| Elasmosaurus | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Monster of Lake LaMetrie | ||
| Binomen | Elasmosaurus sp. | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Plesiosaurine | ||
| Average length | 28 ft. | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-Sapient | ||
| Aggressivity | Very High | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Lake LaMetrie | ||
| Habitat | Freshwater | ||
| Diet | Carnivorous | ||
| Locomotion | Swimming | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | The Monster of Lake LaMetrie | ||
| Created by | Wardon Allan Curtis | ||
The Elasmosaurus is a prehistoric reptile found to inhabit the depths of Lake LaMetrie, a mysterious freshwater body located in a volcanic crater, "high up in an almost inaccessible part of the mountains of Wyoming", and known to produce prehistoric specimens such as plate-covered fish. The lake's discoverer, Father LaMetrie speculated that it may be connected to a hidden interior world of prehistoric survivors within the Earth's crust.
Biology[]
The Elasmosaurus' body is shaped like a typical plesiosaur, measuring twenty-eight feet in length, about eight feet in width and six in height, and is equipped with four powerful flippers. Its neck is extremely long, thin and sinuous, being described as similar to a swan's neck. The head is small compared to the entire bulk of the creature, but the eyes are extremely large, well-developed disks. The jaws project forward from the otherwise round head, giving it a vaguely duck-like appearance. Its skin is described as "a leathery integument of a lustrous black".
Most extraordinarily, this animal is noted for its resilient physiology, being able to remain alive for hours and even days after having its brain surgically removed. If fed properly, the brainless body not only remains alive, with the heart still beating, but also remains capable of repairing damage, healing the scars left from the operation.
Furthermore, the brain of this species is singularly similar to a human brain in both shape and size, a coincidence which allowed a fantastic operation to take place, performed by Dr. McLennegan, as he transplanted the brain of his recently deceased assistant Edward Frammingham into the elasmosaur's body. After days learning to control his new body, Framingham developed a rough, but understandable speech. Unfortunately, his body ultimately took control of his brain, as he developed increasingly animalistic behavior, to the point of losing his humanity and becoming little more than a mindless beast.
Appearances[]
- "The Monster of Lake LaMetrie", by Wardon Allan Curtis (1899)