Cryptid (from the Greek "κρύπτω" (krypto) meaning "hide") is a term which is used in cryptozoology Cryptozoology refers to the search for animals which are considered to be legendary or otherwise nonexistent by mainstream biology. This includes looking for living examples of animals which are extinct, such as dinosaurs; animals whose existence lacks physical support but which appear in myths, legends, or are reported, such as Bigfoot and to refer to a creature whose existence has been suggested but that is unrecognized by a scientific consensus Scientific consensus is the collective judgement, position, and opinion of the community of scientists in a particular field of study. Consensus implies general agreement, though not necessarily unanimity. Scientific consensus is not by itself a scientific argument, and it is not part of the scientific method. Nevertheless, consensus may be based, and whose existence is moreover often regarded as highly unlikely.[1] Noted cryptids include Bigfoot Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is purportedly an ape-like creature that inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid, Yeti The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is a mythological creature and an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology. Stories of the Yeti first emerged as a facet of Western popular culture in the 19, and the Loch Ness Monster The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. The most frequent speculation is that the creature represents a line of long-surviving plesiosaurs. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next.

Contents

Overview

The term was coined by John E. Wall in a 1983 letter to the International Society of Cryptozoology newsletter.[2] However, "cryptid" was used in the late 1800s and early 1900s to describe some genus of Hymenoptera Hymenoptera is one of the largest orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. There are over 130,000 recognised species, with many more remaining to be described. The name refers to the heavy wings of the insects, and is derived from the Ancient Greek ὑμήν : membrane and πτερόν (pteron): wing. The hindwings are insects.[3][4]

'Cryptid' has also been applied by cryptozoologists to animals whose existence is accepted by the scientific community, but which are considered of interest to cryptozoology, such as the coelacanth Coelacanth is the common name for an order of fish that includes the oldest living lineage of Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish + tetrapods) known to date, once believed to be extinct, and the okapi The Okapi is a giraffid artiodactyl mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in central Africa. Although the okapi bears striped markings reminiscent of the zebra, it is most closely related to the giraffe. Unknown to Europeans until 1901, today there are approximately 10,000–20,000, at one time thought to be entirely fictitious.[5] Legendary creatures This is a list of legendary creatures from various historical mythologies. Its entries include species of legendary creature and unique creatures, but not individuals of a particular species. Creatures of modern invention are not included such as the unicorn A unicorn is a mythological creature. Though the modern popular image of the unicorn is sometimes that of a horse differing only in the horn on its forehead, the traditional unicorn also has a billy-goat beard, a lion's tail, and cloven hooves—these distinguish it from a horse. Marianna Mayer has observed (The Unicorn and the Lake), "The and the dragon Dragons are legendary creatures, typically with serpentine or otherwise reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures are sometimes described as cryptids, but many cryptozoologists avoid describing them as such.[6]

Skeptics[1] contend that evidence for the existence of cryptids is typically limited to anecdotal evidence Evidence in the form of an anecdote or hearsay is called anecdotal if there is doubt about its veracity; the evidence itself is considered untrustworthy or other forms of evidence insufficient to withstand normal scientific scrutiny by the general zoological community. Proponents[7] agree that much cryptozoological evidence is weak, but also contend that the mainstream scientific community sometimes overlooks compelling evidence of unknown animals—even when studied by recognized authorities in their field—not due to the quality or nature of the evidence, but rather due to a priori preconceptions and willful ignorance. Mainstream scientists who are skeptical of cryptids in general agree that some specific cases might represent animals unrecognized by science.[5]

Some evidence cited in support of cryptids has been exposed as deliberate hoaxes A hoax is a deliberate attempt to deceive or trick people into believing or accepting something which the hoaxer knows is false (e.g., The Surgeon's Photograph The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. The most frequent speculation is that the creature represents a line of long-surviving plesiosaurs. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next of the Loch Ness Monster). Other indirect evidence of cryptids has persuaded notable scientists who were previously skeptical of the reality of cryptids.[8]

Cryptids are the subject of television programs such as Monster Quest, Destination Truth Destination Truth is a weekly American paranormal reality television series that premiered on June 6, 2007 on Syfy. Produced by Mandt Bros. Productions and Ping Pong Productions, the program follows paranormal researcher Josh Gates around the world to investigate claims of the supernatural, mainly in the field of cryptozoology. In the United and The Secret Saturdays.

Psychology of eyewitnesses

Irwin[9] argues that "[b]elief in cryptozoological creatures, or so-called 'cryptids' [...] is nominated as another category of paranormal Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena that are understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure. Paranormal phenomena are distinct from certain hypothetical entities, such as dark matter belief."

Sharps, Matthews and Asten[5] found that "ADHD Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder. It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age, dissociation Dissociation is a partial or complete disruption of the normal integration of a person’s conscious or psychological functioning. Dissociation can be a response to trauma or drugs and perhaps allows the mind to distance itself from experiences that are too much for the psyche to process at that time. Dissociative disruptions can affect any aspect, and depression Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. The term "major depressive disorder" was selected by the American Psychiatric Association to designate this symptom cluster as a mood disorder were associated with enhanced tendencies toward paranormal and cryptozoological beliefs, although participants who believed in each of the phenomena differed from one another in predictable and psychologically distinguishable ways."

Eberhart's classification

George M. Eberhart of the American Library Association The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 65,000 members,[10] who has written for the Journal of Scientific Exploration on the difficulties of cataloging media materials about fringe science Fringe science is scientific inquiry in an established field of study which departs significantly from mainstream or orthodox theories, and is classified in the "fringes" of a credible mainstream academic discipline. Mainstream scientists typically regard fringe concepts as highly speculative or strongly refuted, as opposed to frontier, classifies ten types of mystery animals under the cryptozoological umbrella:

  1. Distribution anomalies [known animals reported outside their normal range, e.g. the anomalous big cats of the U.K.];
  2. Undescribed, unusual, or outsized variations of known species [e.g. the giant anacondas reported from Amazonia or the spotted lions of East Africa];
  3. Survivals of recently extinct species [e.g. Ivory Billed Woodpecker The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is or was one of the largest woodpeckers in the world, at roughly 20 inches in length and 30 inches in wingspan. Native to the virgin forests of the southeastern United States (along with a separate subspecies native to Cuba), due to habitat destruction and to a lesser extent hunting, its numbers have dwindled to the presumed extinct ca. 1960, or the Stellar's Sea Cow presumed extinct ca. 1770, both of which are occasionally claimed to have survived to the present];
  4. Survivals of species known only from the fossil record into modern times [e.g. the mokele-mbembe of central Africa, sometimes described as a living dinosaur];
  5. Lingerlings, or survivals of species known from the fossil record much later into historical times than currently thought [e.g. the woolly mammoth The woolly mammoth , also called the tundra mammoth, is an extinct species of mammoth. This animal is known from bones and frozen carcasses from northern North America and northern Eurasia with the best preserved carcasses in Siberia. They are perhaps the most well known species of mammoth, presumed extinct ca. 12,000 B.C.E. but occasionally purported surviving into later eras];
  6. Animals not known from the fossil record but related to known species [e.g. the Andean wolf The Andean Wolf, or Hagenbeck's Wolf is an unsubstantited wolf-like canid, reportedly from the Andes or the striped manta-ray reported by William Beebe in the 1930s];
  7. Animals not known from the fossil record nor related to any known species [e.g. North America's Bigfoot Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is purportedly an ape-like creature that inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid or most sea serpents];
  8. Mythical animals with a zoological basis [e.g. the Griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Griffins are normally known for guarding treasure, partly inspired by dinosaur fossils of Central Asia];
  9. Seemingly paranormal or supernatural entities with some animal-like characteristics [e.g. Mothman The Mothman is a creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia from November 12, 1966, to December 1967. Most observers describe the Mothman as a man-sized creature with large reflective red eyes and large wings. The creature was sometimes reported as having no head, with its eyes set into its chest, Black Dogs A black dog is the name given to a being found primarily in the folklores of the British Isles. The black dog is essentially a nocturnal Apparition, often said to be associated with the Devil, and its appearance was regarded as a portent of death. It is generally supposed to be larger than a normal dog, and often has large, glowing eyes or some fairies A fairy is a type of mythological being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural from folklore];
  10. Known hoaxes or probable misidentifications [e.g. the Jackalope The jackalope is an imaginary animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns or deer antlers and sometimes a pheasant's tail (and often hind legs). The word jackalope is a portmanteau of "jackrabbit" and "antalope", an archaic spelling of antelope, an antlered rabbit created as a hoax or prank but possibly inspired by rabbits infected with Shope_papilloma_virus The cottontail rabbit papilloma virus or Shope papilloma virus is a type I virus under the Baltimore scheme, possessing a nonsegmented dsDNA genome. It infects rabbits, causing keratinous carcinomas, typically on or near the animal’s head. These tumors can become large enough that they interfere with the host’s ability to eat, eventually, which causes antler-like tumors].

Additionally, Eberhart argues for six exclusions from classification as a cryptid:

  1. Insignificance. "Cryptids must be big, weird, dangerous or significant to humans in some way."
  2. Lack of controversy. "Someone needs to observe a mystery animal and someone else needs to discredit the sighting. Cryptozoologists function as interventionists between witnesses and skeptical scientists."
  3. Erratics. "The out-of-place alligator […] that turns up in an odd spot, undoubtedly through human agency, is not a zoological mystery […] [I]f someone discovers a new species of alligator that lives only in sewers, that is a different matter."
  4. Bizarre humans [e.g. zombies A zombie is a creature that appears in books and popular culture typically as a reanimated dead or a mindless human being. Stories of zombies originated in the Afro-Caribbean spiritual belief system of Vodou, which told of the people being controlled as laborers by a powerful wizard. Zombies became a popular device in modern horror fiction,]
  5. Angels or demons […] "the paranormal or supernatural is admitted only if it has an animal shape (a werewolf A werewolf or werwolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely, by being bitten by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon, as sighting, which might involve a real dog or wolf, or a mystery canid)."
  6. Aliens "[unless such extraterrestrials] arrived a long time ago and thus classify as residents."

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Carroll, Robert T. (09-02-23). "Cryptozoology". The Skeptic's Dictionary. http://skepdic.com/crypto.html. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  2. ^ "John E. Wall of Manitoba coined it [the word "cryptid"] in a letter published in the summer 1983 issue of the ISC Newsletter (vol. 2, no. 2, p. 10), published by the International Society of Cryptozoology." Coleman, L. in Cryptomundo.com
  3. ^ The Canadian Entomologist, Volume 26, 1894 By Entomological Society of Canada, page 214
  4. ^ Morley, Claude. 1907. Ichneumonologia Britannica: The ichneumons of Great Britain. A descriptive account of the families, genera and species indigenous to the British Isles, together with notes as to classification localities, habitats, hosts, etc, Volume 2, Cornell University Press, p. 275
  5. ^ a b c Sharps, Matthew J., Justin Matthews & Janet Asten. 2006. Cognition and Belief in Paranormal Phenomena: Gestalt/Feature-Intensive Processing Theory and Tendencies Toward ADHD, Depression, and Dissociation. The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied. 140 (6), pp. 579 - 590 DOI: 10.3200/JRLP.140.6.579-590
  6. ^ Cryptozoology A to Z: The Encyclopedia of Loch Monsters, Sasquatch, Chupacabras, and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature by Loren Coleman and Jerome Clark (NY: Simon and Schuster, 1999, ISBN 0-684-85602-6).
  7. ^ Coleman, Loren (1999). Cryptozoology A to Z: The Encyclopedia of Loch Monsters, Sasquatch, Chupacabras, and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering (SBN) code created by Gordon Foster, now Emeritus Professor of Statistics at Trinity College, Dublin, for the booksellers and stationers W.H. Smith and others in 1966 0-684-85602-6.
  8. ^ Stein, Theo. 2003. Bigfoot Believers: Legitimate scientific study of legend gains backing of top primate experts. Denver Post.
  9. ^ Irwin, Harvey J. 2009. The Psychology of Paranormal Belief: A Researcher's Handbook. University of Hertfordshire Press. ISBN 9781902806938
  10. ^ Eberhart, George M. "[www.scientificexploration.org/journal/jse_19_1_eberhart.pdf Mysterious Creatures: Creating A Cryptozoological Encyclopedia." 2005. Journal of Scientific Exploration. Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 103-113].

References

Look up cryptid in Wiktionary Wiktionary is a multilingual, web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 151 languages. Unlike standard dictionaries, it is written collaboratively by volunteers, dubbed "Wiktionarians", using wiki software, allowing articles to be changed by almost anyone with access to the website, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cryptozoology
Cryptozoology Cryptozoology refers to the search for animals which are considered to be legendary or otherwise nonexistent by mainstream biology. This includes looking for living examples of animals which are extinct, such as dinosaurs; animals whose existence lacks physical support but which appear in myths, legends, or are reported, such as Bigfoot and and cryptobotany Cryptobotany is the study of various exotic plants which are not believed to exist by the scientific community, but which exist in myth, literature or unsubstantiated reports
Overview
Core topics Cryptid · List of cryptids The following is a list of cryptids and alleged relicts, those animals studied under the field of cryptozoology. Their presumptive existence has often been derived from anecdotal or other evidence, considered insufficient by mainstream science · Homin · Zoology Zoology , occasionally also spelt zoölogy, is the branch of biology that focuses on the structure, function, behavior, and evolution of animals · Botany Botany, plant science, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Botany covers a wide range of scientific disciplines concerned with the study of plants, algae and fungi, including structure, growth, reproduction, metabolism, development, diseases, chemical properties, and evolutionary · Megafauna discovered in modern times · Pseudoscience Pseudoscience is a methodology, belief, or practice that is claimed to be scientific, or that is made to appear to be scientific, but which does not adhere to an appropriate scientific methodology, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, or otherwise lacks scientific status. The term comes from the Greek prefix pseudo- and science (from Latin
Cryptozoologists Bernard Heuvelmans Bernard Heuvelmans was a Belgian-French scientist, explorer, researcher, and a writer probably best known as "the father of cryptozoology". His 1958 book, On the Track of Unknown Animals (originally published in French in 1955 as Sur la Piste des Bêtes Ignorées) is often regarded as one of the best and most influential cryptozoological · Karl Shuker Karl P. N. Shuker is a British zoologist, cryptozoologist, and author living in the West Midlands, England. He works as a full-time freelance zoological consultant, media consultant, and noted author specializing in cryptozoology · Jonathan Downes · Jon-Erik Beckjord · John Bindernagel · Richard Freeman · Loren Coleman Loren Coleman is an author of books on a number of topics, including cryptozoology, who was born in 1947 in Norfolk, Virginia and grew up in Decatur, Illinois · Alexandr Mikhailovych Kondratov · Roy Mackal · Ivan T. Sanderson · Organizations
Books and television Animal X · Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World · Destination Truth · Fortean TV · In Search Of... · Is It Real? · Lost Tapes · MonsterQuest · On the Track of Unknown Animals · The X Creatures · Sci Fi Investigates · The Secret Saturdays · Weird Travels
Zoological cryptids
Africa Adjule · Agogwe · Bili Ape · Deinotherium · Emela-ntouka · Ennedi tiger · Gambo · Grootslang · Inkanyamba · Kasai rex · Kongamato · Mbielu-Mbielu-Mbielu · Mokele-mbembe · Malawi terror beast · Mamlambo · Muhuru · Nandi Bear · Ngoubou · Nguma-monene · Popobawa · Pygmy elephant · Trunko · Zanzibar Leopard
Asia Ahool · Akkorokamui · Almas · Amomongo · Ayia Napa sea monster · Barmanou · Batutut · Bergman's Bear · Brosno dragon · Bukit Timah Monkey Man · Buru · Caspian Tiger · Cat-fox · Devil Bird · Hibagon · Hokkaidō Wolf · Honshū Wolf · Issie · Javan Tiger · Kappa · Killer badger · Kting Voar · Kusshii · Lake Tianchi Monster · Lake Van Monster · Maltese Tiger · Mongolian Death Worm · Monkey-man of Delhi · Orang Pendek · Pygmy elephant · Qilin · Ropen · Tsuchinoko · Veo · Woolly mammoth · Yeren · Yeti
Australasia- Oceania Amomongo · Blue Mountains panther · Bunyip · Drop Bear · Ebu Gogo · Four Mile Globster · Gippsland phantom cat · Globster · Homo floresiensis · Manaul · Megalania · Moa · Moehau · New Nessie · New Zealand Globster · Queensland Tiger · Siyokoy · Tasmanian Globster · Tasmanian Globster 2 · Thylacine · Thylacoleo · Tikbalang · Waitoreke · Yowie
Europe Afanc · Ayia Napa sea monster · Beast of Gévaudan · Bishop-fish · British big cats · Canvey Island Monster · Dahu · Dobhar-chú · Each uisge · Eachy · Elwetritsch · Fear liath · Fish-man of Liérganes · Giglioli's Whale · Hebrides Blob · Jenny Haniver · Kellas Cat · Kraken · Lagarfljóts Worm · Lariosauro · Lindworm · Loch Ness Monster · Morag · Morgawr · Muc-sheilch · Owlman · Sea monk · Sea serpent · Selma · Skvader · Storsjöodjuret · Stronsay Beast · Tatzelwurm · Wolpertinger
North America Altamaha-ha · Batsquatch · Bear Lake Monster · Beast of Bladenboro · Beast of Bray Road · Beast of Busco · Bermuda Blob · Bermuda Blob 2 · Bermuda Blob 3 · Bessie · Bigfoot · Cadborosaurus willsi · Champ · Chessie · Chupacabra · Dover Demon · Flatwoods monster · Fiji mermaid · Fouke Monster · Goatman · Grassman · The Grinning Man · Hodag · Homo gardarensis · Honey Island Swamp monster · Hoop snake · Huay Chivo · Igopogo · Iliamna Lake Monster · Jackalope · Jersey Devil · Kingstie · Lake Worth Monster · Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp · Loveland frog · Lusca · MacFarlane's Bear · Manipogo · Melon heads · Minnesota Iceman · Momo the Monster · Montauk Monster · Mothman · Mussie · Nantucket Blob · Newfoundland Blob · Ogopogo · Old Yellow Top · Ozark Howler · Pope Lick Monster · Shunka Warakin · Sidehill gouger · Skunk Ape · St. Augustine Monster · Thunderbird · Trinity Alps giant salamander · Tsul 'Kalu · Turtle Lake Monster · Waheela · Wampus cat
South America Amazonian ridge-backed River Dolphin · Ameranthropoides loysi · Andean Wolf · Bloop · Cherufe · Chilean Blob · Chilean Mystery Porpoise · Chupacabra · Giant anaconda · Mapinguari · Minhocão · Mono Grande · Mylodon · Nahuelito · Peuchen
Botanical cryptids

Man-eating tree · Umdhlebi · Vegetable Lamb of Tartary

Categories: Cryptids | Cryptozoology | Pseudoscience

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Scotsman However, instead of fighting over who has the "right" to promote Nessie, there should be moves to provide more protection for the famous cryptid . ...
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What cryptid would you find most interesting to read about?
Q. What cryptid would you find most interesting to read about?
Asked by Thylacine737 - Sun Apr 27 01:58:22 2008 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Oh, so much choice. (See below) And I loved "Out of the shadows" a review of cryptids in Australia. Take your pick, but for me it's probably a toss-up between the Mongoloan Death Worm, and the Zeuglodon (Basilosaurus) as sea/lake serpent.
Answered by Pedestal 42 - Sun Apr 27 03:27:48 2008

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