Quote:Neither armadillos, pangolins nor even basilisks live in clouds.
This is not necessarily the literal cloud, this cloudband pattern was generally used to represent heavens, the borderline between the earthly and unearthly or spiritual.
Quote:is the virtue she projects so ostensibly only a façade, while her evil side sleeps?
That's possible. AFAIK, basilisks were associated with "impurity" in women, such as with whores or with menstrual blood.
Quote:The beast there could be a Wolf arching its back
Caruncle, beak and scales speak against a wolf. One thing is certain though - we can exclude animals with hooves.