theriotype

English

Etymology

From therio- +‎ type.

Noun

theriotype (plural theriotypes)

1. (otherkin subculture) The animal that a therianthrope identifies as.
   • 2017, Debra Benita Shaw, Posthuman Urbanism: Mapping Bodies in Contemporary City Space, page 142:

     […] accompanied by a strong desire to use the body in a way that corresponds with the theriotype.

   • 2018, David Herman, Narratology Beyond the Human: Storytelling and Animal Life, page 59:

     Although Baker's text does not participate in the (largely Internet-based) field of discourse associated with therianism, his tracking and observations of hawks, and the moments of identification such investigative practices afford, can be compared with one of the processes used by therians to identify their theriotypes, or animal others—namely, via careful study of animal behaviors, habitats, and physical features (Robertson 2013:19).

   • 2023, Courtney N. Plante, Stephen Reysen, Camielle Adams, Furscience: A Decade of Psychological Research on the Furry Fandom, page 647:

     Therians reported experiencing the sensation of "phantom limbs"—being able to feel a body part associated with their "theriotype,” such as a tail, wings, or claws. They also reported “mental shifts”—distinct periods where their thoughts, feelings, and sensory perceptions felt closer to that of their theriotype.

   • 2023, Michael Bond, Fans: A Journey Into the Psychology of Belonging:

     Perception shifts and phantom limbs may be disconcerting, but they can be useful in helping therians to settle on their theriotype.