10 Different Animals That Start With X

Trying to think of animals whose names start with the letter x? Probably none come to mind. Perhaps there aren’t any animals whose names start with x? Well, that’s far from the truth. There are plenty of animals whose names start with the letter x. Read on to find out about the 10 animals that start with x.

Animals That Start With X

1. X-ray tetra

This is a tiny fish that live in the waters of vast South America. The countries like Brazil, Guinea, and Colombia, find these fish in the brackish waters of the rivers. They mainly feed on whatever smaller animals they find, which mostly means worms and insects. The main distinguishing feature is the striped fins.

These fins are extremely thin and are translucent. Apart from the face, the rest of the body is covered in silver fish-like scales. Their heights reach only up to 5 cm (1.9 inches). They are technically called Pristella maxillaris. This fish is also commonly referred to as water goldfinch.

2. Xanthippe’s shrew

This is a small mammal found in Africa. They are rat-like creatures with the main point of difference being their pointed snouts. They are almost exclusively found in small regions on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. As you can figure out, the main source of nutrition for these animals are insects that they find on the ground. It is thought that their ancestors dug holes in the ground and fed on insects too and that’s why they have inherited these features.

Image Source: Wikiwand

3. Xantus hummingbird

These hummingbirds are natively found in the Baja California region in Western Mexico. The bird has an orange-colored bill with a blackish tip. The head is lustrous black-green in color and the neck is covered with green feathers. The lower body is covered in soil brown color. There is a streak of white color going from the eye to the shoulder. It is scientifically called Basilinna xantusii. The tongue is extensible. It sometimes catches small insects too with its wings.

Image Source: Wikimedia

4. Xerus

Xerus is a small squirrel-like animal that is found only in the southern regions of Africa. Opposite to squirrels who live above ground, versus like to live in holes below ground. The scientific name of the species is Xerus erythropus. The different types of Xerus have variances in fur color and fur patterns.

The size of this little guy is around 27 inches. The tail is long like that of squirrels and takes about one-third of the total body length. These animals are known to be diurnal, meaning they can be awake both day and night. They mostly consume fruits, nuts, and seeds but on rare occasions tiny insects and eggs too.

Image Source: Wikipedia

5. Xeme

Scientifically called the Xema Sabini, this is a small gull. They have a black spot that covers their beak, face, and head. The neck below is bright white in color. The wing feathers are shades of grey with the edges being dark black in color while the tail feathers are again white.

They are also commonly known as sabine’s gull or fork-tailed gull. They inhabit the cold regions near the north pole and migrate southward in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific for the autumn season. They lay eggs on the coast in colonies in nests made of twigs or grass whatever they can find.

Image Source: Wikimedia

6. Xenops

They are an avian from the warm regions of the Americas. There are three specific bird species in this group all of whom are a part of the ovenbird family. The bill, unlike in many other birds, is turned upside at the tip. They consume insects, generally found on tree barks or twigs. To avoid predators these birds mostly stay on top of trees and rarely come down. They are often found moving in flocks of mixed species.

Also Read: 9 Different Animals That Start With Z

Image Source: Wikimedia

7. Xoloitzcuintle

Sometimes referred to by ‘Xolo’ only, this is a dog breed that is found in Mexico. They are hard to mistake as, unlike most other dogs, they don’t have hair on the skin. The name is said to derive from the god Xolotl that is believed to be the creator of this animal. The ancient Americans ate the meat of this dog in feasts and were even buried along with their owners because it was believed to guide their souls on their journey in the afterlife.

Image Source: Wikimedia

8. Xenarthra

These are mammals that evolved around 60 million years ago. They are believed to be the ancestors of modern anteaters, sloths, and armadillos. As of now, there are many living species; 31 to be exact of this group. Among several characteristics that mark the separation between this group and others, notable ones are a slow metabolic rate, single color sight, and internal testicles in the males. Due to these reasons, they’re also thought to be very primitive in the mammal group.

Image Source: Wikimedia

9. Xantus Murrelet

Xantus Murrelet, also widely known as Guadalupe murrelet is a little bird that inhabits regions near California and Western Mexico. The scientific name of the bird is Synthliboramphus hypoleucus. This is a seabird meaning feeds from the sea. They are often found hunting in sync with other pelagic i.e., surface hunters.

One peculiar fact is that they are always with a partner. Speculations suggest this is because they hunt in pairs. They inhabit the Guadalupe and San Benito Islands where they breed. They are listed as endangered species because of competition with other invasive animals in the mating zones and oil spills.

Image Source: Jonathan Coffin

10. Xantic Sargo

This is a small saltwater fish that lives in the waters of the Pacific. They have an olive green color body covered in scales along with faint black colored stripes. These are omnivores and feed on sea plants and sea animals smaller than them. They are scientifically known as Anisotremus Davidson and the common names include California sargo or sweetlips.

One peculiar behavior is the grunting sounds they make by sliding their teeth against each other. The young fish live in schools, but the adults live in isolation and only come together for mating. Their body length reaches somewhere till 22 inches but that is an upper limit as most of them have lengths, half of this, i.e., 11 inches.