Weird A-Z. W is for Wyvern
A Wyvern or Wivern is a legendary winged reptile with the head of a dragon, the hindquarters of a snake or lizard with either two legs or none, and a barbed tail. The Wyvern is often found in mediaeval heraldry and its name is derived from Middle English wyvere, from Old North French wivre meaning 'viper'.
Wyverns are mentioned in Dante's Inferno (Canto XVII) as the body for one of his creatures in hell. The Wyvern is frequently used as a mascot, especially in Wales and Wessex, but also farther afield in the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, where the rivers Wye and Severn run through the county towns of Hereford and Worcester respectively.
Some cryptozoologists have interpreted Wyverns as surviving pterosaurs, which went extinct around 65 million years ago. There are alleged sightings of pterosaur-like creatures in remote areas of the world, such as the Kongamato in Africa.
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