Source: Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.
The manticore is a hybrid and monstrous being that was commonly catalogued in medieval bestiaries. This creature inhabited Asia and Eastern Europe, where it was considered the greatest predator. It possessed the body of a lion and a head resembling that of a man, with a mouth lined by three rows of teeth as sharp as they were serrated. Its tail, similar to that of a scorpion, ended in a dangerous stinger through which it injected its victims with a deadly venom. In some versions, it also has bat wings.
It was said of the manticore that it prowled the forests in search of human beings, hurling volleys of venomous darts at them and killing them instantly. Finally, this fantastic beast would devour its victims whole, including their bones and clothing. It would also carry its victim’s belongings back to its lair so that no trace whatsoever remained.