Case file · Cryptid
Lariosauro, Lake Como monster
In 1946 the Corriere Comasco reported that two hunters had seen a huge reddish-scaled animal, about 10 m long, in the waters off Pian di Spagna at the north end of Lake Como. The creature was named after the local fossil reptile Lariosaurus.
1946 CE · 46.17, 9.42 · status: claim
The account
Later reports include a small web-footed animal off Argegno (1954), sightings between Dongo and Musso in 1957 and a 'giant eel' near Lecco in 2003.
The sceptical view
Researcher Giorgio Castiglioni suggested an otter (1954), a hoax and a pike (1957) and a shoal of fish (2003). Lariosaurus itself was only about 1 m long and died out 200 million years ago.