A Heraldic Primer: Reptiles and Insects
Though uncommon, it is not unheard of to find reptiles and amphibians in heraldy.
The most commonly found of these is the serpent or snake, which is seen either nowed (or knotted) or erect.
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| A serpent knowed |
A serpent erect |
Other reptiles and amphibians which are seen in armory include the lizard, the turtle and the frog. Note that all are depicted in a 'top-down' perspective which is called tergiant.
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| A lizard tergiant |
A turtle tergiant |
A frog tergiant |
Insects and arthropods can be found in armory. All insects are found depicted in the tergiant posture. However, when the insect is winged, the posture is known as volant en arrière (flying).
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| a bee volant |
a butterfly volant |
an emmet (or ant) tergiant |
a spider tergiant |