What science fiction or fantasy story would be complete without the use of fantastical creatures, intriguing aliens or horrific monsters? Many authors, both modern and old, draw their ideas for these creatures from mythology and folklore while others perform a sort of Dr. Moreau slice and dice of existing animals or modify humans.
Unfortunately, there are times when authors, even popular ones, get things wrong from a biological perspective.
Here is an example: What is wrong with this story?
What is wrong with the story? The boy should have yelled “LIZARD!” because this monster was no snake!
There are three clues that let you know what kind of creature it is. Most people assume that any legless squamate is a snake, but this is simply not true. There are three biological distinctions between snakes and lizards. In order for an animal to be classified as a snake it must lack all three. If an animal has one, it’s a lizard.
The first clue that this was not a snake was that the animal’s eyes were closed. The second was that the monster woke up from the noise made when Asdar fell. He could have made all the noise he wanted and a true snake would not have woken up.
Did you catch the third clue? This had to do with a unique biological adaptation of snakes. When Asdar was hiding under the ledge the monster slithered past him. It may not have been able to see him with visible light. However, if it was a snake, it would have used heat detection to follow him right to his hiding place.
I’m no biological expert; I’ve taken enough ecology classes to be that annoying friend who comments about the errors in your favorite movies and books. While I may not have all the answers, I do have enough insight to offer a few suggestions on designing creatures.
When borrowing from mythology, using the slice and dice method or slightly modifying humans to create creatures, the final product could have design flaws. Using mythology and folklore as a reference is problematic because much of what ancient people assumed about biology and the environment was inaccurate. Today’s audience is accustomed to watching nature programs from an early age. A writer could spend countless hours designing creatures based on folklore only to have the magnificent David Attenborough come along and discredit their creation in a matter of seconds. The slice and dice method can produce mismatched and awkward combinations. A writer may find themselves having to explain away certain aspects that don’t add up.
A writer could simply draw up a large, bulky troll/goblin hybrid swamp creature that spits fire and farts poisonous gas and call it a day.
Arg! Why miss out on all the amazing adaptations that are found in nature such as the snake’s ability to use heat detection to track prey? Why pass up fascinating and creditable features you could incorporate into your creations that could make your story stand out!
For those who would like to design awesome, scientifically based creatures, I offer you a list of questions. This is not an exhaustive list but a starting point. It is not a parts list (claw A vs. claw B) but a deeper look at biological characteristics and adaptations to consider. These questions are meant to lead to more questions and guided research.
These are some of the questions I plan on addressing in a series of essays. (It will take me some time to get to them all, but I will be adding content to these pages.)
Unfortunately, there are times when authors, even popular ones, get things wrong from a biological perspective.
Here is an example: What is wrong with this story?
Asdar scampered around the forest floor snatching up every dry stick he could find. As he approached a large tree, he found bunch of dried branches without the leaves, the kind that was best for kindling. As he attempted to scoop them up, his hand scraped the wet dirt beneath the pile. Cringing, he dropping the sticks and raised his hand examining the dirt that now covered his fingers. It had gotten deep under his finger nails and he frantically brushed his hand along his tunic to wipe off the filth. There was nothing worse than feeling wet dirt under his finger nails. When his fingers were free of the filth, he snatched up the sticks with a huff and continued to search for more. It was starting to get dark but he needed more to please his father. The old man would be angry with him for spending the day in the woods to escape his other chores. He searched the ground as he walked along, turning over the leaf bed with his foot. Stopping short of hitting his head on a protruding rock ledge, he observed the strange scale-like ridges covering the side. He reached out to touch a scale when the rock expanded and contracted as if it was breathing. With a gasp, he ran his eyes along the length of the monster’s scaly body. The large head was resting on the coiled form with its eyes shut. Asdar stepped backwards as quietly as possible, unable to look away from the monster's head. Slipping on the wet ground, he tripped and rolling backward. When he regained his footing, he whirled around to see the monster's head raise with its mouth open ready to swallow him whole. Jumping up, he fled into the woods as the monster landed on the ground with a thud and began to slither towards him. Asdar ran to his favorite hiding place, a deep hole under a rock ledge. He jumped down off the ledge and crawled into the crack, pressing his body against the back of the cold rock wall, but there was only an arm’s length between him and the entrance. Holding his breath, he watched the scaly body of the monster slither past him. He waited for some time before poking his head out to look around but he didn’t see the monster anywhere and decided it was safe to crawl out. He walked slowly at first, checking all around for any signs of the scaly beast. As he began to run, he frightened a deer sending it off clamoring through the brush. The ground shook and the boy turned to see the monster slipping down from the ledge under which he had just been hiding. It was charging towards him and he ran with all his might, never looking back. When he finally saw his father outside the farm house, he waved his hands in the air and yelled, “SNAKE!”
What is wrong with the story? The boy should have yelled “LIZARD!” because this monster was no snake!
There are three clues that let you know what kind of creature it is. Most people assume that any legless squamate is a snake, but this is simply not true. There are three biological distinctions between snakes and lizards. In order for an animal to be classified as a snake it must lack all three. If an animal has one, it’s a lizard.
- No legs
- No eyelids
- Does not have fully developed auditory organs
Did you catch the third clue? This had to do with a unique biological adaptation of snakes. When Asdar was hiding under the ledge the monster slithered past him. It may not have been able to see him with visible light. However, if it was a snake, it would have used heat detection to follow him right to his hiding place.
I’m no biological expert; I’ve taken enough ecology classes to be that annoying friend who comments about the errors in your favorite movies and books. While I may not have all the answers, I do have enough insight to offer a few suggestions on designing creatures.
When borrowing from mythology, using the slice and dice method or slightly modifying humans to create creatures, the final product could have design flaws. Using mythology and folklore as a reference is problematic because much of what ancient people assumed about biology and the environment was inaccurate. Today’s audience is accustomed to watching nature programs from an early age. A writer could spend countless hours designing creatures based on folklore only to have the magnificent David Attenborough come along and discredit their creation in a matter of seconds. The slice and dice method can produce mismatched and awkward combinations. A writer may find themselves having to explain away certain aspects that don’t add up.
A writer could simply draw up a large, bulky troll/goblin hybrid swamp creature that spits fire and farts poisonous gas and call it a day.
Arg! Why miss out on all the amazing adaptations that are found in nature such as the snake’s ability to use heat detection to track prey? Why pass up fascinating and creditable features you could incorporate into your creations that could make your story stand out!
For those who would like to design awesome, scientifically based creatures, I offer you a list of questions. This is not an exhaustive list but a starting point. It is not a parts list (claw A vs. claw B) but a deeper look at biological characteristics and adaptations to consider. These questions are meant to lead to more questions and guided research.
These are some of the questions I plan on addressing in a series of essays. (It will take me some time to get to them all, but I will be adding content to these pages.)
- What sort of receptors does your creature have? How does your creature perceive the world? Sight, which wavelengths? Does it use chemical queues? Can it hear sound, what wavelengths?
- Locomotion; how does your creation get around? Bipedal, quadrapedal, or more? Can it fly, climb, swim?
- Where does it get its energy? Is it an ectotherm or endotherm?
- What sort of skin type does it have? Does it have scales or an exoskeleton?
- How does it reproduce? Is it vivoparous or oviparous?
- How big is it? What is its physical structure?
- Does it have defenses? Poisons? Is it a parasite?
- What sort of behavior patterns does it display? Can it communicate? If so, how?
I have rewritten the ending of my example, this time using the attributes of a snake.
… Stopping short of hitting his head on a protruding rock ledge, he observed the strange scale-like ridges covering the side. He reached out to touch a scale when the rock expanded and contracted as if it was breathing. With a gasp, he ran his eyes along the length of the monster’s scaly body. The large head was resting on the coiled form, staring at him with its wide round eyes. Asdar dropped his sticks when the monster flicked its forked tongue and raised its head. As he turned to flee he could hear the beast moving swiftly along the ground. Asdar ran to his favorite hiding place, a deep hole under a rock ledge. He jumped down off the ledge and crawled into the crack, pressing his body against the back of the cold rock wall, but there was only an arm’s length between him and the entrance. Tracking him straight to his hiding place, the monster pressed its head into the crack, but the opening was too small for it to get its mouth inside. It flicked its tongue as Asdar yelled and threw rocks and dirt but the fiend was undeterred until the boy struck it hard on its unprotected eye and it retreated. The boy waited for some time before poking his head out to check for the monster, but didn’t see the scaly beast anywhere and decided it was safe to crawl out. Walking causally, he began to wonder what he would tell his father when he felt the ground shake. The great beast had been resting on the ledge and now it was coming for him. Darting through the forest, he started a deer and sending it clamoring off towards the snake. The great monster seized the frightened animal and swallowed it whole. Asdar kept running uncertain if the beast was still chasing him, but he never looked back. When he finally saw his father outside the farm house, he waved his hands and yelled, “SNAKE!”
No legs, no eyelids, no ability to hear and heat detection. Now that’s what I call a snake!
