Creatures depicted in heraldry that are not known to have existed as actual animals are frequently categorized as monsters. While some of these creatures have no basis in reality at all, some are based at least partially on some animal that does or did at one time exist. For example, the image of the unicorn is said to have come about as a result of observations of wild antelope in Syria and Palestine. When viewed from the side, the two long horns of these animals gave the illusion of a single horn. Thus, the image of the unicorn was born.

unicorn rampant	unicorn passant	unicorn statant		gryphon segreant	gryphon passant
gryphon statant	male gryphon	dragon rampant		dragon passant	dragon statant
wyvern	wyvern wings displayted	wyvern erect		cockatrice, a.k.a. basilisk	camelopard
merman, a.k.a. triton	mermaid (a mermaid with two tails is called a melusine)		centaur (a centaur with bow and arrow may be termed a sagittarius)		sphinx
salamander		enfield		opinicus