Films: Legendary (2013)

Alias: None

Type: Natural

Location: River/Civilized Area/Cave

Height/Weight: Twice that of an average limo.

Affiliation: Neutral

Summary: Sometimes, we like to think that even if most of society has given up the chase, there are monsters out there. Creatures that have eluded our sight because they're that good at hiding. But until we find people who actually give a damn about seeing these beasts and not just faffing around for the History Channel to waste (looking at YOU, Monsterquest), we may never see them at all.

History: For a cryptid hunter and his team, things haven't been going well since their last expedition ended with a death at the claws of a giant short-faced bear. But they are put back in action when stories arise in a small Chinese village of a river monster coming to land and snacking on the people causing too many industrial disturbances. The team is quick to get on their feet, but a bounty hunter and the beast's elusiveness threaten to put a wrench in the works.

Notable Kills: Nothing special.

Final Fate: After killing those who tried to kill it, the main monster, a giant aquatic lizard, is tranquilized by the leader of the team. They safely relocate it, and even give it a name. That being Salamandra Jianyu Rex, after the person who found it in the first place.

Powers/Abilities: None.

Weakness: Incredibly sensitive to sonar. Also, conventional means.

Scariness Factor: 2.5-There are a couple of things holding this species back. For one, it is correctly identified as a mere animal, not some demon or monster, though that doesn't make it any less dangerous. Also, it’s got some rather bad CGI going for it, even if it is a slight step above Syfy fare. At least they didn't try and destroy it like so many other cryptids get the brunt of.

Trivia: -This beast rather closely resembles a Chinese water dragon, a real species of small lizard part of the agamid family. Fittingly, the entire family of Agamidae is also known as the dragon lizards, and other examples of them include agamas (of course), bearded dragons, and frilled lizards. Of course, in spite of the intimidating title of dragons, all are harmless, and make good pets every now and then.

-Back then, there was a case of a mysterious giant lizard being at first seen as a myth before being discovered by western civilization. When the European explorers that went to Indonesia documented it in 1910, they described it as a sort of land crocodile before bringing some over for further study. And that's how the Komodo dragon was discovered (though the name wasn't coined until 1926 when the island was truly explored).