TheNightling
@TheNightling
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The differences between Cryptozoology and Paracryptozoology and Cryptid vs Paracryptid:
Disclaimer: This post is about a type of zoology, not cryptography. That’s a very different subject all together.
Cryptozoology is the exploration of, hypothesizing, and attempted discovery of undiscovered animal species. This can include previously-thought-to-be-extinct animals.
Cryptozoology is the term we use today for the science that helped us discover animals like the duck-billed platypus and, more recently, giant squid (Kraken), and Turritopsis dohrnii (The immortal Jelly Fish).
Paracryptozoology entails the exploration and study of undiscovered corporeal and quasi-corporeal entities (Not necessarily “living” in the classical sense of the term but also not necessarily purely spirit or ghost).
Now we come to the difference between Cryptid and Paracryptid.
A cryptid (sometimes casually called a “monster”) is an animal not yet recognized by conventional science. This includes Bigfoot, Nessie (the Loch Ness Monster), and Champ (North American equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster). The Loch Ness Monster, in particular, may be a throwback of a species previously thought to be extinct. In mainstream science, this sort of animal is called a Lazarus Taxon / Lazarus Species or relic species. This is the most popular idea of what Nessie could be if Nessie is, in fact, real.
A paracryptid would either be a cryptid of paranormal origin or have paranormal abilities such as psychic potentiality or feeding on emotional or psychic energy, or able to traverse other dimensions, or have possibly magical capabilities. To put it plainly, - what would commonly be perceived as a monster (or more politely) entity of paranormal or supernatural origin. A paracryptid would include the likes of Shadow People, Black-eyed children, and, (depending on how they function) Lycanthropes (werewolves).
If a (hypothetical) saber-toothed tiger was believed to be roaming around today, that would be a Lazarus Taxon Relic species Cryptied but if Count Dracula or The Vampire Lestat (just as an example) were roaming around, that would be considered a paracryptid.
The Black-Eyed Children are a potentially sinister example of paracryptids believed to possibly exist. It is widely believed that if Black-Eyed Children are real that they are some sort of psychic predator similar to The Autumn People of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, and they feed on suffering and perhaps fear, but mostly suffering and despair- much like Mr. Dark and his minion in Ray Bradbury’s novel.
From my own experiences, I have a belief that Shadow People are quite possibly telephathic phobophages, (As Jim Butcher calls fear-feeding entities in his fiction writing) or Phobovores- in that they feed on / prey on (eat) the emotional energy of fear. They may also be interdimensional in nature.
There are classically regarded cryptids that may actually be paracryptids because of theoretical paranormal abilities or potentialities. This includes the hypothesis that Bigfoot is an interdenominational being that uses other dimensions to sort-of teleport or open portals from place to palce, Moth Man may have clairvoyance, and The Jersey Devil may be the result of mischief from a demon or sidhe.
I would raise the case that some of these entities are human or humanoid enough to be classified as a type of subspecies of human and therefor fall under anthropology or a sort of paranthropology but that term has already been claimed for the study of human reaction and belief in regard to the paranormal, which, in turn, is also covered by ye ol parapsychology. There seems to be a free-for-all, no one really knows what they’re doing, wild west thing going on with the claiming of these terminologies. That being said, I do like the word “paracryptid.” It makes it clear that you’re talking about something more strange than a Lazarus species throwback.
Disclaimer: This post is about a type of zoology, not cryptography. That’s a very different subject all together.
Cryptozoology is the exploration of, hypothesizing, and attempted discovery of undiscovered animal species. This can include previously-thought-to-be-extinct animals.
Cryptozoology is the term we use today for the science that helped us discover animals like the duck-billed platypus and, more recently, giant squid (Kraken), and Turritopsis dohrnii (The immortal Jelly Fish).
Paracryptozoology entails the exploration and study of undiscovered corporeal and quasi-corporeal entities (Not necessarily “living” in the classical sense of the term but also not necessarily purely spirit or ghost).
Now we come to the difference between Cryptid and Paracryptid.
A cryptid (sometimes casually called a “monster”) is an animal not yet recognized by conventional science. This includes Bigfoot, Nessie (the Loch Ness Monster), and Champ (North American equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster). The Loch Ness Monster, in particular, may be a throwback of a species previously thought to be extinct. In mainstream science, this sort of animal is called a Lazarus Taxon / Lazarus Species or relic species. This is the most popular idea of what Nessie could be if Nessie is, in fact, real.
A paracryptid would either be a cryptid of paranormal origin or have paranormal abilities such as psychic potentiality or feeding on emotional or psychic energy, or able to traverse other dimensions, or have possibly magical capabilities. To put it plainly, - what would commonly be perceived as a monster (or more politely) entity of paranormal or supernatural origin. A paracryptid would include the likes of Shadow People, Black-eyed children, and, (depending on how they function) Lycanthropes (werewolves).
If a (hypothetical) saber-toothed tiger was believed to be roaming around today, that would be a Lazarus Taxon Relic species Cryptied but if Count Dracula or The Vampire Lestat (just as an example) were roaming around, that would be considered a paracryptid.
The Black-Eyed Children are a potentially sinister example of paracryptids believed to possibly exist. It is widely believed that if Black-Eyed Children are real that they are some sort of psychic predator similar to The Autumn People of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, and they feed on suffering and perhaps fear, but mostly suffering and despair- much like Mr. Dark and his minion in Ray Bradbury’s novel.
From my own experiences, I have a belief that Shadow People are quite possibly telephathic phobophages, (As Jim Butcher calls fear-feeding entities in his fiction writing) or Phobovores- in that they feed on / prey on (eat) the emotional energy of fear. They may also be interdimensional in nature.
There are classically regarded cryptids that may actually be paracryptids because of theoretical paranormal abilities or potentialities. This includes the hypothesis that Bigfoot is an interdenominational being that uses other dimensions to sort-of teleport or open portals from place to palce, Moth Man may have clairvoyance, and The Jersey Devil may be the result of mischief from a demon or sidhe.
I would raise the case that some of these entities are human or humanoid enough to be classified as a type of subspecies of human and therefor fall under anthropology or a sort of paranthropology but that term has already been claimed for the study of human reaction and belief in regard to the paranormal, which, in turn, is also covered by ye ol parapsychology. There seems to be a free-for-all, no one really knows what they’re doing, wild west thing going on with the claiming of these terminologies. That being said, I do like the word “paracryptid.” It makes it clear that you’re talking about something more strange than a Lazarus species throwback.
