Glossary entry
Theriotype
The animal that a therian identifies as.
In depth
A theriotype is the answer to the question "which animal?" It can be any animal at all. Wolves, foxes, dogs and the great cats are the most commonly named, which probably reflects how well those animals are known and loved as much as anything else, but theriotypes include birds, deer, horses, bats, snakes, sharks, and insects. A theriotype may be an extinct animal, in which case the person may call themselves a paleotherian. Some people have more than one.
It is not a favorite animal, a spirit guide, or a mascot, and it cannot be chosen for its glamour. People recognize a theriotype the way they recognize their own handwriting: by its consistency. The same instincts, the same phantom shape, the same pull toward a kind of landscape, recurring over years. It is common to be wrong at first, to revise, and to settle slowly. A changed answer is not a failed one. It is the search working as it should.
In practice
- A person who assumed for a year that they were a wolf notices that their phantom tail is short, their instincts are solitary, and their attention is drawn upward to branches. In time they recognize a lynx.
- A person can say only "some kind of corvid" and is content to stay there. Precision is welcome but is not owed to anyone.
Common questions
Can a quiz tell me my theriotype?
No. A quiz can only reflect the answers you already gave it. A theriotype is recognized through patient attention to your own experience and honest study of real animals.
Can a theriotype change?
A person's understanding of it often does, especially early on. Most people report that once the right animal is found, it stays.
Related terms
Read further. The page on theriotypes offers a slow method for the search.