Statue of Minhocao
The Minhocão ("big earthworm" in Brazilian Portuguese) is a large earthworm-like cryptid that allegedly exists in the forests of South America. It reportedly resembles a giant worm, with scaly black skin and a pair of tentacle-like structures protruding from its head. It is thought to be a burrowing animal, producing enormous trenches as it digs. Cryptozoologist Karl Shuker has suggested that this animal may be an example of a giant caecilian, which fits the description of the minhocão well. However, known caecilians do not even begin to approach the supposed size of this animal.[clarification needed] In On the Track of Unknown Animals, Bernard Heuvelmans suggests that the animal may be a surviving glyptodont.