The Alicanto is a mythical, flightless bird from Chilean folklore, known for its luminous wings that glitter in gold and silver. Found in the harsh Atacama Desert, it serves as both a guide to hidden treasures and a harbinger of doom. Its dual nature captivates and warns miners and prospectors, embodying the unpredictable forces of luck and peril.

Alicanto

The Anchimayen is a mythical creature from Mapuche mythology that appears as a small, child-like being. It possesses the unique ability to transform into a bright, flying fireball emitting intense light. Serving a kalku, it plays a mysterious role in Mapuche sorcery and is sometimes mistaken for the lunar goddess Kueyen.

Anchimayen

The Basilisco Chilote is a mythological creature from the Chiloé Archipelago in southern Chile, featuring a unique hybrid form with a rooster's crest and a serpent's body. It is notorious for its deadly parasitic feeding on the bodily fluids of house inhabitants. Legends warn that to prevent its emergence, its egg must be burned immediately and the laying rooster must be eliminated.

Basilisco Chilote

The Caballo marino chilote is a mythical aquatic horse from Chilote mythology in Chile, blending equine elegance with supernatural aquatic traits. It is renowned for its magical invisibility and variable size, ranging from diminutive to giant. This elusive creature is traditionally used by sorcerers as a means of transportation to the legendary Caleuche ghost ship.

Caballo marino chilote

The Camahueto is a legendary horned bull from Chilote mythology, known for its single, magical horn. It roams the Chiloé Archipelago and is celebrated for its healing powers. This mythical creature is a symbol of nature's mystery and benevolence in local folklore.

Camahueto

The Carbuncle is a legendary small animal from South American folklore known for the glowing red gem on its head. This distinctive, coal-like feature has captivated miners and locals in Paraguay, northern Chile, and Brazil. Often linked to medieval legends of dragons and wyverns concealing precious gems, the creature symbolizes mystery and the allure of hidden treasure.

Carbuncle (legendary creature)

The Cherufe is a massive, man-eating creature from Mapuche mythology. It is renowned for its imposing presence and association with volcanic landscapes. This fearsome beast embodies the destructive force of nature in south-central Chile.

Cherufe

The Chonchón is a mythical creature from Mapuche folklore renowned for its eerie, disembodied appearance and supernatural flight. Often depicted as a floating head with wings, it haunts the night skies of Chile and southern Argentina. Traditionally seen as an omen of ill fortune and a manifestation of cursed witchcraft, it holds a notorious place in South American mythology.

Chonchon

Coi Coi-Vilu is a revered serpentine water deity from Mapuche mythology, recognised as the supreme ruler of the sea and a central creator in the formation of the Chiloean Archipelago. As the son of the Pillan Peripillan, this divine serpent wields control over water and all sea-dwellers. In certain legends, Coi Coi-Vilu is also identified as a progenitor of the mythical Trauco, further entwining its legacy within regional lore.

Coi Coi-Vilu

The Colo Colo is an evil, rat-like creature from Mapuche mythology. It embodies the dark and ominous aspects of indigenous folklore. Despite its small size, its malevolent presence has made it a feared omen in the Mapuche tradition.

Colo Colo (mythology)

The Cuero is an aquatic mythological creature from Mapuche lore, known by names such as 'cuero del agua' and 'manta del diablo'. It is described as a living, animated hide that haunts water bodies in Central and Southern Chile as well as southwest Argentina. Often seen as a malevolent force, the Cuero embodies the dangers and mysteries of water in indigenous mythology.

Cuero (legendary creature)

Gualichu is an evil spirit or demon from Mapuche mythology, predominantly within the Tehuelche culture. It is known for its malevolent nature and curse abilities, setting it apart from similar figures like the Devil. Its eerie presence continues to symbolize misfortune and dark supernatural forces among indigenous peoples.

Gualichu

The Iemisch is a cryptid monster from Patagonia, combining features of a jaguar and an otter. It is known for its formidable strength and dual proficiency in land and water. With a distinctive prehensile tail, webbed feet, and bone-plated skin, it remains an enigmatic figure in regional lore.

Iemisch

The imbunche is a grotesque, deformed legendary monster from Chilote folklore. It is known for its short stature and eerie appearance. It serves as a guardian at the entrance of a warlock's cave on Chiloé Island.

Imbunche

Millalobo is a powerful sea deity from Chilote mythology with a golden, sea lion-like appearance. Chosen by the supreme sea being Caicai, he governs all marine life in the Chilote realm. His control over water and supernatural attributes make him a central figure in maritime lore.

Millalobo

The Monster of Lake Fagua is a legendary hybrid creature from Chile, renowned for its bizarre mix of features including a human face, bull-like horns, and bat-like wings. Measuring about 20 feet in length, it has the lower body of a dragon with two stinging tails. Notorious for attacking livestock and being nocturnal, it was reportedly captured and exhibited in Europe in 1784.

Monster of Lake Fagua

Nahuelito is a legendary lake monster from Nahuel Huapi Lake in Patagonia, Argentina, often described as a giant serpent or plesiosaur-like creature. It is famously spotted as a large hump emerging from the water. The creature has become a prominent figure in local cryptozoological folklore, drawing comparisons to the Loch Ness Monster.

Nahuelito

The Nguruvilu is a mythological creature from Mapuche traditions in Chile, featuring a unique blend of fox and snake characteristics. It possesses a fox-like head and a sleek, serpent-like body with a clawed tail used to snatch its prey. Dwelling in lakes and rivers, it is notorious for ambushing wading individuals and either devouring or blood-sucking them.

Nguruvilu

The Patagon are a mythical race of giant humans reportedly inhabiting the remote region of Patagonia. They are famed for their extraordinary height, often reaching between 13 and 15 feet. Their legend persisted in European narratives for nearly 300 years, shaping early conceptions of the New World.

Patagon

Pincoy is a male water spirit from Chilean Chilote mythology, depicted as a merman with a bright golden sea lion-like body and a handsome human face. He is the son of Millalobo and Huenchula, and his life is deeply intertwined with his sisters, Sirena chilota and Pincoya, the latter also being his wife. Known for his enchanting singing, Pincoy plays a crucial role in initiating the Pincoya's dance, symbolising sea fertility and the passage of the dead.

Southern Cone Creatures