Does Animate Dead (Level 1 Spell) Require a corpse / skeleton?

[RayleighNoir]

The wording here is ambiguous, so I come to you, community. Does this spell require a corpse/skeleton?

[TheFinish]

It doesn't, no. You summon it, as the spell describes. If the spell required a corpse it'd be described in a Cost requirement (Something like Cost: One corpse or skeleton), or alternatively it'd specify it must target a corpse or skeleton (something like Target: One corpse or skeleton).

You're not really animating anything nearby so much as pulling the dead thing from somewhere and giving it unlife.

[Ravingdork]

I like to think that they claw their way out of the ground when summoned. XD

[thenobledrake]

If it did require a corpse, the corpse would be listed as a target - not just in the flavor-text.