The Cryptid Zoo: Reptilian Bipeds (or Reptoids)

Reptile people or reptoids, similar to this Gorn from Star Trek, are reported in legends as well as existing in fiction. This screenshot is copyrighted by those who own the copyright to the TV series.

Are lizard men too weird for cryptozoology? Almost. Humanoids with animal characteristics, sometimes called manimals, are reported quite frequently in the literature of cryptozoology and anomalous phenomena. The most famous of these is Bigfoot, who appears to be somewhere between ape and man. The most heavily studied humanoids in cryptozoology all look like cousins of Bigfoot. In other words, they seem like they could be undiscovered primates, or perhaps even primitive humans.

But not every legendary humanoid is as normal as Bigfoot. Reptile people are one of the weirder varieties. Although far less common than Bigfoot sightings, these reptilian manimals have still caught the interest of investigators. They are often linked with both ancient legends of dragons and the modern alien abduction fad. These reptile people are generally called reptilian bipeds, reptilians, or reptoids.

Whenever these beings are interpreted as aliens, demons or shapeshifters, they tend to be of less interest to cryptozoologists. When they are interpreted as dragons or earthly animals of some sort, they become slightly more interesting to cryptozoologists. In either case, there is not a great deal of interest in reptoids in the mainstream cryptozoology community. Most of the stuff being written about reptoids comes from fringe cryptozoologists, UFO researchers and paranormal investigators.

Still, despite the sheer weirdness of reptoids, or maybe because of it, there are quite a lot of sightings. The sheer volume of eyewitness reports has sometimes caused mainstream cryptozoologists to look into the problem, trying to find an explanation. Just like the case with hairy humanoids, reptilian humanoids can boast of a long pedigree in folklore and mythology in addition to the modern sightings. Widespread Asian lore tells of Nagas, royal snake people. Japanese lore tells about a type of humanoid combining reptile and primate anatomy, called the kappa. And the list can go on seemingly forever. Dragon people, snake people and lizard people can be found in just about every culture's mythology, if you dig deep enough.

Many of these legends describe reptilian humanoids as living underground or having a strong connection to the water, as do some modern reports. This has led some cryptozoologists to classify reptoids with mermaids and mermen, sometimes using the aquatic ape theory. Other theories describe reptoids as intelligent descendants of the dinosaurs. This intelligent dinosauroid theory is often combined with other highly fringe ideas, suggesting that human history has been guided all along by quasi-sinister reptilian overlords who genetically engineered humans.

In fact, the idea that reptoids secretly rule the world is widespread, well outside the intelligent dinosauroid theory or anything else that can pass as normal cryptozoology. Paranormal investigators who believe in reptoids tend to paint them as the original demons, scarier than any religious mythology. These demons are sometimes defined in quasi-religious, quasi-supernatural terms, often as inhabitants of an alternate dimension of reality.

In short, it is possible to start the study of reptoids well within the confines of cryptozoology, but it is hard to keep reptoids there. Reptoids are just a bit too fringe, even for a scientific disipline like cryptozoology that is often considered to be part of fringe science.

You can find out more about Reptilian Bipeds from the following sources:

Benjamin, R.W. Lizard Man

Blackman, W. Haden. The Field Guide to North American Monsters. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1998. Page 178

Boulay, R. A. Flying Serpents and Dragons : The Story of Mankind's Reptilian Past.

Clark, Jerome. Unexplained!. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1999. Pages 283, 497-500

Coleman, Loren. Mysterious America: The Revised Edition. New York: Paraview Press, 2001. Pages 280-282

Commander X. Reality of the Serpent Race and the Subterranean Origin of UFOs

Godfrey, Linda S., Hendricks, Richard D., Moran, Mark, ed. & Sceurman, Mark, ed. Weird Wisconsin: Your Travel Guide to Wisconsin's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. New York: Sterling, 2005. Page 106

Icke, David. Children of the Matrix

Icke, David. The Reptilian Agenda Documentary.

Icke, David. The Reptilian Agenda E-zine

Keel, John A. The Complete Guide to Mysterious Beings. New York: Doubleday, 1994. Page 145

Moran, Mark & Sceurman, Mark. Weird N.J.: Your Travel Guide to New Jersey's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Page 110

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Newton, Michael. Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology: A Global Guide to Hidden Animals and Their Pursuers. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2005. Pages 199, 225, 264, 292, 455

Reptilian Links

Reptilian Resource Center

Reptoids: A theory on the phenomenon known as Reptoids

Reptoids Research Center Communications Site

Saurian Humanoids FAQ

Steiger, Brad. Out of the Dark: The Complete Guide to Beings from Beyond. New York: Kensington Books, 2001. Pages 256-261

A Study of Reptilians

Wikipedia, The. Kappa

Wikipedia, The. The Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp

Wikipedia, The. Reptilian Humanoids

Wikipedia, The. Reptilian Humanoids in Fiction

Wolff, R. W. Highway 13's Winged Reptile Man