Aquatic animals in the Catalan Bestiari

Before entering into the main study on aquatic animals included in Catalan bestiary texts, a brief summary is presented on the history of preserved Catalan texts that contain a bestiary: a list of real or imaginary animals with their characteristics and corresponding symbolic reference. The aquatic animals present in the Catalan bestiary are the frog, the sawfish, the whale; we also consider a hybrid, the mermaid, and the crocodile, an animal which is not a fish but is closely linked with the aquatic environment. In many cases we can speak about textual coincidences with different traditions, from Latin Physiologi to medieval European texts. Peculiarities of the Catalan version are studied in connexion with the Tuscan tradition.