Animals that Start with X - Full List, Images, Facts (2024)

Welcome to Animals that start with an X.

While animals that begin with the letter X may appear non-existent, many exist worldwide—many have scientific names in languages like Latin and Greek that start with X.

Overview of animals that start with X

1. Xalda Sheep

Scientific Name	Ovis aries
Where it Lives	Asturia, northern Spain
What it Eats	Grass, grain
Conservation Status	Endangered

Fun Fact: The Asturi people made black tunics out of Xalda sheeps’ wool.

Xalda sheep are one of the oldest sheep breeds indigenous to Asturia, Northern Spain. They were first recorded in 27 BCE. They used to be quite populous in Asturia with about 6,000 individuals. However, they are currently considered endangered and are at risk of extinction, with only 1,700 individuals left today.

2. Xanthippe’s Shrew

Scientific Name	Crocidura xantippe
Where it Lives	Eastern Africa
What it Eats	Worms, slugs, snails
Conservation Status	Least concern

See Also

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Fun Fact: The shrews’ offspring become independent three weeks after birth.

Xanthippe’s shrews are moles that bear resemblance to a rodent. They are native to Kenya and Tanzania in particular. These shrews are omnivores and feed on both plants and small animals.

3. Xantic Sargo

Scientific Name	Anisotremus davidsonii
Where it Lives	Eastern Pacific Ocean
What it Eats	Kelp, seagrass, seaweed
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact:Xantic Sargos can survive as individuals or in a group.

Xantic Sargos, otherwise known as California Sargos, are endemic to the Pacific Ocean. They often feed on small fish and are prey to larger fish. Xantic Sargos are also often fished and eaten by humans.

4. Xantus’s Hummingbird

Scientific Name	Basilinna xantusii
Where it Lives	Baja California peninsula
What it Eats	Nectar
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: Xantus’s birds are major pollinators of madrone trees.

Xantus’s hummingbirds are a rare bird endemic to Baja California, Mexico. They are mainly green-colored birds with black cheeks and a distinctive white stripe above their eyes.

5. Xantus Leaf-Toed Gecko

Scientific Name	Phyllodactylus xanti
Where it Lives	California, north-west Mexico
What it Eats	Termites, flies, spiders, ants
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: The Xantus leaf-toed gecko protects itself against predators by “dropping” its tail, which can grow back.

Xantus leaf-toed geckos are found in areas where shrubs are abundant. They are a highly-populous group, with females able to lay up to 20 eggs in one reproduction cycle.

6. Xantus Murrelet

Scientific Name	Synthliboramphus hypoleucus
Where it Lives	Pacific Ocean
What it Eats	Tuna, anchovies, sardines
Conservation Status	Endangered

Fun Fact: They will typically be found fishing in pairs.

Xantus murrelets, also known as Guadalupe murrelets, are a bird species that inhabit the Pacific Ocean from the shores of California to Mexico. The Xantus Murrelet is considered one of the most endangered species on earth.

7. Xeme

Scientific Name	Xema sabini
Where it Lives	Arctic coasts, tundra
What it Eats	Fish, insects, eggs, spiders
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: Once a Xeme male and female pair up, they become mating partners for life.

Xemes, also known as Sabine gulls, are sea birds that inhabit the Arctic coasts. They often breed in coastal and tundra biomes. They are characterized by their dark gray masks and yellow-tipped beaks.

8. Xenarthra

Scientific Name	Multiple taxa
Where it Lives	South and Central America
What it Eats	Insects, worms
Conservation Status	Some species are endangered, others are of least concern

Fun Fact:The Xenarthra have extra vertebral (spinal) joints that aid them in hunting for food.

Xenarthra is a superorder of animals including armadillos, anteaters, and sloths. They commonly inhabit rainforests in Latin America. There is a relatively high population of Xenarthra in the Latin American region, but some species have become extinct.

9. Xenoceratops

Scientific Name	Xenoceratops foremostensis
Where it Lived	Canada
What it Ate	Likely ferns and flowers
Conservation Status	Extinct

Fun Fact: “Xenoceratops” comes from Greek words meaning “alien horned face.”

Xenoceratops are dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous period (100-66 million years ago). Their fossils were first found in 1958 during an excavation near Alberta, Canada. Their dentition revealed that they were most likely herbivores.

See Also

22 Animals That Start With X With Pictures and Facts

10. Xenoposeidon

Scientific Name	Xenoposeidon proneneukos
Where it Lived	England
What it Ate	Likely ferns and cycads
Conservation Status	Extinct

Fun Fact: “Xenoposeidon” comes from Greek words meaning “alien Poseidon (god of the sea).”

Xenoposeidons are dinosaurs that lived during the Early Cretaceous period (140 million years ago). A fossilized bone was first found in the 1890s in England, but was only properly analyzed and names in 2007. A single vertebra was found, but this specimen was special as it had small, circular openings that may have been air sacs that made the skeleton lighter.

11. Xenops

Scientific Name	Xenops spp.
Where it Lives	South America
What it Eats	Insects
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: Due to their small size, they are rare to spot and often overlooked.

Xenops are a genus of small birds that are mostly distributed around South America. There are currently only three surviving species in the wild. The birds are identifiable by their miniature size and long tail.

12. Xenurus unicinctus

Scientific Name	Xenurus unicinctus
Where it Lives	South America
What it Eats	Ants, termites
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: Because they spend lots of time underground, they have poor eyesight.

Xenurus unicinctus, commonly known as the Southern naked-tailed armadillo, are well-loved animals. They are rarely seen above ground as they spend a large portion of their time burrowed underground. Their burrows are entire caverns complete with all the essentials they need to survive.

13. Xerus

Scientific Name	Geosciurus inauris
Where it Lives	Southern Africa
What it Eats	bulbs, fruits, grasses, herbs, insects
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: Xerus squirrels mate throughout the year as opposed to during only a single season.

Xerus’, also known as African ground squirrels, are a species of squirrels that reside in African burrows. Although they are highly social animals, males and females typically isolate themselves from one another and only come together to mate.

14. Xestochilus nebulosus

Scientific Name	Xestochilus nebulosus
Where it Lives	Indo-Pacific Oceans
What it Eats	fish, crustaceans, invertebrates
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: Though they look dangerous, Xestochilus nebulosus pose no threat to humans.

Xestochilus nebulosus, also called the nebulosus snake eel, is endemic to the Indo-Pacific oceans. They favor isolated habitats such as sandy or weed-enshrouded ocean floors and tidepools.

15. Xingu Corydoras

Scientific Name	Corydoras xinguensis
Where it Lives	Xingu River in Brazil
What it Eats	Algae, insects, crustaceans, worms
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: The Xingu females lay their eggs all across the river when spawning.

Xingu corydoras are a spectacular fish species that inhabit the waters of the Brazilian Xingu River. They are omnivores, but are also quite easy targets as prey for predators.

16. Xiphactinus

Scientific Name	Xiphactinus audax
Where it Lived	United State East Coast
What it Ate	Likely fish, reptiles, cephalopods
Conservation Status	Extinct

Fun Fact: “Xiphactinus” comes from Greek words meaning “sword ray.”

Xiphactinus’ are an extinct species of bony fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous period (100-66 million years ago). They were one of the largest species of bony fish to have ever lived. These fishes were carnivores and likely consumed both marine animals and sea birds. They would have been very fast swimmers.

17. Xiphosura

Scientific Name	Multiple taxa
Where it Lives	Marine and brackish water
What it Eats	Worms, mollusks, invertebrates
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: The Horseshoe crab blood is essential to the medical field because it can identify bacterial contamination in small quantities.

Xiphosura is an order of horseshoe crabs that includes Mangrove, Atlantic, and Chinese horseshoe crabs. Xiphoras have two main body parts, the prosoma (the head) and opisthosoma (the body), which comprises multiple plates for breathing.

18. Xinjiang Ground-jay

Scientific Name	Podoces biddulphi
Where it Lives	China
What it Eats	Seeds, grain, insects
Conservation Status	Near threatened

Fun Fact: The Xinjiang Ground-jay is only as large as an adult’s human hand.

Xinjiang ground-jays are distinctive members of the Corvidae family. They are a group of slender and small-sized birds that originate from China. These ground-jays have only a few surviving members in the world.

19.Xoloitzcuintle

Scientific Name	Canis lupis familiaris
Where it Lives	Mexico
What it Eats	Meat, bones
Conservation Status	Critically endangered

Fun Fact: The Aztecs’ history reports that the Xoloitzcuintle originated from a sliver of the Bone of Life which gave rise to all of humanity.

Xoloitzcuintles, commonly known as the Mexican hairless or Xolo for short, are native to Mexico. Their name is pronounced “show-low-eats-QUEENT-lee.” They are It is one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. This breed is on the brink of extinction due to low breeding interest by breeders.

20. X-ray Tetra

Scientific Name	Pristella maxillaris
Where it Lives	Amazon River
What it Eats	Small insects, plankton
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: The X-ray Tetra is an incredibly peaceful and tolerant species of fish.

X-ray Tetras are a small group of schooling fish that naturally breed and live in the Amazon River in South America. They were first discovered in 1894 and are now one of the most common freshwater fish featured in aquariums.

21. Xuthus Swallowtail

Scientific Name	Papilio xuthus
Where it Lives	Many parts of Asia
What it Eats	Citrus plants
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: They are one of few butterflies that can mate and reproduce multiple times.

Xuthus swallowtails are a beautiful butterfly species native to Asia and found in Taiwan, Japan, Siberia, China, Myanmar, and the Korean peninsula. They have a lot of genetic diversity within their species.

22. Xylophagous Leafhopper

Scientific Name	Homalodisca vitripennis
Where it Lives	North America
What it Eats	Grapes, citrus, almond fruits
Conservation Status	Least concern

Fun Fact: These insects are infamous for starting and spreading Pierce’s Disease, with the most recent outbreak occurring in Temecula, California, in 1997.

Xylophagous leafhoppers, also called glassy-winged sharpshooters, are a species of insect usually found in old leaves during winter. They can survive in temperatures are as low as 20 °F (-6 °C).

23. Xucaneb Robber Frog

Scientific Name	Craugastor xucanebi
Where it Lives	Guatemala
What it Eats	Insects, snails, spiders
Conservation Status	Vulnerable

Fun Fact: Unlike other frogs that hatch tadpoles, Xucaneb robber frogs hatch small frogs when reproducing.

Xucaneb robber frogs are commonly found in Guatemala with populations in Sierra de Xucaneb, Sierra de las Minas, and Sierra de la Chuchumatanes. Unfortunately, they are on the brink of extinction due to deforestation and charcoal pollution.

Summary of Animals that Start with X

There you have it: a host of interesting animals starting with theletterX. We’ve also covered every other letter of the alphabet, so please go ahead and take a look!

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