Terra incognita

Terra incognita or terra ignota (Latin "unknown land"; incognita is stressed on its second syllable in Latin, but with variation in pronunciation in English) is a term used in cartography for regions that have not been mapped or documented.

The term was reintroduced in the 15th century from the rediscovery of Ptolemy's work during the Age of Discovery.

Although cartographers did claim that fantastic beasts (including large serpents) existed in remote corners of the world and depicted such as decoration on their maps, only one known surviving map, the Hunt–Lenox Globe, in the collection of the New York Public Library,[1] actually says "Here are dragons" (using the Latin form "HIC SVNT DRACONES").

[2] However, ancient Roman and Medieval cartographers did use the phrase HIC SVNT LEONES (Here are lions) when denoting unknown territories on maps.

For example, only 40% of the surface of Neptune's Moon Triton has been mapped with the remainder being terra incognita.