Reptilian humanoids in fiction

Reptilian humanoids are a common theme in fiction, whether fantasy or science fiction. Because of the aversion that many people have for reptiles in general, reptile-like aliens are often the villain in such works. One observer notes, "Science fiction writers and movie producers are well aware of how appearances affect us, and they are able to construct their aliens to achieve the desired dramatic effects. We may respond favorably to those that remind us of children or pets, and less favorably to those that remind us of lizards... or other creatures that have 'image' problems... For many animals, large eyes or eyelike patterns tend to elicit fear and escape responses. One possible explanation for this is that larege, staring eyes often belong to predators. Immense eyes or eyelike appendages may also be threatening to humans, and this threat may contribute to an aversion to 'bug-eyed monsters'," .

Another explanation notes the "slimy" feel of reptiles, rather than their appearance, as a source of horror. R. Rawdon Wilson, Professor Emeritus of the Department of English at the University of Alberta, explored the theme in The Hydra's Tale: Imagining Disgust: "Because of the genre's emphasis upon explicit images, horror films are rich in examples of wetness and dissolution... In Alien, Aliens, and Alien3 and Alien Resurrection, the xenomorphic monsters drip liquid from their mouths in improbable ways... The association with slime is more fundamentally established in the stages of the alien's developmental phases. It is a "Linnean nightmare, defying every natural law of evolution; by turns bivalve, crustacean, reptilian, and humanoid..."

Human-like reptiles have appeared in various popular treatments, from early pulp short stories and novellas, to full novels, comic books, television features, films, and the gaming industry.

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