This list of legendary creatures from mythology, folklore and fairy tales is sorted by their classification or affiliation. Creatures from modern fantasy fiction and role-playing games are not included.
Animals, creatures associated with
Arthropods
Karkinos (Greek) – Crab that attacked Heracles and was killed, becoming the constellation of Cancer. Nerites (Greek) – Minor sea deity turned into a shellfish by jealous gods. Ōmukade (Japanese) – Giant man-eating centipede, but weak to human saliva. Zaratan (Arabic) – Giant crab mistaken for an island.
Insects
Scorpions
Spiders
Birds
Avian Humanoids
Chickens
Corvids
Eagles
Owls
Chickcharney (Bahamas) – Magical owl with powers over fate, sometimes encountered by travellers in pine forests. Nyctimene (Roman) – Princess transformed into an owl by Minerva. Owlman (English) – Owl-like humanoid compared to America's Mothman. Sirin (Slavic) – Birds with women's heads who lured men to their deaths. Strix (Greek) – Owl that ate human flesh.
Fish
Mammals
Aquatic and marine-based
Bats
Balayang (Australian Aboriginal) – Bat-god and brother to Bunjil. Camazotz (Mayan) – Bat spirit and servant of the lords of the underworld. Leutogi (Polynesian) – Samoan princess rescued by bats. Minyades (Greek) – Three sisters who refused to take part in the worship of Dionysus, and turned into bats by Hermes. Tjinimin (Australian Aboriginal) – Ancestor of the Australian people. Vetala (Hindu) – Vampiric entity that takes over cadavers.
Carnivorans
Bears
Bjarndyrakongur (Icelandic) – King of bears. Stems from Polar Bear sightings in Iceland being extremely rare, but not unheard of. Has a shining horn on its head topped with a ball and red patches on cheeks. Bugbear (Celtic) – Child-eating hobgoblin. Callisto (Greek) – A nymph who was turned into a bear by Hera. Stiff-Legged Bear (Native American) – Gigantic, hairless bear monster in tribal folklore, predominantly Iroquoians and Algonquians, possibly inspired by mammoths.
Canines
Foxes
Felines
Lions
Hyenas Werehyena- A human who can become a hyena
Musteloids and non-hyena herpestoids
Procyonids Azeban – trickster raccoon spirit in Abenaki mythology
Marsupials
Drop bear Bunyip (Australian Aboriginal)
Primates
Rabbits and hares
Rodents
Afanc Lavellan (Scottish) – Water shrew or water vole with poisonous abilities, said to be able to injure cattle over a hundred feet away. Ratatoskr Rat king; phenomenon in which a number of rats become intertwined at their tails (Germany, France). Wolpertinger
Ungulates
Antelopes and deer
Bovines
Camelids Allocamelus – A donkey-headed camel. Heavenly Llama
Caprids
Equines
Pachyderms
Abath Baku Behemoth Quugaarpak - (Inuit) Explanation for Mammoths & other Ice Age remains washing out of riversides. Underworld monsters who dig their way up to the human world, but die upon breathing our air. Taweret
Pigs and boars
Calydonian Boar Erymanthian Boar Zhu Bajie
Xenarthrans Mapinguari
Molluscs
Akkorokamui – octopus monster (Ainu, Japan) Amikuk (Yup'ik) - Shapeshifting four armed 'octopus' that can swim through land as easily as water. Carbuncle (Chilote) – one of its many descriptions is a luminescent bivalve Lou Carcolh – A giant, man-eating snail with fur and tentacles (France) Kraken – squid monster (Worldwide) Shen – A clam-dragon that creates mirages and fata morgana at sea (China)
Reptiles
Limbed
Serpents and worms
Megafauna
Giants
Artificial creatures This listing includes creatures that are man-made, mechanical or of alchemical origins.
Body parts, creatures associated with
Blood
Bone Bloody Bones Gashadokuro Grim Reaper Skeleton
Eye
One-eyed
Face Asura Deva / Devi Noppera-bō
Hair Futakuchi-onna Harionago Mavka Medusa
Head
Limbs
Mouth Futakuchi-onna- Woman with second mouth on the back of her head
Skin Selkie Skin-walker Swan maiden
Tail Bakeneko Kitsune Yamata no Orochi Kumiho Hulder Nguruvilu
Neck
Serpopard Rokurokubi Vampire
Torso
Manananggal Geryon
Abdomen Pixiu
Concepts and creatures associated with:
Battle, vengeance, violence, and war
Birth and rebirth
Aralez Phoenix Ubume
Death and immortality
Dreams, the mind, and sleep
Evil eye and sight
Fertility and human sexuality
Fortune, luck, and wealth
Light Angel Chalkydri Deity Lampetia Will-o'-the-wisp Dragon
Love and romance
Sound Banshee Encantado Fenghuang Fossegrim Mermaid Nue Siren Yamabiko
Speech
Gef Satan
Time and technology
Chronos Father Time Gremlin
Wisdom Baba Yaga Bai Ze Griffin Salmon of Wisdom Sphinx
Demons See list of theological demons
Elements, creatures associated with
Aether
Air and wind
Ala Elemental Feldgeister Zduhać
Darkness
Earth and subterranean
Fire
Light and rainbow
Metal and gold
Thunder and lightning
Water
Habitats, creatures associated with
Cave and underground
Celestial and heaven
Desert
Temperate forest and woodland
Tropical forest and jungle
Temperate grassland and garden Fairy Gnome
Savanna Ennedi tiger Werehyena
Lake and river
Mountain and hill
Sea
Swamp and marsh
Volcano and lava Cherufe Phoenix Salamander
Polar, ice, and winter
Urban and house
Underworld and hell
Humanoids See Mythic humanoids
Hybrids
Astronomical objects, creatures associated with
Sun Chalkydri beings from the Second Book of Enoch Entry: The Book of the Secrets of Enoch chapter XII Kua Fu a giant in China Three-legged bird in China, Korea, and Japan
Moon Jade rabbit Werewolf Werejaguar Alien
Constellation
World
World Elephant World Tree World Turtle
Creatures associated with plants
Shapeshifters
Creatures associated with times
Day and diurnal
Night and nocturnal
Undead
Corporeal
Miscellaneous
References