Reptilicus

Reptilicus appeared in 1961 movie of the same name. Reptilicus is the scientific designation given to a huge, elongated dragon-like reptile found frozen deep within the ice of Lapland. It is notable for its amphibious nature, for spitting a highly corrosive substance, and for its ability to regenerate its entire body from a single fragment, such as a severed limb or tail. Somewhere in the frozen Lapland tundras, above the Arctic Circle, a group of engineers were drilling for copper and found some frozen remains, including skin tissue and blood. They theorized that the entire giant specimen must have been preserved deep beneath the surface. Bone fragments were examined and deemed both resilient and strong, similar to the cartilaginous bones of sharks. The whole creature was estimated to be at least 90 feet in length, and perhaps 70 million or even 100 million years old.

Once the tip of the tail was thawed by accident, it started to heal, revealing that the tissues were still alive and capable of spontaneous regeneration. The tail was put into a nutrient tank so scientists could observe its growth. However, it grew much faster than expected and ended up escaping its confinement, moving on to the rivers and then to the Danish countryside and eventually Copenhagen, were it caused enormous destruction and countless casualties. Reptilicus is a carnivore, and has been observed feeding on both humans and cattle. It spits a highly dangerous substance which has a burning, corrosive effect like an acid. Its scale covering forms a nearly impervious armor, and it has only a single vulnerable spot, which is the inside of its mouth.

Due to Reptilicus' regenerative abilities, using explosives against it would be an extreme risk, as it could result in numerous Reptilicuses reforming themselves from the fragment bits left. However, the creature does have some vulnerabilities, a notable one being fire.

It is an amphibious species, which feels as comfortable on land as it does in the sea or in freshwater. When harmed, it retreats to the ocean and lies on the bottom, waiting for its body to heal. However, it must surface to breath occasionally.

According to scientists who examined it, Reptilicus can be considered a highly advanced organism. Professor Martens believes that it may represent one of nature's attempts to bridge the gap between reptiles and mammals.