Editing Manticore (section)

{{short description|Mythical lion beast in Persian folklore}}
{{distinguish|Manticora (disambiguation){{!}}Manticora}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Jonston1650-quadruped-TabLIII-manticore.png|thumb|Manticore or "Martigora".{{right|{{small|―[[Johannes Jonston]] (1650) ''Historiae Naturalis''<br />Copperplate engraving by [[Matthäus Merian the Elder|Matthäus Merian]].<br /><small>Courtesy of The Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology</small>}}<ref name="jonston1650-latin"/><ref name="enenkel-ch02"/>}}]]
The '''manticore''' or '''mantichore''' ([[Latin]]: ''mantichorās''; reconstructed [[Old Persian]]: {{transliteration|peo|*martyahvārah}}; Modern {{langx|fa|مردخوار}} {{transliteration|fa|mard-khar}}) is a [[legendary creature]] from ancient [[Persian mythology]], similar to the Egyptian [[sphinx]] that proliferated in Western European medieval art as well. It has the face of a human, the body of a [[lion]], and the tail of a [[scorpion]] or a tail covered in venomous spines similar to [[porcupine]] quills. There are some accounts that the spines can be launched like arrows. It eats its victims whole, using its three rows of teeth, and leaves no bones behind. Other accounts {{Who|date=May 2025}} also have it sporting the wings of a [[dragon]].