This is a list of extraterrestrial beings that have been reported in close encounters, claimed or speculated to be associated with unidentified flying objects (UFOs) (not to be confused with the meaning of the term "alien species" in the biological science of ecology).[1]
| Flatwoods monster[2] [3] | Tall humanoid with a spade-shaped head. | |
Greys/Ebens[4] [5]
| Grey (sometimes green)-skinned humanoids, usually 1m (03feet) tall, hairless, with large heads, black almond-shaped eyes, nostrils without a nose, slits for mouths, no ears and 3–4 fingers including thumb. Greys have been the predominant extraterrestrial beings of alleged alien contact since the 1960s. | |
| Hopkinsville goblin[6] [7] [8] | Small, greenish-silver humanoids.[9] | |
| Little green men[10] | Diminutive green humanoids. Even though a few abductions have referred to green skin, no report has ever involved anything that would fit the classic cultural stereotype of "little green men". They are included here only for cultural reference. | |
| Nordic aliens[11] [12] | Humanoids with stereotypical "Nordic features" (tall, blonde hair, blue eyes) and which have featured in several cases of contact. | |
Cryptozoological animals and cryptobotanical plants, including those from folklore, religion (e.g. golem), mythology (e.g. dwarf (see also dwarfism); giants from Atlantis (see also gigantism), etc.), and some reports of ghosts, poltergeists, and time travellers (alleged)
| Some claim that many of the allegedly real creatures from the Fortean archives (see also: Fortean Times and William R. Corliss) and related reports of anomalous phenomena[18] are actually of extraterrestrial or mixed origin, such as in the extraterrestrial hypothesis, the interdimensional hypothesis, or the cryptoterrestrial hypothesis. Sometimes these creatures are associated with the occult or with esotericism, or linked with supernatural or paranormal phenomena. Others dismiss these explanations in favor of skepticism, cultural tracking, or the psychosocial hypothesis such as in cases of mass hysteria. Some of these alleged encounters have turned out to be hoaxes or scams to boost local tourism, sell more newspapers or more fringe science books. | |
Reptilians and reptiloids (sometimes spelled as reptillians)[19]
| Tall, scaly humanoids. Reptilian humanoid beings date back at least as far as Ancient Egypt, with the crocodile-headed river god Sobek. The reptilian conspiracy theory has been advocated by David Icke. | |
| Rods[20] or skyfish | Elongated visual artifacts appearing in photos and video recordings, sometimes claimed to be extraterrestrial beings. Generally thought to be caused by motion blur from flying insects. |