Cryptid/ Mythological Creature Encyclopedia

Gill-People

Animal Class: Amphibian

Diet: Omnivorous

Just like Frogs, Gill-People hatch from eggs that are laid in the water and have to go through a Tadpole stage before becoming adults. However, their Tadpole stage lasts a lot longer and it can take up to 13 years before they grow out of it. ( They grow much larger than Frog Tadpoles)

They are Omnivorous and love to feed on underwater vegetation. They are master hunters and love to lie in wait by the shore like a Crocodile, but they can also swim down their prey like a Barracuda. They can hunt on land, but their success rate is very low and they usually end up becoming prey themselves.  However, when not hunting, they are very peaceful and gentle.

They are a freshwater species and despite having existed for millions of years, no Gill-Person has ever been seen anywhere near saltwater.

They seem to prefer muddy water over clear water. They do this not only because it gives them more cover to hunt in, but their ancestors used it as a way to hide from the natives that once saw them as mindless monsters.

Despite what is suggested by the previous fact, there has not been one recorded case of a Gill-Person killing a Human and while injuries have been recorded, all of them appear to have been inflicted in self defense.

Many Gill-People have been observed helping Humans and other creatures get of of the water after they fall in or after boats carrying them capsized.

Having lived among them for so long, Gill-People are immune to the electric shocks of Electric Eels and the venom of freshwater Stingrays. Caimans, Anacondas, Piranhas, and River Otters respect their space and do not attack fully grown Gill-People, but will go after their Tadpoles. However, Jaguars and Bull Sharks that have swam up river have no problem going after fully grown Gill-People.

Naturally live in the rivers of South America with the largest population of them being in the Amazon River. Small populations have moved up into Central America and into the more Southern parts of the United States.

While they are highly intelligent, they are not able to speak and their webbed hands make it impossible to use Sign Language, so communicating with Humans and other Creatures is very hard for them.

It is still unclear as to what their lifespan is, but it is believed that they can live to be over a hundred years old.

Fossil evidence shows that they have been around since the Devonian period, but it is still unclear as to how they managed to survive things like the Great Dying and the extinction event that wiped out the Dinosaurs.

Extra Fun Fact: In a similar situation to Wildlings, Gill-People were officially recognized by the scientific community in 1949 and thus the 1954 film, "Creature from the Black Lagoon," was partially created in order to spread awareness of them, but since actual Gill-People act very differently than the one in the film, it took a little while for everyone to learn that they are not actually that dangerous.