Lions, Urchins, Elephants and Dogs, Yea, Men and Mayds; and (which I more admire) The mytred Bishop and the cowled Fryer; Whereof, examples, (but a few years since) Were shew'n the Norways, and Polonian Prince." Explanations In the early 1850s, Danish zoologist Japetus Steenstrup suggested that the sea-monk was a giant squid, a theory more recently popularised by writer Richard Ellis. Cryptozoologist Bernard Heuvelmans believed the report was based on the discovery of an errant walrus. More recently, it has been suggested that it was an angelshark, Squatina squatina, which is commonly called "monkfish" in English or munk in Norwegian and Danish. Other suspected identities of the sea monk include the grey seal, the hooded seal, the monk seal, or a hoax such as a Jenny Haniver. See also Bishop-fish Dagon Umibōzu Jenny Haniver Explanatory notes References Citations Bibliography Medieval European legendary creatures Christian legendary creatures Mythological aquatic creatures Legendary fish