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Animals That Start With X: A List of All the Animals Beginning with X

By Author Hal Brindley

Posted on  - Last updated:

What are some animals that start with X? How many can you come up with? Think hard! 

We have come up with a list of English common names of vertebrate animals that start with x. And includes the Xeme. What’s a Xeme? The Xeme is a Sabine’s gull, also known as the fork-tailed gull. But that’s just the beginning of all the animals that start with x that we found.

animals that start with x, the xeme
One of my favorite animals that start with x. The Xeme!

If you you want more, like common names of invertebrate animals that start with X, scientific names of animals that start with x, and even dinosaurs that start with x, check out my huge list below!

Fake Animals Starting With X That I Found in Other Lists (Like Xantis and Xanthareel)

When I researched the names from other lists, I found a lot of false information being repeated over and over. For example, you will often see the Xantis yak appear on lists of animals beginning with x. There is not a single authoritative site that refers to any yak species as a Xantis. However, you will find dozens of animal alphabets using it! Guess what! It is neither a common name, nor a scientific name for any type of yak. Where did it come from? So far I have no idea.

A similar problem is Xanthareel, which seems to show up over and over in lists of animals that start with x and is vaguely defined as “a yellow eel formerly used in medicinal foods”. But again, there is no authoritative reference to the word anywhere as an actual name of an animal. But if it was, this would definitely be my favorite animal that starts with x. It is just another made-up word perpetuated by a single site and repeated by hundreds of others.

It would seem that people are so desperate to find an animal that starts with x, they’ll repeat anything they read. Which is why I decided to create this authoritative list of animals that start with x!

Xanthareel, not a real animals that start with x
Sorry guys, there’s no such thing as a Xanthareel. Look below to find some real animals that start with x!

(A Quick Note About Scientific Names of Animals That Start With X)

Usually, when I compile a list of animals that start with a certain letter (like animals that start with n, animals that start with u, and animals that start with e) I only use English common names.  I don’t use scientific names because that’s not really what people are looking for and it usually adds many thousands of names to a list. However, for animals that start with x, I had to dig a little deeper.

For each animal group below I start with an alphabetical list of common names in bold, and then an alphabetical list of scientific names of animals that start with x in bold italics. For any genus with multiple species in it I include only the genus name (plus the number of species in parenthesis).

If you’re curious what all the species in that genus are, try searching the genus name in Wikipedia or on the IUCN Redlist. I’ve also included a few higher classifications like the superorder Xenarthra (that includes anteaters, sloths, and armadillos). Any genus that has only one species in it, I list the full scientific name and the common name if there is one. At the end is a bonus list of dinosaurs that start with x and a couple other prehistoric animals that start with x!

If you want more information about any of these animals that start with x, you can highlight a name in the list and then right click it in your browser. Choose “Search with Google” and check the results. Some of my favorite information sources are the IUCN Redlist, Arkive, Fishbase, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Encyclopedia of Life, & One Zoom.

  1. X-Ray Tetra (also known as the X-ray fish)
  2. Xanthippe’s Shrew (a shrew in Kenya & Tanzania)
  3. Xantic Sargo (a fish in the grunt family)
  4. Xantus’ Becard (a bird in Mexico & Central America)
  5. Xantus’ Leaf-Toed Gecko (a lizard)
  6. Xantus’ Murrelet (a small seabird)
  7. Xantus’s Hummingbird (a hummingbird in Baja California)
  8. Xavier’s Greenbul (a central African song bird)
  9. Xeme (an Arctic gull)
  10. Xestus Sabretooth Blenny (a fish also known as the Xestus Fangblenny)
  11. Xingu Corydoras (a bottom-feeding freshwater fish from Brazil)
  12. Xingu River Ray (a freshwater stingray from Brazil)
  13. Xinjiang Ground-Jay (a bird in China)
  14. Xolocalca Bromeliad Salamander (a Mexican salamander)
  15. Xoloitzcuintli or Xolo (a hairless domestic dog breed in Mexico)
  16. Xucaneb Robber Frog (a Guatemalan frog)

That’s a list of English common names of vertebrate animals that start with x. But that’s just the beginning.

If you you want more, like common names of invertebrate animals that start with X, scientific names of animals that start with x, and even dinosaurs that start with x, check out my huge list below!

Animals That Start With the Letter X: The Authoritative List

Mammals: Animals Beginning With X

  1. Xanthippe’s Shrew (Crocidura xantippe)
  2. Xoloitzcuintli or Xolo (a hairless domestic dog breed in Mexico)
  3. Xenarthra (a superorder including sloths, anteaters & armadillos)
  4. Xenomys nelsoni (the Magdalena Rat, from Mexico)
  5. Xenurus (a former genus of armadillos, now named Cabassou)
  6. Xerus (genus of African ground squirrels, 4 species)

Birds: Animals That Start With X

  1. Xantus’ Becard (Pachyramphus aglaiae)
  2. Xantus’s Hummingbird (Basilinna xantusii)
  3. Xantus’s Murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus)
  4. Xavier’s Greenbul (Phyllastrephus xavieri)
  5. Xeme (Xema sabini)
  6. Xinjiang Ground-Jay (Podoces biddulphi)
  7. Xenicidae (prior family name of New Zealand wrens, now Acanthisittidae)
  8. Xenicus gilviventris (New Zealand rock wren)
  9. Xenipirostris (genus of birds from Madagascar, 3 species)
  10. Xenops (genus of ovenbirds, 4 species)
  11. Xenorhyncus asiaticus (Black-necked Stork)
  12. Xolmis (genus of flycatchers in South America, 8 species)

Reptiles: Animals That Start With X

(for Dinosaurs that start with x, see end of list below)

  1. Xantu’s Leaf-Toed Gecko (Phyllodactylus xanti)
  2. Xantusia (genus of night lizards, 14 species, in family Xantusiidae)
  3. Xenopeltis (genus of sunbeam snakes, 2 species, in family Xenopeltidae)
  4. Xenosaurus (genus of lizards, 10 species, in family Xenosauridae)

Amphibians: Animals That Start With X

  1. Xolocalca Bromeliad Salamander (Dendrotriton xolocalcae)
  2. Xucaneb Robber Frog (Craugastor xucanebi)
  3. Xenopus (genus of African Clawed Frogs, 24 species)

Fish: Animals Beginning With X

  1. Xantic Sargo (Anisotremus davidsonii)
  2. Xestus Sabretooth Blenny (or Xestus Fangblenny, Petroscirtes xestus)
  3. Xingu Corydoras (Corydoras xinguensis)
  4. Xingu River Ray (Potamotrygon leopoldi)
  5. XL Spring Tui Chub (subspecies of Tui Chub, Gila bicolor oregonensis)
  6. X-ray Tetra (also known as X-ray fish: Pristella maxillaris)
  7. Xanthichthys (genus of triggerfishes, 6 species)
  8. Xenaploactis (genus of velvetfishes, 3 species)
  9. Xenentodon (genus of needlefishes, 2 species)
  10. Xenichthys (genus of grunts, 3 species)
  11. Xenisthmus (genus of wrigglers, 9 species, in family Xenishtmidae)
  12. Xenistius (genus of grunts, 2 species)
  13. Xenobalistes (genus of triggerfish, 2 species)
  14. Xenobarbus loveridgei (cyprinid from Lake Victoria)
  15. Xenocephalus (genus of stargazers, 6 species)
  16. Xenocharax (genus of characins, 2 species)
  17. Xenochromis hecqui (a cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika)
  18. Xenocyprioides (genus of cyprinids from China, 2 species)
  19. Xenocypris (genus of cyprinids in east Asia, 7 species)
  20. Xenodermichthys (genus of slickheads, 2 species)
  21. Xenomystax (genus of eels, 5 species)
  22. Xenophallus umbratilis (a Central American tooth-carp)
  23. Xenophthalmichthys danae (a pencil smelt)
  24. Xenophysogobio (genus of cyprinids in China, 2 species)
  25. Xenopoecilus (a generally un-recognized genus of fish in Sulawesi)
  26. Xenopterygii (order name -no longer used- of clingfishes. Now Gobiesocidae)
  27. Xenopterus naritus (Bronze Puffer)
  28. Xenotilapia (genus of cichlids in Lake Tanganyika, 16 species)
  29. Xenurobrycon (genus of characins in South America, 6 species)
  30. Xestochilus nebulosus (Nebulous Snake Eel)
  31. Xiphias gladius (Swordfish)
  32. Xiphophorus (genus of tooth-carps, approx 28 species)
  33. Xiurenbagrus (genus of torrent catfishes, 3 species)
  34. Xyelacyba myersi (Gargoyle Cusk)
  35. Xyliphius (genus of banjo catfishes in South America, 7 species)
  36. Xyrias (genus of snake eels, 4 species)
  37. Xyrichtys (genus of wrasses, 12 species)
  38. Xystreurys (genus of large-tooth flounders, 2 species)
  39. Xystichromis (genus of cichlids, synonym for Haplochromis)

Invertebrates Animals That Start With X

  1. Xami Hairstreak (butterfly, Callophrys xami)
  2. Xantus’ Swimming Crab (Portunus xantusii)
  3. Xeniades Swallowtail (butterfly, Mimoides xeniades)
  4. Xenoclea Longwing (butterfly, Heliconius melpomene xenoclea)
  5. Xenocrates Leafwing (butterfly, Polygrapha xenocrates)
  6. Xeric Ambersnail (terrestrial snail, Succinea indiana)
  7. Xuthus Swallowtail (butterfly, Papilio xuthus)
  8. Xylophagous Leafhopper (Homalodisca coagulata)
  9. Xanthostigma (genus of snakeflies)
  10. Xenopsylla (genus of fleas)
  11. Xerosecta (genus of snails)
  12. Xestia (genus of noctuid moths)
  13. Xiphinema (genus of dagger nematodes)
  14. Xiphosura (order containing all horseshoe crabs)
  15. Xistrellula kankauense (a species of grasshopper)
  16. Xylobates capucinus (Oribatid mite in the British Isles)
  17. Xylocopa (genus of carpenter bees, 500 species)
  18. Xylophagidae (family of awl-flies)

Dinosaurs that start with X (and other prehistoric animals that start with x)

  1. Xenoceratops (genus of Centrosarinae dinosaur)
  2. Xenoposeidon (Neosauropoda dinosaur)
  3. Xenotarsosaurus (genus of Abelisauridae dinosaur)
  4. Xiaosaurus (genus of Ornithischia dinosaur)
  5. Xiaotingia (genus of Anchiornithid dinosaur)
  6. Xingxiulong (genus of Sauropodiform dinosaur)
  7. Xinjiangovenator (genus of Maniraptora dinosaur)
  8. Xinjiangtitan (genus of Mamenchisauridae dinosaur)
  9. Xiongguanlong (genus of Tyrannosauroidea dinosaur)
  10. Xixiasaurus (genus of Troodontidae dinosaur)
  11. Xixiposaurus (genus of Sauropodomorpha dinosaur)
  12. Xuanhuaceratops (genus of Chaoyangsauridae dinosaur)
  13. Xanclomys (genus of extinct mammal, Paleocene, Xanclomys mcgrewi)
  14. Xenacanthus (genus of extinct shark)

More Posts From Our Animal Alphabet Series

 

Hal Brindley at the Antarctic Circle

Hal Brindley

Brindley is an American conservation biologist, wildlife photographer, filmmaker, writer, and illustrator living in Asheville, NC. He studied black-footed cats in Namibia for his master’s research, has traveled to all seven continents, and loves native plant gardening. See more of his work at Travel for Wildlife, Truly Wild, Our Wild Yard, & Naturalist Studio.

By Author Hal Brindley

Posted on  - Last updated: