20 Animals That Start with X: Habitats, Size & More

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The ultimate guide to animals that start with the letter X
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Ever wondered which animals start with the letter X? Well, you’re in luck! In this article, we’re providing the ultimate list of mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, dinosaurs, and more that start with X. We’ll also provide their scientific name, family classification, size, habitat, and a fun fact, so you can find your favorite one!

What are some animal names that start with X?

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An illustration of various animals that start with the letter X.

There are more animals that begin with X (living and extinct) than you might think! Some of the most well-known living animals with X names include:

  • X-Ray tetra (X-ray fish): A small freshwater fish native to South America.
  • Xantus’s hummingbird: A hummingbird native to the Baja California Peninsula.
  • Xema Sabini (Sabine’s gull): An Arctic gull known for its striking wing pattern.
  • Xerus: A genus of African ground squirrels with specialized sun-shielding eyelids.
  • Xingu River ray: A freshwater stingray with striking white polka-dot-like spots.
  • Xenopeltis (sunbeam snake): A genus of highly iridescent snakes.
  • Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican hairless dog): An ancient dog breed, considered sacred by the Aztecs and Mayans.
1

X-Ray Tetra (X-Ray Fish)

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X X Ray Tetra Step 1.png
    With translucent skin and faint silvery scales, the X-ray tetra is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish found in South America. Their color and translucency help avoid detection by predators and locate food within their habitat. Their visible bony structure (called the Weberian apparatus) also helps pick up sound waves, contributing to their impressive hearing abilities. Overall, they’re considered a peaceful, community-friendly aquarium fish that thrives in groups of 6 to 10+ and rarely shows aggression.[1]
    • Scientific name: Prostella maxillaris
    • Family: Acestrorhamphidae
    • Size: Maximum size of 1.5 to 2 in (4 to 5 cm).
    • Habitat: Coastal waters of South America (between 72º and 82º F), specifically the Amazon and Orinoco basins in Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname.
    • Fun fact: Unlike other fish, the X-ray tetra can survive in varied environments, including freshwater, saltwater, acidic water, and coastal brackish water.
    • Want to learn more about aquatic animals? Check out our article on the top 35 scariest deep-sea creatures!
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2

Xantus’s Hummingbird

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xantuss Hummingbird Step 2.png
    Previously known as the black-fronted hummingbird, Xantus’s hummingbird is a stocky, medium-sized bird from the southern half of the Baja California peninsula. Males are usually a glittering green with wide white eyebrows, a reddish tail, and a red bill with a black tip. Females, on the other hand, are duller, with buff extending up onto their throat.[2] The hummingbird was first collected by the Hungarian naturalist John Xántus de Vesey in 1859 and described as having a “gentle disposition.”[3]
    • Scientific name: Basilinna xantusii
    • Family: Trochilidae
    • Size: About 3 to 4 in (8 to 10 cm) in length, with a wingspan of 4 to 5 in (10 to 13 cm).
    • Habitat: Scrubby woodland, pine-oak woods in mountains, savannas, and thickets, specifically in the southern half of the Baja California peninsula in Mexico.
    • Fun fact: They often build nests 1 to 2 meters off the ground, which are specialized to hang over water.
    • Obsessed with birds? Take our “What Bird Am I?” quiz to discover which species matches your personality!
3

Xantusia

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xantusia Step 3.png
    Also named in honor of Hungarian naturalist John Xántus de Vesey, the Xantusia is one of three types of night lizards, which are small to medium-sized lizards found in the southwestern America and northern Mexico. They have soft, granular skin, flattened heads, and vertical pupils, ranging in color from olive, gray, brown, or nearly black, with dark spots or mottled patterns to provide camouflage. They also have 12 rows of large, square ventral scales and lack movable eyelids.[4]
    • Scientific name: Xantusia
    • Family: Xantusiidae
    • Size: 2.75 to 4 in (7 to 10 cm) in length.
    • Habitat: Arid to semi-arid regions, specifically in microhabitats under rotting Yucca, Agave, or logs, or within rocky crevices or desert scrub.
    • Fun fact: Instead of laying eggs, these lizards give birth to live young, which is pretty uncommon among reptiles![5]
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4

Xema Sabini (Sabine’s Gull or Fork-Tailed Gull)

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xema Sabini Step 4.png
    Known for its striking wing pattern and agile flight, Xema sabini (more commonly called Sabine’s gull) is a small, Arctic-breeding gull that migrates long distances to winter at sea. All ages feature a distinct black outer wing, white inner wing, and dark back, but breeding adults have a dark gray head and a black bill with a yellow tip. Non-breeding adults, on the other hand, have a similar bill with a mostly white face, while young birds are browner above compared to adults.[6]
    • Scientific name: Xema sabini
    • Family: Laridae
    • Size: 10 to 13 in (25 to 33 cm) in length, with a wingspan of 32 to 34 in (81 to 86 cm).
    • Habitat: Arctic and subarctic tundra across North America, Greenland, and Eurasia, often with marshes, ponds, and lakes; some migrants appear far inland seeking rivers and lakes.
    • Fun fact: When foraging in shallow tundra pools, they usually swim and spin in circles, creating a vortex that brings food to the surface.
5

Xenops

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xenops Step 5.png
    A genus (a group of closely-related species) in the bird family Furnariidae, Xenops comprises several small bird species—the slender-billed xenops, streaked xenops, Amazonian Plain xenops, Northern Plain xenops, and Atlantic Plain xenops. They all have a long tail, a laterally flattened bill with an upturned tip (except in the slender-billed xenops), and a brown back and buff or rufous wing stripe. Highly active and agile, they can climb in all directions on branches and use their bill to hammer into bark for insects and larvae.[7]
    • Scientific name: Xenops
    • Family: Furnariidae
    • Size: About 4 to 5 in (11 to 13 cm) length.[8]
    • Habitat: Tropical rainforests in Mexico, Central America, and South America.
    • Fun fact: Birds in the family Furnariidae are known as ovenbirds because some members build rounded clay nests that resemble ovens.
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6

Xerus (African Ground Squirrel)

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xerus Step 6.png
    Brown and tawny in color with a lighter colored front, the unstriped ground squirrel is a social, burrow-dwelling rodent that lives in groups of males and females. They forage on the ground, eating roots, seeds, fruits, bulbs, and occasionally insects. They also use high-pitched alarm sounds to signal danger and “chirring” to express calm.[9]
    • Scientific name: Xerus rutilus
    • Family: Sciuridae
    • Size: About 8 to 15 in (20 to 35 cm) in body length, with 6 to 10 in (15 to 25 cm) tails.
    • Habitat: Dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, especially in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
    • Fun fact: They have specialized sunglasses-like eyelids to manage intense sunlight and sand, and they also use their bushy tails as a personal parasol to shade themselves!
7

Xenopus (African Clawed Frog)

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xenopus Step 7.png
    Xenopus refers to the genus of highly aquatic frogs native to sub-Saharan Africa, which currently has 20 species described within it. Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis are the two best-known species, often studied as model organisms for biology, toxicology, neuroscience, and even for modeling human disease and birth defects. This genus is also known for its polyploidy, a condition in which an organism’s cells have more than 2 paired sets of homologous chromosomes.[10]
    • Scientific name: Xenopus
    • Family: Pipidae
    • Size: Ranging from 1.5 to 4 in (4 to 10 cm), depending on the exact species.
    • Habitat: Stagnant pools, quiet streams, and wetlands.
    • Fun fact: The frogs in this genus can live for more than 30 years in a laboratory, with a female Xenopus producing as many as 30,000 eggs in her lifetime.
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8

Xingu River Ray

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xingu River Ray Step 8.png
    Also known as the River stingray, white-blotched river stingray, or polka-dot stingray, the Xingu River Ray is a freshwater stingray with a round disc and venomous tail spine. Females are generally larger than males, but both have a striking jet-black dorsum with contrasting white spots. Many people keep these rays in aquariums due to their bold appearance.[11]
    • Scientific name: Potamotrygon leopoldi
    • Family: Potamotrygonidae
    • Size: Up to 16 in (40 cm) in disc width and 30 (75 cm) in total length.
    • Habitat: Clear waters with rocky bottoms, especially in the Xingu River basin in Brazil.
    • Fun fact: This fish is named in honor of King Leopold III of Belgium (1901-1983), who sponsored many scientific studies at the Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique.
9

Xiphosura (Horseshoe Crab)

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xiphosura Step 9.png
    Xiphosura are ancient “living fossils” that have existed for over 445 million years, even predating dinosaurs. They have a rigid, three-part body structure—a large, semi-circular horseshoe-shaped head shield, a smaller abdomen, and a long, spiky tail. They also possess multiple eyes and have 5 pairs of walking legs underneath. Despite their name, they are not true crabs, but are more closely related to spiders and scorpions.[12]
    • Order: Xiphosura
    • Family: Limulidae
    • Size: 12 to 24 in (30 to 60 cm) in total length.
    • Habitat: Shallow, nearshore marine waters with sandy or muddy bottoms.
    • Fun fact: They have bright blue, copper-based blood, which is used in medicine to detect bacterial contamination in vaccines.
    • Crazy about crabs (the creature, of course)? Check out our article on 40 different kinds of crabs!
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10

Xenopeltis (Sunbeam Snake)

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xenopeltis Step 10.png
    Known for their smooth, glossy, and highly iridescent scales, Xenopeltis refers to two species of primitive, nonvenomous, burrowing snakes. They’re chocolate-brown or purplish black above and white below, with a small, depressed head and cylindrical body.[13] They’re pretty popular in the pet trade world, with many viral videos showing off their rainbow shine, but they’re one of the more difficult snake breeds to care for.
    • Scientific name: Xenopelti
    • Family: Xenopeltidae
    • Size: About 3 ft (1 m) in average length.
    • Habitat: Moist, tropical environments across Southeast Asia, especially in lowlands, rice paddies, gardens, and forest clearings.
    • Fun fact: Each scale has a dark layer just beneath its surface that enhances the iridescent rainbow effect.
    • Planning an outdoor adventure soon? Check out our guide on how to tell the difference between venomous and nonvenomous snakes!
11

Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican Hairless Dog)

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xoloitzcuintli Step 11.png
    Also known as the Xolo or Mexican hairless dog, Xoloitzcuintli is one of the most ancient breeds, dating back over 5,000 years. Its name comes from the Aztec god Xolotl and the Nahuatl word itzcuintli, which means “dog.” The dog has smooth, tough, close-fitting skin, ranging in dark colors, including black, gray-black, slate, red, liver, and bronze. It’s also considered a loving companion and vigilant watchdog, expected to live 13 to 18 years.[14]
    • Scientific name: Canis lupus familiaris
    • Size: 18 to 23 in (46 to 58 cm) in length, weighing 30 to 55 lbs (13.6 to 25 kg).
    • Habitat: Ideally indoors in warm climates.
    • Fun fact: Xoloitzcuintli is considered sacred by the Aztecs and Mayans, believed to have been bred to guard the living and guide souls through the afterlife.
    • Are you a fellow dog lover? Check out our “Which Dog Breed Am I?” quiz!
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12

Xami Hairstreak

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xami Hairstreak Step 12.png
    Barely the size of a dime in profile, the Xami hairstreak is a small, delicate, and rare butterfly species found in parts of the southwestern U.S. The underside of the hindwing is yellowish green, with a distinct, jagged white postmedian line forming a “W” shape near its tail. Males appear brown, while females are more reddish-brown. The hindwings also feature tiny tails and specialized markings that mimic a fake head, which is used to trick predators.[15]
    • Scientific name: Callophrys xami
    • Family: Lycaenidae
    • Size: Wingspan of about 0.75 to 1.25 in (2 to 3.2 cm).
    • Habitat: Rocky canyons, slopes, and levees.
    • Fun fact: Hairstreak larvae are short and sluglike. Some species eat plants, while others are cannibalistic.[16]
13

Xuthus Swallowtail (Asian Swallowtail)

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xuthus Swallowtail Step 13.png
    Also called the Chinese yellow swallowtail, Japanese Swallowtail, or Korean Swallowtail, Xuthus Swallowtail refers to a yellow-colored, medium to large-sized butterfly found across Asia, Siberia, and the Hawaiian Islands. It often features a complex black, striped pattern on its wings, with blue iridescent and orange spots on the hindwing. They’re known for being incredibly fast flyers, frequently found in urban parks and citrus orchards.[17]
    • Scientific name: Papilio xuthus
    • Family: Papilionidae
    • Size: About 1.8 to 2.6 in (45 to 65 mm) in wingspan.
    • Habitat: Mainly human-modified landscapes, including urban, suburban, and rural areas.
    • Fun fact: They possess true color vision, allowing them to forage on the cloudiest of days.
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14

Xenacanthus

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xenacanthus Step 14.png
    An extinct genus of prehistoric shark, Xenacanthus survived until the end of the Triassic Period (about 208 million years ago). It had a slim, elongated body with a distinctive spine that projected from the back of its head, and a ribbon-like dorsal fin that ran the length of its back and around its tail. It also had V-shaped teeth, probably used to feed on small crustaceans and fish.[18] Like many fossil sharks, Xenacanthus is known today because of its fossilized remains.[19]
    • Scientific name: Xenacanthus
    • Family: Xenacanthidae
    • Size: About 3 ft (1 m) in length.
    • Habitat: Freshwater bodies across Europe, India, Australia, and the U.S.
    • Fun fact: According to research, their spine grew with annulated rings as they aged, allowing scientists to estimate how long the animal lived.
    • Want to learn more about sharks? Check out our article on the top 25 different types of sharks!
15

Xenoceratops

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xenoceratops Step 15.png
    A genus of centrosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous period, Xenocertops is a large, herbivorous horned dino (and an ancient ancestor of the Triceratops). It was known for having a parrot-like beak, two massive hooks on its forehead, and a very ornate frill. Its skull fragments were first discovered in the Foremost Formation near Foremost, Alberta, in 1958.[20]
    • Scientific name: Xenoceratops foremostensis
    • Family: Ceratopsidae
    • Size: About 20 ft (6 m) in length, weighing over 2 tons (4,409 lbs).
    • Habitat: Alberta, Canada.
    • Fun fact: Xenoceratops means “alien horned face,” derived from the Greek word xenos, meaning “foreign, alien, or strange,” and ceratops, meaning “horned face.”
    • Interested in prehistoric creatures? Check out our article on 20 ancient animals that ruled the earth before humans!
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16

Xenoposeidon

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xenoposeidon Step 16.png
    Xenoposeidon is a genus of extinct sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Period (about 130 million years ago). It was discovered in the early 1890s from a single partial vertebra, so its exact evolutionary placement is debated. It represents a large, long-necked herbivore, typical of other sauropods.[21]
    • Scientific name: Xenoposeidon proneneukos
    • Family: Rebbachisauridae
    • Size: About 49 f (15 m) in length, weighing about 7.6 tons (15,200 lbs).
    • Habitat: Probably in coastal floodplains, forests, or wetlands of Southern England.
    • Fun fact: Xenoposeidon roughly translates to “alien sauropod.” It was given this name because the single bone discovered looked like it could have come from another planet.
17

Xiaotingia

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xiaotingia Step 17.png
    A genus of paravian theropod dinosaur from the Middle to Late Jurassic (about 168 to 151 million years ago), Xiaotingia was a relatively small, feathered carnivorous dinosaur with no notable defense mechanism. It’s closely related to early bird-like dinosaurs, with long forelimbs and wing-like plumage.[22] Deposits were collected from the Tiaojishan Formation in Liaoning, China, in 2011, prompting debates about the origins of birds.[23]
    • Scientific name: Xiaotingia zhengi
    • Family: Anchiornithidae
    • Size: About 2 ft (62 cm) in length, 8 in (20 cm) in height, and about 2 lbs (0.9 kg).
    • Habitat: Liaoning, China.
    • Fun fact: The discovery of Xiotingia suggested that it was more closely related to Deinonychus and Archaeopteryx than to modern birds, challenging Archaeopteryx’s long-held title as the “first bird.”
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18

Xiongguanlong

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xiongguanlong Step 18.png
    Xiongguanlong is an extinct genus of tyrannosauroid theropod from the Early Cretaceous Period (about 113 to 100 million years ago) of present-day China. It was likely a mid-sized, carnivorous tyrannosaur with a long, narrow snout, a boxy skull, robust vertebrae, and reduced arm length. Unlike other early tyrannosaurs, it lacked serrations along the ridges of the teeth located in the front of the upper jaw.[24]
    • Scientific name: Xiongguanlong baimoensis
    • Family: Tyrannosauroidea
    • Size: Up to 16.4 f (5 m) in length.
    • Habitat: Likely a terrestrial habitat, including forests, grasslands, and swamps.
    • Fun fact: Xiongguanlong means “dragon from Xiong Guan” in Mandarin, while baimoensis means “white ghost.” It refers to the White Ghost Castle formation near the fossil site.
19

Xiphactinus

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xiphactinus Step 19.png
    An extinct genus of the large predatory marine ray-finned fish from the late Albian to the late Maastrichtian Period (about 105 to 66 million years ago), Xiphactinus was one of the largest bony fish to have ever lived, resembling a toothy, oversized tarpon. It was described as a voracious predator, feeding on anything and everything in its way—small fish, turtles, pterosaurs, and even juvenile mosasaurs—and likely died after consuming large prey.[25]
    • Scientific name: Xiphactinus audax
    • Family: Ichthyodectidae
    • Size: Between 15 and 20 ft (4.5 and 6 m) in length.
    • Habitat: Likely shallow, warm marine environments.
    • Fun fact: Xiphactinus had a long, slender body like a torpedo, allowing it to reach super-fast speeds when chasing prey—some even suspect a top speed of 37 miles/hour!
    • Interested in more dangerous dinos? Check out our article on the top 25 most lethal dinosaurs of all time!
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20

Xenarthra

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  1. Animal Which Starts with X Xenarthra Step 20.png
    Xenarthra is a superorder and major clade of placental mammals native to the Americas. They include 31 living species of small- to medium-sized insectivores and herbivores, such as anteaters, tree sloths, and armadillos.[26] Unlike other mammals, they have extra joints in their lower back vertebrae, which strengthen their hips and lower back and allow them to use their forelegs for digging (how anteaters and armadillos find food).[27]
    • Scientific name: Xenarthra
    • Class: Mammalia
    • Size: Small to medium in size, typically under 123 lbs (60 kg).
    • Habitat: Tropical rainforests and cloud forests, savannas, grasslands, and dry deserts, primarily in Central and South America.
    • Fun fact: They have remarkably low metabolisms and used to be so large that ancient humans allegedly used the shells of their 2-ton ground sloth for shelter!
    • Want to know even more fun facts about animals? Here are 105 fun facts to keep the fun going!

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References

  1. ↑ https://aqua.org/stories/2018-06-18-x-is-for-x-ray-tetra
  2. ↑ https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/xantuss-hummingbird
  3. ↑ https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/xanhum/cur/introduction
  4. ↑ https://californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/x.vigilis.html
  5. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/chis/learn/nature/night-lizard.htm
  6. ↑ https://ebird.org/species/sabgul
  7. ↑ https://www.activewild.com/xenops/
  8. ↑ https://app.birda.org/species-guide/14760/Atlantic_Plain_Xenops
  9. ↑ https://a-z-animals.com/animals/xerus/
  1. ↑ https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/research-at-cambridge/animal-research/what-types-of-animal-do-we-use/xenopus
  2. ↑ https://a-z-animals.com/animals/xingu-river-ray/
  3. ↑ https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/10-incredible-horseshoe-crab-facts
  4. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/animal/sunbeam-snake
  5. ↑ https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/xoloitzcuintli/
  6. ↑ https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/130300-Callophrys-xami
  7. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/animal/hairstreak
  8. ↑ https://learnbutterflies.com/asian-swallowtail/
  9. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/animal/Xenacanthus
  10. ↑ https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/xenacanthus/
  11. ↑ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/paleontologists-welcome-xenoceratops-to-the-ceratopsian-family-tree-115805156/
  12. ↑ https://www.miketaylor.org.uk/dino/xeno/#gsc.tab=0
  13. ↑ https://a-z-animals.com/animals/xiaotingia/
  14. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-14307985
  15. ↑ https://australian.museum/learn/dinosaurs/fact-sheets/xiongguanlong-baimoensis/
  16. ↑ https://www.fossilera.com/pages/xiphactinus-terror-of-the-inland-seaway
  17. ↑ https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/xenarthranew.html
  18. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/animal/xenarthran

About This Article

Bailey Cho
Co-authored by:
Bailey Cho
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Bailey Cho. Bailey Cho is a Staff Writer at wikiHow, where she develops both how-to articles and quizzes. Bailey is based in Dallas, TX. She has over 2 years of editorial experience, with work published in student journals and lifestyle publications. Bailey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Advertising and a Minor in Business. This article has been viewed 1,455 times.
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