cryptid

In the study of cryptozoology, any animal or creature whose existence has been reported but not proven. Their presumed existence is often derived from anecdotal evidence and/or other evidence insufficient to prove their existence according to normal scientific standards. The term cryptid applies to creatures such as the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Mokele-mbembe. It is also applied by cryptozoologists to animals whose existence is accepted by the scientific community, but which are considered of interest to cryptozoology, such as the coelacanth, which was once presumed extinct, and the okapi, once thought to be a fictional animal. (Wikipedia)