Fictional Animals

Given the importance of other animals to humans, whether as predators, pests, food, workers or companions, it is unsurprising that science fiction creators would imagine many fictional animal species. Worms are a particular favorite.

List[]

A[]

Aenocampus - James L. Cambias's novel A Darkling Sea
Anakapotamos (crocodyliform) - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel p. 186
armored tunnel sloth John Birmingham's military sci-fi novel The Cruel Stars, p. 90
‘’Arraclid’’ - Adrian Tchaikovsky’s novel The Expert Systems Brother
Aubergine Radiate - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel p. 181
Axehead (skeggoxus cyannus) - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel

B[]

Banshees - Avatar 2009 film
Bantha - Star Wars universe
bem (lwritten in ower case, spoken informal acronym) - W. Michael Gear's Outpost (Donovan: Book One)
Bessemer's Griffin - Robert A. Heinlein's Tunnel in the Sky. See Tunnel in the Sky from the Heinlein Concordance
Regulan bloodworms - Star Trek universe
Blue Tongue Dragons John Birmingham's military sci-fi novel The Cruel Stars, p. 90
Bronto - Robert J. Mendenhall's short story "Murder on Centauri" in David Conyers et al.'s collection Extreme Planets
Bubocephale - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel

C[]

Chuckleheads or chucks (saurian beasts of burden) - Robert A. Heinlein's Starman Jones, p. 61.
Coelusha limax (space slug) - Jennifer Foehner Wells's novel Fluency
cracx - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel
Cylindrodaptes - James L. Cambias's novel A Darkling Sea, Pp. 285-288

D[]

Deest - Robert Randall's novel The Shrouded Planet, p. 12
devil-kitten - Samuel R. Delany's novel Empire Star

E[]

Ebrekt - Arkady Martine's novel A Memory Called Empire
Eelbirds of Regulus V - Star Trek universe
Eevak (large quadruped) - Home, third episode, season two of The Orville
Energy Spider - Star Wars universe

F[]

F-Lion - Max Brooks's novel World War Z
Fastiga - Poul Anderson's Polesotechnic League universe
Flat Cat - Robert A. Heinlein's novel The Rolling Stones
Friza - Richard Paul Russo's novel Inner Eclipse

G[]

Garthok - Coneheads 1993 comedy film
Glimmermoth - James Lovegrove's novel World of Fire, p. 181
Goobie (pseudo-tarsier) - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel p. 200
Gwildwanki - Robert Kroese's short story "The Yanthus Prime Job"

H[]

Hloordian Rock Worm - Robert Kroese's novel Starship Grifters
Hugl - Robert Randall's novel The Shrouded Planet, p. 17

I[]

Irradigator - Robert Kroese's novel Starship Grifters

J[]

Jovian Tree Worm - Babylon 5, brief reference

K[]

Kangasaur - G. David Nordley's novel To Climb a Flat Mountain
Karikut (draft animals on Ikrananka) - Poul Anderson's Polesotechnic League universe, "The Trouble Twisters"
Kepard - Samuel R. Delany's novel Empire Star

L[]

Lava Worm - Star Wars universe
leather birds - Wendy N. Wagner's novel An Oath of Dogs
Leatherwings - John Birmingham's military sci-fi novel The Cruel Stars, p. 90
Lizard-spiders - Robert Kroese's fantasy novel Disenchanted, p. 145

M[]

ManBearPig - [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/south-park-issues-rare-apology-manbearpig-skewering-al-gore-n934156 "Time to Get Cereal" episode of South Park'
Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka - "The Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka" episode of South Park, June 10, 1998.
Megabat - G. David Nordley's novel To Climb a Flat Mountain
Mo'Hair (genetically modified species) - Margaret Atwood's MaddAddam Trilogy
Moleworm - John Lovegrove's novel World of Fire
Mongolian Death Worm
Montjak's besora - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel, p. 60
Mugato - Star Trek universe
Musgovore - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World

N[]

Nartolian Ice Grubs - Robert Kroese's novel Starship Grifters

P[]

Pavonosaurus Rex - Charles E. Gannon's novel Fire With Fire, p. 97
Pesthry - Ursula K. Le Guin's novel The Left Hand of Darkness, p. 215
Pigoon (genetically modified species) - Margaret Atwood's MaddAddam Trilogy
Porak - Richard Paul Russo's novel Inner Eclipse

Q[]

Quirta (avian) - Richard Paul Russo's novel Inner Eclipse

R[]

Rigelian Ox - Star Trek universe
Russy - Ursula K. Le Guin's novel The Left Hand of Darkness, p. 215

S[]

Sarlacc (plural Sarlacci) - Star Wars universe
Scroach (dromopoda alighigieriensis) - John Lovegrove's novel World of Fire
Silter - Richard Paul Russo's novel Inner Eclipse
Singspiders - John Lovegrove's novel World of Fire
Skeggoxus cyannus (axehead) - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel
Slig - Dune universe
Slint (three sexes) - Paul McAuley's Into Everywhere, p. 129
Sniper-Sloth - Guy Immega's short story "Super-Mother Earth" in David Conyers et al., eds.s collection Extreme Planets
space slug (Coelusha limax) - Jennifer Foehner Wells's novel Fluency
Spice Weasel - Futurama
Spider Puppy (Pseudocanis hexapoda hesperae) - Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starman Jones
Spider-wolves - Robert Kroese's fantasy novel Disenchanted, p. 145

T[]

Tiberian Bat - Star Trek universe
Torga beast - David Mack's Star Trek: Titan universe novel Fortune of War, p. 322.
Towfin - James L. Cambias's novel A Darkling Sea
Tribble (Polygeminus grex) - The Trouble With Tribbles episode of Star Trek: The Original Series
Troll

V[]

Varanid - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel
Vietnamese Two Step Viper - "Self-Medication" episode of Venture Brothers animated television series, 2009
Volent - L.E. Modesitt, Jr.'s novel The One-Eyed Man, p. 117

W[]

Wolf-lizard - Robert Kroese's fantasy novel Disenchanted, p. 145

Z[]

Zarglop (giant space cephalopod) - Dining with the Zarglorp episode of Archer: 1999
Zondara (riding animals) on Ikrananka) - Poul Anderson's Polesotechnic League universe, "The Trouble Twisters"

Revealed as Fictional in the Work of Fiction[]

Trigorian snakes - USS Callister episode of Black Mirror, Season 4

Mutants[]

Mutton Vindaloo Beast - Red Dwarf BBC television series

Links[]

External Links[]

Why is the Star Wars Universe Full of Megagfauna? James David Nicoll Tor sci-fi December 18, 2020
No, THESE are history’s Greatest Monsters Abby Ohlheiser. Washington Post. October 27. 2014.
List of Creatures in Dr. Seuss's book Scrambled Eggs Super!
What is Sentience?