The Sciopod is one of the 'legendary races of man' believed, during medieval times, to inhabit the far East. The name Sciopod is derived from Greek, meaning 'shadow foot'. The creature was also known as Monopod, obviously meaning 'one foot'.
Physiology
A Sciopod (or Sciopodes, plural) was described as being human in appearance, though small in stature and so pale as to be described as albino. Its main distinguishing characteristic was that instead of having two independent legs, like an ordinary man, the Sciopod has only one thick leg ending in a single, very over-sized foot. Because of its extreme paleness, it is naturally very sensitive to the sun. In order to protect itself, during midday it will lie on its back and raise its single giant foot in the air, using it as a giant sun umbrella. Hence the origin of its name.
In the book Baudolino, by modern author Umberto Eco, a Sciopod features as one of the major characters. One note of physiology described by Eco, which is untraceable to any source yet translated into English, is that the Sciopod's genitalia is found behind its massive leg, rather than before it.
Origin
The Sciopod was first mentioned in the Naturalis Historia by Pliny the Elder. It went on to acquire a life of its own, featuring as marginalia in numerous manuscripts and other volumes.
Of note, the 'legendary races of man' mentioned by Pliny became such a popular topic that they were even brought up as a subject of debate among the Papal hierarchy. The subject of discourse being whether or not the creatures had souls. It was finally decided that if they were, in fact, children of Adam and Eve, then they did have souls, and could be converted to Christianity. It became an item of top priority that whoever next encountered one of these races was to ask them whether they were, in fact, descendants of Adam and Eve.
Sources
de Beauvais, Pierre translated by Mermier, Guy R. A medieval book of beasts - Pierre de Beauvais' Bestiary. Mellan; Lewiston, NY 1992
Bovey, Alixe Monsters and Grotesques in Medieval Manuscripts. The British Library; London, England 2002
Eco, Umberto translated by Weaver, William Baudolino. Harcourt; United States of America, 2002
External Links
Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciopod