| Lusca | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Cephalopod | ||
| Average length | 20 to 60 meters | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-Sapient | ||
| Aggressivity | Very High | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Bahamas | ||
| Habitat | Blue holes | ||
| Diet | Carnivorous | ||
| Locomotion | Swimming | ||
| Status | DD | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Real | ||
Lusca is a name given to a legendary octopus-like creature and cryptid which figures in the mythology of the Bahamas and other Caribbean regions, and is said to dwell in the local blue holes.
Biology[]
Its exact appearance varies from source to source, with some describing it as a giant octopus, others as a predator that's part octopus and part shark or dragon; perhaps even reminiscent of the fictional Sharktopus. Some claim that the creature extends its tentacles out of the water to attack people and even drags boats underwater to feed on the unfortunate occupants.
Some unidentified carcasses washed ashore on beaches have been claimed as possible Lusca specimens by researchers. The most famous of these is probably the so-called St. Augustine's Monster discovered in 1896 on the coast of Florida. Although some have claimed that it actually represents decomposed whale blubber, analysis made by biologists on samples of the carcass have indeed suggested that it's far more likely to represent some kind of octopus.
Another possible carcass, washed ashore in the Bahamas in 2011, has been identified as the partial remains of an octopus, whose entire body in life was estimated as something between 6 and 9 meters. This is more than twice the size of the largest confirmed octopus species, but still pales in comparison to some folkloric descriptions which suggest a fully grown size of over 20 meters, or in some cases even 60 meters for the Lusca.
In some legends, tidal currents coming in and out of the blue holes are said to be caused by the humongous creature's breathing, and it's also been deemed responsible for whirlpools which suddenly appear on the surface to sink small boats.
Lusca in popular culture[]
- Destination Truth
- MonsterQuest
- River Monsters