User blog comment:Kogath/Monster Hunter X Discussion/@comment-28303251-20150810070231/@comment-26034899-20150811225237

As far as I know, Capcom used Greek mythology, or at least were planning on it; Zinogre was originally going to be called Zeograth (the name is a combination of Zeus and wrath), and Stygian Zinogre's named after the River Styx, which is a section of the underworld, and Hades ruled the underworld.

I don't think that giving it fins would make it too unrecognizable; it just needs to keep the lupine and draconic features that make Zinogre what it is without making it look too similar to the original.

I will admit that I'm not sure about the lightning part. Maybe they could have it use waterspouts instead of lightning since both are products of thunderstorms?