the word Vampire was popularized, and likely referred to a Vampire or some other blood sucking demon. They are related to bats, and if pierced they pour out the blood they’ve consumed. Citations: Arnold, Thomas Kerchever, et al. A Copious and Critical English – Latin Lexicon, Founded on the German-Latin Dictionary of Dr. C.E. Georges. United Kingdom, Longmans, Green, and Company, 1865. Bunson, Matthew. The Vampire Encyclopedia. United Kingdom, Gramercy Books, 2000. Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That…
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San Carlos Magnetic Alien
The San Carlos Magnetic Alien was sighted in San Carlos, Salta, Argentina by Omar Ferlatti and Walter Lopez. They encountered a short glowing humanoid figure standing 40 cm tall. It stood in a field and seemed to be surrounded by a magnetic field that prevented the witness from approaching. The figure had human-like features, a pointy nose, round black eyes, thin lips, and copper-colored hair that was parted in the middle and pointed up on both sides. It wore a tight coverall with two brown tones and a tight-fitting wide belt around the waist. It had long arms and long fingers without nails and the feet were not visible. Another…
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Salvager Sucker
The Salvager Sucker is a strange fish from Lumberjack Folklore which is considered rare and endangered. They are found in the water of Discovery Bay in the Puget Sound. They measure two feet long with powerful fins, and a tail that moves up and down. They notably have a growth like a suction cup just below the mouth. They use these growths to produce a suction so strong it creates a seal that can only be broken with dynamite. With this seal, it makes strong movements through the water and can lift incredibly heavy objects out of the water. It’s believed they can be trained by tying a rope to…
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Sal’awa/Salawa/Al-Salaawa/Al-Salawwa/Silawa
The Sal’awa is a mysterious creature from Egypt. Their name means “she-wolf” in Arabic. Sometimes they are related to Djinn, while others view them as a cryptid. They’re described as nocturnal dog-like animals sometimes resembling a cross between a jackal and an anteater. They have square ears, a drooping nose, a hyena-like muzzle, big canine teeth with prominent fangs, and a poofy forked tail. They are roughly the size of dogs with beige or black fur, and back legs longer than the front. They are thought to live in the desert and are often related to depictions of the Egyptian god Set. They are known to attack and kill humans,…
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Peluda/La Velue/Shaggy Beast/The Shaggy Beast Of La Ferte-Bernard/Peallaidh/Pehuda
The Peluda is a large dragon thought to have lived near the Huisine River in the village of La Ferte-Bernard, France. This creature was spoken of in Medieval times, and it was thought that it refused a ride on Noah’s ark but still survived the great flood. It was thought to have had four stubby legs, quills covering its back, a scaly tail, shaggy green fur, turtle claws, and the ability to breath fire. It was so large that it flooded nearby farms when it entered the river. One day, it ate a young maiden, whose fiancé sought out a wise woman to find the creature’s weakness. He was told…
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Sizzerbill
The Sizzerbill is a creature from Lumberjack folklore from Minnesota and Wisconsin. They have the scientific name Fortesrostrum coxi. They’re rare creatures becoming even rarer, and they’re thought to be half bird and half some other animal. They hang around reeds and marshy riverbanks, keeping themselves hidden from sight. When they see a fish struggling on a line they use their scissor-like beaks to cut the line and free the fish. Citations: Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
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Kōjin/Samebito
The Kōjin is a creature from Japanese myth referred to as a yokai. The live in the ocean, especially around the South China Sea. They are thought to resemble mermaid-like creatures with inky black shark skin and ugly human-like faces with emerald green eyes. They are known for weaving and can frequently be found using looms with special silk that doesn’t get wet. They are carnivorous creatures, but they aren’t known to be particularly hostile towards humans. When Kōjin cry, their tears are pearls and jewels. Citations: Meyer, Matthew. The Book of the Hakutaku: A Bestiary of Japanese Monsters. United States, Matthew Meyer, 2019.
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Kalmykian Exploding Snake/Kalmykia’s Exploding Worm/Short Grey Snake/Exploding Enigma
The Kalmykian Exploding Snake is an extremely obscure cryptid. This creature is briefly mentioned in the book The Beasts That Hide From Man by Karl Shuker in a section talking about the Mongolian Death Worm. The account of this creature comes from a letter written to a cryptozoologist named Michel Raynal, from another cryptozoologist named Dr. Marie-Jeanne Koffmann on January 6, 1997. The accounts themselves were lost when Dr. Koffmann’s office was robbed. It’s described as a short grey snake, roughly 50 centimeters (20 inches) long and 15-20 centimeters (6-8 inches) in diameter. It has smooth skin, is rounded at the front of its body, and has a very short…
