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Gillman
Gillman
Naming
Others Creature from the Black Lagoon
Binomen N/A
Morphology
Body type Humanoid
Average height Roughly the same as a human
Intelligence
Sentience Sentient
Sapience Semi-Sapient (presumed)
Aggressivity Extreme
Ecology
Place of origin South America
Habitat Murky waters
Diet Carnivorous (presumed)
Lifespan Unknown
Subspecies Unknown
Status Critically Endangered
Behind the Scenes
Universe Creature from the Black Lagoon
Created by William Alland, Harry Essex, Arthur A. Ross, Maurice Zimm
Designed by Millicent Patrick, Bud Westmore
Performed by Ricou Browning, Ben Chapman, Tom Hennesy, Don Megowan
GillmanSwimming

The Gill-man, a.k.a. Creature from the Black Lagoon, is the name applied to a feral humanoid amphibian - the last known member of a species which originated in the Devonian Era - which inhabits a murky lagoon located deep within the Amazon Rainforest.

Biology[]

The Gill-man is a humanoid beast about as big as a man, but possessing far superior strength and physical resilience. Its body is covered in tough, but flappy skin and its hands and feet are both webbed and clawed. The creature has gills, as its name implies, but also possesses lungs, being able to survive as well in water as on land. This semi-aquatic being has a particularly interesting physiology: 35% of its blood is made of white corpuscles with no nucleus. This makes the creature extremely resilient, and better suited to heal injuries quickly. On the other hand, it is known that the beast is very vulnerable to rotenone. It is also scared away by bright lights, due to the darkness of its natural habitat.

History[]

Although uncivilized, Gill-man does show signs of being a relatively intelligent being. It is known to build dams in the rivers to prevent boats from leaving or coming in. It also has kidnapped people on more than one occasion, for unclear reasons, as it usually simply kills those humans that enter its territory. In the first two movies, the Gill-man is shot down at the end and slowly disappears into the waters, only to be seen alive again in the next one. This raises the possibility that there is more than one of it. In the third movie the Gill-man suffers an accident and is surgically reconstructed to appear more human. Attempts to integrate the creature into society have failed, however, and it finally escapes to the ocean.

Appearances[]

  • Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
  • Revenge of the Creature (1955)
  • The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)

Gallery[]

Notes[]

  • A remake movie has been announced, which will portray Gill-man as no longer a living fossil, but a modern amphibian which has been mutated by water pollution.
  • Other creatures inspired by the Gill-man include the Lake Creature from The Angry Beavers and the Amphibian Man from The Shape of Water.
  • In Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School, the Gill-man makes a brief cameo appearance alongside his daughter.
  • The Gill-man also appeared in the Hägar the Horrible comic strip on March 22nd, 2021.
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