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amphisbaena
Sep. 19th, 2013 07:12 amamphisbaena (am-fuhs-BEE-nuh) - n., a mythological serpent with a head at both ends of its body.
While I'm on an imaginary critter kick. Not only a head at each end, but can travel either direction: in Greek amphísbaina is from amphís, both ways + baínein, to go. Origin story is that amphisbaenae (or amphisbaenas, both plurals acceptable) were spawned from the blood that dripped from Medusa's head as Perseus flew over the Libyan Desert. Classical zoology being what it is, these "serpents" are often depicted with legs, and indeed the name is also used for a genus of North American lizards with heads slim enough to be mistaken for their tails.
---L.
While I'm on an imaginary critter kick. Not only a head at each end, but can travel either direction: in Greek amphísbaina is from amphís, both ways + baínein, to go. Origin story is that amphisbaenae (or amphisbaenas, both plurals acceptable) were spawned from the blood that dripped from Medusa's head as Perseus flew over the Libyan Desert. Classical zoology being what it is, these "serpents" are often depicted with legs, and indeed the name is also used for a genus of North American lizards with heads slim enough to be mistaken for their tails.
---L.
