Penanggalan

The penanggalan or penanggal is a nocturnal vampiric entity from Malay ghost myths. It takes the form of a floating disembodied woman's head, with its organs and entrails trailing from its neck. From afar, the penanggalan is said to twinkle like a ball of flame, similar to the will-o'-the-wisp phenomenon.

The penanggalan belongs to a constellation of similar mythological entities that can be found under different names across different regions of Southeast Asia; these regional variations all share in common that they are characterized by a disembodied head of a woman, with organs and innards hanging from its neck. Alongside the penanggalan, there is the Ahp () in Cambodia; the Kasu (, ) in Laos; the Krasue (, ) in Thailand and much of Southeast Asia; the Kuyang (), Leyak (); the hantu polong of the Temuan; the Ma lai () in Vietnam; and the Manananggal in the Philippines.