Top Ten Animal Mysteries: The Giant Sea Centipede

By Nicola Currie

Also known as the many-finned sea serpent or con rit, this peculiar sea serpent resembles a gigantic centipede. Its body is about 50 feet long and a few feet wide.

There were many reports of con rit sightings in the late 1800s, after which it seemed to disappear out of human sight. The vast majority of sightings came from South East Asia, especially Vietnam. Interesting descriptions of the con rit bear surprising resemblance to the oriental dragons of ancient legend. Described as long, serpentine creatures with tough hides and many fins, faces bristling with tentacle-like whiskers, the dragons of Southeast Asia can be found in deep sea caverns and are usually benevolent.

Like the megalodon, some people believe that if the giant sea centipede exists, it could be hidden deep in the darkness of the ocean.

Last sighting: 1960s Hong Kong

Most likely to be: no-one’s really come up with a good explanation other than it really being an enormous marine creature which looks like a centipede. Intriguing.