For anyone who’s ever seen an episode of the popular movie series Tremors, the idea of a giant attacking monster in the ground is quite terrifying. Luckily, those movies, set in the 1990s, were just fiction . . . or were they? Perhaps the basis of Tremors was found from another source—a real source.

For over a century, the legend of a giant worm in Mongolia has been documented by inquisitive Westerners. Called the “Mongolian Death Worm,” the tales are an interesting and mysterious aspect of Mongolian folklore. Generally, nomadic Gobi Desert dwellers, along with locals in that area, are those who claim to see the creature. Often described as a large, deadly beast, this mythical cryptid has captured the imagination of many over the years.

Physically, the death worm is described as being a large, red, sausage-like creature with a length ranging from two to five feet. The creature is said to be highly venomous, and it can shoot its venom at its prey or in self-defense. The venom is so toxic that it can corrode flesh and cause immediate death. Much like the creatures from Tremors, the death worm burrows through the ground to escape predators and to travel.

Still, as with most cryptids, the legend of the Mongolian Death Worm is met with skepticism by the scientific community. As of today, there’s no concrete evidence of the creature’s existence. Even still, its legend continues to be a popular topic of discussion and has even found its way into other popular, mainstream fictional works. So, whether a mythical creature or a product of imagination, the legend of the Mongolian Death Worm persists as a captivating aspect of cultural mythology in Mongolia and around the globe.