Manaia (mythological creature) Manaia (mythological creature) The Manaia is a mythological creature in Māori culture, and is a common motif in Māori carving and jewellery. The Manaia is usually depicted as having the head of a bird and the tail of a fish and the body of a man, though it is sometimes depicted as a bird, a serpent, or a human figure in profile. Other interpretations include a seahorse and a lizard. The word "manaia" is cognate with the founding Samoan term "fa'amanaia", and relevant to the Niuean "fakamanaia", both meaning to make a decoration or embellishment. The Manaia is traditionally believed
Crab-eating mongoose Crab-eating mongoose The crab-eating mongoose ("Herpestes urva") is a mongoose species ranging from the northeastern Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia to southern China and Taiwan. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Throughout its wide range there are many languages and therefore various common names for the species. In particular, according to at least some major dictionaries, the source of the species name "urva" (which at one time was also the name of the genus, as in: "Urva urva") was the Nepali language "urvá" or "arvá". The crab-eating mongoose is grey, with a broad white stripe