Tradition: Taiwanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Valcierro, Executioner of Flies
Category: Lizard
The Myth
The Valciero is a lizard-like creature described as an animal native to Formosa, the historical European name for Taiwan. Its skin is said to be as smooth and beautiful as glass, and it can change colour depending on the situation. The creature is particularly known for its relentless pursuit of flies, earning it the name “Executioner of Flies.”
Whenever flies approach a table, a piece of meat, or a drink, the Valciero eagerly chases them and invariably catches them. Its behaviour makes it a natural enemy of flies, protecting food and drink from these troublesome insects. According to the account, creatures of this kind are found only in Formosa, Japan, and America, and are unknown in England.
The Valciero appears in a description of Formosan animals attributed to Georges Psalmanazar, an eighteenth-century impostor who fabricated accounts of Taiwan and its inhabitants. His writings presented an imagined Formosa with its own customs, animals, and history, making the Valciero part of a fictional portrayal of the island rather than a reliably documented Taiwanese animal.
Sources
“Valchiero.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1084131596.html