Mythozoa: History and Biology of Mythical Animals (Mifozoi)

The first evidence of the existence of mythical animals dates back to the Upper Paleolithic era - it was at this time that people began to paint them on the walls of caves. Stories about them were preserved in epic tales. Ancient authors wrote about fantastic creatures, travelers and pilgrims encountered them during their wanderings. In the Middle Ages, heraldists willingly depicted them and writers described them in their bestiaries. Then interest in mythical animals declined, and people had to meet them less and less often - only sailors sometimes saw them emerging from the sea depths. But the 20th century unexpectedly stirred up a fascination with fantastic creatures, for which biologists have now come up with a special term - 'mythozoans'. The book by two cultural scientists working under the common pseudonym Oleg Ivik tells about mythozoics—ancient and modern, their relationship with people, and the history of their study.