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Description
Name: Ziphius, Water-Owl
Area of Origin: Medieval Europe

The Ziphius was a colossal sea beast whose face was vaguely reminiscent of an Owl's. With its name being derived from the Greek word for 'Swordfish', Xiphios, the creature had a large, sharp fin on its back that was said to pierce the hulls of ships. This is in addition to its powerful owl-like beak that could do just as much damage. Along with other bizarre monsters and leviathans, the Ziphius seems to have first appeared as an illustrative embellishment on a multitude of European maps, but nevertheless became a myth unto itself with sightings of the creature being reported around the globe. Though its size was likely to have been exaggerated, the monster has its roots in a real-world animal; Cuvier's Beaked Whale. While the Beaked Whale is much smaller and avoids ships, it is still a very frequently spotted whale and is the only member of the genus Ziphius, presumably named after the legendary creature.

Description
Name: Ziphius, Water-Owl
Area of Origin: Medieval Europe

The Ziphius was a colossal sea beast whose face was vaguely reminiscent of an Owl's. With its name being derived from the Greek word for 'Swordfish', Xiphios, the creature had a large, sharp fin on its back that was said to pierce the hulls of ships. This is in addition to its powerful owl-like beak that could do just as much damage. Along with other bizarre monsters and leviathans, the Ziphius seems to have first appeared as an illustrative embellishment on a multitude of European maps, but nevertheless became a myth unto itself with sightings of the creature being reported around the globe. Though its size was likely to have been exaggerated, the monster has its roots in a real-world animal; Cuvier's Beaked Whale. While the Beaked Whale is much smaller and avoids ships, it is still a very frequently spotted whale and is the only member of the genus Ziphius, presumably named after the legendary creature.