Nearly every culture has had dragons or draconic creatures in their mythologies. The following is a non-exhaustive sample of dragons from around the world.
Amphisbaena
The amphisbaena, (a dragon from various European legends), possessed many of the qualities that made dragons such feared monsters, not the least of which being lightning speed and an incredibly lethal venomous bite. It had a head on both its neck and the tip of its tail, with eagle-like wings and talons. One of its most unique attributes, however, was that its two reptilian heads were constantly at war with each other, and this frequently resulted in the main head biting its own tail just to injure the other head.
Apalala
This Indian water dragon was converted to Buddhism by the Buddha himself, ending its reign of terror over the River Swat in the state of Peshawar.
Barong
This ferocious Indonesian dragon was marred by a dreadful physical appearance, complete with bulging eyes, vicious fangs, a swollen tongue, and a long serpentine body.
Cockatrice
Often used interchangeably with the word “basilisk”, the cockatrice was a dreaded draconic monster from European folklore that could kill human beings by glancing at them. However, the monster also had the comical trait of being a hybrid of a rooster and a snake. Despite this, its plethora of other fearsome qualities allowed it to retain its terrifying reputation when it was still believed to be real. These include having venom that could not only kill with a single drop, but also travel up the length of a sword or spear if a hero tried to kill it and also being capable of poisoning the water in a well for centuries. The only way to kill a cockatrice was said to be by bringing a normal rooster to it, as the crow of a rooster was believed to kill the cockatrice instantly.
Dragon Kings
In the legends of China and Japan, the Dragon Kings were a powerful group of dragons who served the gods and controlled the elements. They lived in spectacular crystal palaces.
Dragon-Tygre
The dragon-tygre was a heraldric dragon with a tiger’s head.
Dragon-Wolf
The dragon-tygre was a heraldric dragon with a wolf’s head.
Firedrake
Found primarily in Celtic legends, the firedrake was a fire-breathing, winged dragon that inhabited marshes and mountains and jealously protected the treasure it hoarded.
Gargoyle
This French dragon dwelled in a river near a village, devouring men and cattle alike. It was eventually captured by Saint Romain and killed by the villagers, but its likeness was carved into stone statues to ward off evil spirits.
Horned Serpent
The horned serpents were draconic, serpentine beings found in the folklore of various Native American tribes throughout the U.S. and Canada. They were shaped like large snakes with sharp horns and jaws that are almost crocodilian in size and strength. Their relationships with humans could be benevolent, but they were often malicious and sadistic.
Lindorm
These massive reptilian monsters were found in the folklore of Sweden and Northern Scandanavia, where they could be found guarding burial mounds. They had equine heads and glowing red eyes, but their bodies were like that of massive snakes.
Lung
The lung was the classic dragon of Chinese mythology. It was a wingless, fire-breathing serpentine creature with four tiger’s legs, an eagle’s talons, and fearsome antlers. It protected bodies of water, and it inhabited rain clouds.
Rainbow Serpent
This python-like giant of Native Australian origin actually serves as a contrast against the notion of the Western dragon because it was typically benevolent towards humanity. They were named for the iridescent scales that covered their bodies and made their skin look like a rainbow. During the Australian wet season, they rose into the sky. They could be dangerous during the dry season, though. If provoked, they could even cause floods.
Tarasque
This enormous French dragon combined an ox’s body with a bear’s feet, and it terrorized the countryside until it was disposed of by Saint Martha.
Wyrm
The wyrm was a European dragon that was probably of Norse origin. It was legless, frequently horned, often fire-breathing, and possessed of grotesque eyes and fangs, and the ability to move at a petrifyingly quick speed. Although most European dragons were capable of some benevolence, the wyrm was pure evil. Thankfully, it was also incapable of using magic and was therefore much easier to kill than most dragons.
Wyvern
The wyvern was a European dragon that lacked the front legs of the standard dragon, giving it an appearance that was somewhat reminiscent of a pterosaur like the pteranodon. It was notable for being predatory and destructive towards anything that crossed its path.
