A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
Conzemius records li lamya as the Miskito name and was nawa as the Sumu name for a water tiger. Its body resembles a manatee but bears glossy, otterlike hair and a mane. The account allows different colours compared with those of cats, with black the commonest; this is the collector’s report of varieties, not a modern species classification.
Webbed feet carry it swiftly through the water, although it moves clumsily on land. It inhabits rocky places in large rivers and devours swimmers or those who fall in. Reports also include domestic-animal victims and unsuccessful attempts to shoot it. No named eyewitness, collected specimen or independently verified attack accompanies this short account.
Origins & earliest records
Eduard Conzemius’s1932 survey of the Caribbean side of Honduras and Nicaragua records these forms in its forest-and-water beliefs section. The particular passage names communities or languages but not an individual teller or interview date.
Records & interpretation
Complete selected passage and framing read. Complete Water Tiger entry,p.169; printed page inspected visually.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Ethnographical Survey of the Miskito and Sumu Indians of Honduras and Nicaragua
Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin106. Complete Water Tiger entry,p.169; printed page inspected visually.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary textConzemius1932 original Smithsonian collectionResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.