A mermaid is a mythical sea-creature, with the upper parts of a human female and the lower parts of a fish. The male equivalent is a merman and collectively they are known as merfolk.
Explanations for Mermaids
Mermaid sightings are often from afar. It is believed that the ancient mariners who saw mermaids saw manatees, sea cows, sea lions or another marine creature. However, the mermaid myth has expanded to modern times.
Mermaids in Popular Culture
- A Disney film called The Little Mermaid was released in 1989. The film involved a mermaid who, unhappy with her current surroundings, fell in love with a human. A sequel and a prequel have been released since.
- In Spongebob Squarepants, King Neptune is depicted as a merman. In The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, it is revealed that Neptune has a mermaid daughter named Mindy.
- In the video game Zoo Tycoon's expansion pack Marine Mania, to get a mermaid, place a mermaid statue in a premade tank. A mermaid will come to life and live in said tank.