Philosmon, or Thevet's Baltic sea snails [World mythology post 693]

(Image source: Cosmographie Universelle, 1575)

André Thevet's 16th century Cosmographie Universelle contained an account of the different countries, peoples and animals of the world. Unfortunately, several of the creature entries in the book were not entirely factual.

Among these are the supposed giant snails (or snail-like fish) of the Baltic and Black Seas, which he claimed were about the size of a barrel, and had four broad limbs that ended in hook-like webbed claws. One of their main defining traits was the presence of antlers ending in shiny, pearl-like orbs. It had a tail with multiple colours, like that of a tiger.

The creature's eyes also shined, and its snout was compared to that of a cat with a bit of fur around it. Thevet specifically mentioned that the fleshy growth underneath the mouth is considered quite hideous. Though the shell was not commented upon in the book, the illustration depicted it as a typical spiral snail shell, albeit an extremely large one.

The book mentions the names that different cultures gave this animal: Philosmon (Greek), Aknib (Turkish), Albakr (the Tatars) and Lucrab (Arabic).

Not much is known about the snail's ecology, except that it is amphibious and only emerges when the weather is clear, at which time it climbs onto dry land to forage for food. Since it is supposedly a very shy animal, it is not often seen. As was not uncommon for zoological works at the time, Thevet mentioned the culinary qualities of the animal, as the meat was supposedly a prized delicacy. He also pointed out that the snail's blood is beneficial for patients suffering from lung- or liver diseases.

Ambroise Paré's 16th century work 'Des Monstres et Prodiges' primarily focused on medical oddities and infants with birth defects, but he did also comment on a few creatures that he considered monstrous, unnatural, or otherwise exceptional. Thevet's mysterious giant snail was among them, and though Paré did not provide any new information, he focused mainly on the creature's existence in the Black Sea. Contrary to Thevet, Paré never claimed to have seen these animals with his own eyes.

Sources:
Thevet, A., 1575, La Cosmographie universelle d'André Thevet, Vol. 2, p. 929, 1025 pp.
Paré, M., 2015, Des Monstres et Prodiges, Édition de Michel Jeanneret, Gallimard, p. 187-188, p. 267, 275 pp. (Reprint of the original 1585 version)