The Minhocao is said to be a large unknown creature, similar in appearance to an earthworm or snake, thought to live in the forests of South America. The creature reportedly has scaly black skin, a pair of tentacle like structures protruding from its head and is estimated to reach lengths of up to 75 feet. The creature is thought to be a burrowing animal producing huge trenches as it digs. In the 18th century reports of the Minhocao circulated around the highlands of South America, primarily in Brazil.

In an issue of Nature, published on February 21, 1878, one writer theorized that the Minhocao could be a surviving member of giant armadillo known to live in the Pleistocene era. More recently noted cryptozoologist Dr. Karl P. N. Shuker suggested that the Minhocao may have been a specimen of giant caecilian.

Caecilians are an order of amphibian found in most of the tropical regions of the world including South East Asia, Africa, and South America. Caecilians spend the majority of their lives hidden under ground and completely lack limbs, making the smaller species resemble worms and the larger resemble snakes. The larger species can reach up to 5 feet in length, their skin is usually dark in color and all caecilians have two tentacles on their heads, a description very similar to that of the Minhocao.

Given this evidence it does seem probable that a from of giant caecilian could have easily existed in South America. Given a persons natural pension for exaggeration it is unclear if this creature ever reached lengths of 75 feet, however it is with in the realm of possibility that a caecilian could have reached greater than the 5 feet currently accepted by science. Unfortunately for us a sighting of the Minhocao has not occurred in over 130 years, leaving us to only speculate what this creature could have been.

The Evidence

There is currently no physical evidence to support the existence of the Minhocao.

The Sightings
No documented sightings of the Minhocao could be found at this time.

The Stats – (Where applicable)

• Classification: Hybrid / Other
• Size: Estimates state up to 75 feet in length
• Weight: Unknown
• Diet: Unknown
• Location: South America
• Movement: Digging
• Environment: Underground in moist soil