Читать книгу The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A–Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic - John Matthews - Страница 404

In south-east Asian cryptozoology, this sea beast has been found along the seacoast of Vietnam. Its name means ‘centipede’ or ‘millipede’, but it is considerably longer – being about 60 ft. The one found by Tan Van Con in 1883 had a sectioned body, just like an insect. These segments, 3-ft wide and 2-ft long, were hexagonal in shape. The description has been thought to resemble the Chinese Dragon with its tough hide, armoured plates and whiskered face. Some have thought that it is more likely to be a living fossil invertebrate, perhaps a giant isopod or aquatic chilopoda, the prehistoric sea millipede.