Trying not to spoil here but a lot of the mythology about "that kind" of critter came up just like that all over the world. They are prolific in the fossil record on all continents, and ancient people had no idea how to classify them. So, they made things up and built mythology around it to explain what they found to others. Heck, even today what we know is really only a best guess in 99% of cases. Kinda modern mythology, if you will.
What's really interesting is HOW those cultures interpreted them. Sometimes beneficial and benevolent, sometimes the stuff of nightmares. I think there's a doctoral dissertation in the analysis of sociological interpretations of global mythology.
OK way off topic, end nerd rant. Sorry.
