Lions, Lemurs, and llamas, oh my! And there are plenty more animals that start with letter L in store, along with their Genus (1) and Species (2)! Do you want to know more about what those Sciencey words mean? Check out our simple Scientific Glossary!
That’s not all the fun you can count on, there are also fun and free Animal Coloring Sheets sprinkled throughout, so keep those eyes peeled!
Amphibians that Start with the letter L
Leopards are known for their spots, and so is this ribbiting creature on the amphibians that start with the letter L list, it’s the Leopard Tree Frog!
Just like the majestic wild cat Leopards the Leopard Tree Frog has unique spots sprinkled all over, giving it a beautiful and eye catching outside. Something that these two creatures don’t have in common are the amount of young that they produce. Get this, a Leopard Tree Frog can lay well over 6,000 eggs. (3) Isn’t that nuts! It’s safe to say that this species (2) of frog is doing just fine!
- Lake Pátzcuaro Salamander (Ambystoma dumerilii)
- Landdross Moss Frog (Arthroleptella landdrosia)
- Large-mouthed Frog (Amietia vertebralis)
- Larut Torrent Frog (Amolops larutensis)
- Laura’s Land Frog (Austrochaperina laurae)
- Leopard Rocket Frog (Anomaloglossus leopardus)
- Leopard Tree Frog (Hypsiboas pardalis)
- Lemaire’s white-lipped Frog (Amnirana lemairei)
- Lemur Leaf Frog (Agalychnis lemur)
- Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia)
- Lesser Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps minor)
- Lightfoot’s Moss Frog (Arthroleptella lightfooti)
- Limestone Salamander (Hydromantes brunus)
- Limosa Harlequin Frog (Atelopus limosus)
- Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris ocularis)
- Little Mexican Toad (Anaxyrus kelloggi)
- Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda)
- Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum)
- Longdong Stream Salamander (Batrachuperus londongensis)
- Lowland Leopard Frog (Lithobates yavapaiensis)
- Luristan Newt (Neurergus kaiseri)
Birds that Start with the letter L
We’ve all heard the term lovebirds, right? It’s adorable! Did you know that there is an actual spieces of birds that start with the letter L called Lovebirds? And guess what, they’re just as adorable!
These beautifully colored birds aren’t called Lovebirds just because it sounds cute, it’s all linked to their birdish morals and behavior. Not only do these birds mate for life once they find a partner, but they also will feed one another, show signs of depression if separated, and but of course they have been quite the influencers for holidays like Valentines Day and muses for poets and musicians alike. (4) Now those are some bragging rights in the bird community!
- La Sagra’s Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae)
- La Selle Thrush (Turdus swalesi)
- Laced Woodpecker (Picus vittatus)
- Lacrimose Mountain Tanager (Anisognathus lacrymosus)
- Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris)
- Ladder-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis climacocerca)
- Lady Amherst’s Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae)
- Lafresnaye’s Piculet (Picumnus lafresnayi)
- Lafresnaye’s Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris)
- Lagden’s Bushshrike (Malaconotus lagdeni)
- Laggar Falcon (Falco jugger)
- Lake Duck (Oxyura vittata)
- Lanceolated Warbler (Locustella lanceolata)
- Lance-tailed Manakin (Chiroxiphia lanceolata)
- Landana Firefinch (Lagonosticta landanae)
- Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
- Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)
- Lapwing (Vanellinae)
- Large Fig Parrot (Psittaculirostris desmarestii)
- Large Hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx sparverioides)
- Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
- Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
- Laughing Gull (Leucophacus atricilla)
- Laughing Owl (Sceloglaux albifacies)
- Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis)
- Lawrence’s Goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei)
- Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena)
- Lazy Cisticola (Cisticola aberrans)
- Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii)
- Le Conte’s Thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei)
- Leach’s Storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa)
- Leaden Antwren (Myrmotherula assimilis)
- Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula)
- Leaden Honeyeater (Ptiloprora plumbea)
- Leaf Lorikeet (Trichoglossus weberi)
- Lear’s Macaw (Anodorhynchus leari)
- Least Auklet (Aethia pusilla)
- Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)
- Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)
- Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus)
- Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
- Least Storm-petrel (Oceanodroma microsoma)
- Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
- Lemon Dove (Columba larvata)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
- Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel)
- Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
- Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis)
- Lesser Sand-Plover (Charadrius mongolus)
- Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
- Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
- Lewis’s Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis)
- Light-mantled Albatross (Phoebetria palpebrata)
- Lilac-crowned Parrot (Amazona finschi)
- Limpkin (Aramus guarauna)
- Lina’s Sunbird (Aethopyga linaraborae)
- Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
- Lineated Barbet (Megalaima lineata)
- Lineated Foliage-gleaner (Syndactyla subalaris)
- Lineated Woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus)
- Line-cheeked Spinetail (Cranioleuca antisiensis)
- Lined Antshrike (Thamnophilus tenuepunctatus)
- Lined Forest Falcon (Micrastur gilvicollis)
- Lined Quail-dove (Geotrygon linearis)
- Lined Seedeater (Sporophila lineola)
- Line-fronted Canastero (Asthenes urubambensis)
- Linnet (Linaria cannabina)
- Lita Woodpecker (Piculus litae)
- Little Auk (Alle alle)
- Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus)
- Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
- Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
- Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
- Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla)
- Little Curlew (Numenius minutus)
- Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)
- Little Owl (Athene noctua)
- Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor)
- Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
- Littoral Rock Thrush (Monticola imerinus)
- Livingstone’s Flycatcher (Erythrocercus livingstonei)
- Livingstone’s Turaco (Tauraco livingstonii)
- Lizard Buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus)
- Locust Finch (Paludipasser locustella)
- Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
- Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)
- Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
- Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix)
- Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)
- Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
- Long-tailed Jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus)
- Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
- Long-toed Stint (Calidris subminuta)
- Longspur (Calcarius)
- Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)
- Loriini (Loriini)
- Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla)
- Lovebird (Agapornis)
- Lovely Cotinga (Cotinga amabilis)
- Lovely Fairywren (Malurus amabilis)
- Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi)
- Loveridge’s Sunbird (Cinnyris loveridgei)
- Lowland Akalat (Sheppardia cyornithopsis)
- Lowland Masked Apalis (Apalis binotata)
- Lowland Peltops (Peltops blainvillii)
- Lowland Sooty Boubou (Laniarius leucorhynchus)
- Lowland Tiny Greenbul (Phyllastrephus debilis)
- Lowland White-eye (Zosterops meyeni)
- Luapula Cisticola (Luapula cisticola)
- Lucifer Sheartail (Calothorax lucifer)
- Lucy’s Warbler (Oreothlypis luciae)
- Ludwig’s Bustard (Neotis ludwigii)
- Ludwig’s Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris ludovicensis)
- Lufira Masked Weaver (Ploceus ruweti)
- Lühder’s Bushshrike (Laniarius luehderi)
- Lulu’s Tody-flycatcher (Poecilotriccus luluae)
- Lunulated Antbird (Gymnopithys lunulatus)
- Luzon Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba luzonica)
- Luzon Flameback (Chrysocolaptes haematribon)
- Luzon Hawk-owl (Ninox philippensis)
- Luzon Hornbill (Penelopides manillae)
- Luzon Scops Owl (Otus longicornis)
- Luzon Striped Babbler (Zosterornis striatus)
- Luzon Sunbird (Aethopyga jefferyi)
- Luzon Water Redstart (Rhyacornis bicolor)
- Lyall’s Wren (Xenicus lyalli)
- Lynes’s Cisticola (Cisticola distinctus)
- Lyre-tailed Honeyguide (Melichneutes robustus)
- Lyre-tailed Nightjar (Uropsalis lyra)
Dogs that Start with the letter L
There are dozens of dog mixed breeds out there, and the cutey Labradoodle is among one of the most popular. Who couldn’t love that adorable face?!
Labrador Retriever + Poodle = Labradoodle, that’s some awesome puppy math! These energetic, playful, loyal, and loving pups make for brilliant therapy dogs and a wonderful addition to the family. They are so sweet and kind, and that’s precisely where their roots lay. For this mix originated in Australia for the purpose of breeding a guided service dog. (5) How sweet is that!
- Labradoodle
- Labrador Retriever
- Lagotto Romagnolo
- Lakeland Terrier
- Lancashire Heeler
- Landseer
- Lapponian Herder
- Large Münsterländer
- Leonberger
- Levriero Sardo
- Lhasa Apso
- Liangshan Dog
- Lithuanian Hound
- Lobito Herreño
- Löwchen
- Lupo Italiano
Fish that Start with the letter L
Which fish that start with the letter L is the biggest gossiper? The Largemouth Bass!
Although we can’t say for certain that fish pun holds any truth, we do know that the Largemouth Bass is sought after by those who love to fish. It’s quite the iconic looking fish! They also give fishermen and fisherwoman a bit of a challenge if they’re specifically trying to catch a Largemouth Bass. Because just after one run in with a particular lure the Largemouth Bass learns that it’s a threat and stays away from it, along with other lures that may look like it. (6) This fish knows how to pass it’s lure exams!
- Labyrinth Fish (Anabantoidei)
- Ladyfish (Elops saurus)
- Lake Chub (Couesius plumbeus)
- Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
- Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)
- Lampfish (Stenobrachius leucopsarus)
- Lamprey (Petromyzontiformes)
- Lancetfish (Alepisaurus)
- Lanternfish (Myctophidae)
- Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
- Leaffish (Monocirrhus polyacanthus)
- Leatherjacket (Oligoplites saurus)
- Left Eye Flounder (Bothidae)
- Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
- Lemon Sole (Microstomus kitt)
- Lemon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis)
- Lenok (Brachymystax)
- Leopard Danio (Danio rerio)
- Lightfish (Phosichthyidae)
- Lined Sole (Achirus lineatus)
- Ling (Molva molva)
- Ling Cod (Ophiodon elongatus)
- Lionfish (Pterois)
- Lizardfish (Synodontidae)
- Loach (Cobitoidea)
- Loach Catfish (Amphiliidae)
- Loach Goby (Rhyacichthys aspro)
- Loach Minnow (Rhinichthys cobitis)
- Longfin (Anguilla dieffenbachii)
- Longfin Dragonfish (Tactostoma macropus)
- Longfin Escolar (Scombrolabrax heterolepis)
- Longfin Smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys)
- Long-finned Char (Salvethymus svetovidovi)
- Long-finned Pike (Dinolestes lewini)
- Long-finned Sand Diver (Limnichthys polyactis)
- Longjaw Mudsucker (Gillichthys mirabilis)
- Longneck Eel (Derichthyidae)
- Longnose Chimaera (Rhinochimaeridae)
- Longnose Dace (Rhinichthys cataractae)
- Longnose Lancetfish (Alepisaurus ferox)
- Longnose Sucker (Catostomus catostomus)
- Longnose Whiptail Catfish (Sturisoma Barbatum)
- Long-whiskered Catfish (Sperata aor)
- Loosejaw (Malacosteus niger)
- Lost River Sucker (Deltistes luxatus)
- Louvar (Luvarus imperialis)
- Luderick (Girella tricuspidata)
- Luminous Hake (Steindachneria argentea)
- Lumpsucker (Cyclopteridae)
- Lungfish (Dipnoi)
Insects & Spiders that Start with the letter L
We can’t bring up insects and spiders that start with the letter L without shinning the spotlight on the cute and recognizable Ladybug! We all know the eyecatching red ladybug with black dots, and there’s plenty of ladybug themed items to go around! But did you know there are upwards of 5,000 spieces of ladybugs? Here’s an even crazier fact, ladybugs have been to space! That’s right, NASA themselves sent Ladybugs up in the vast unknown to see what they would do in zero gravity. And to wrap up our cutesy Ladybug corner here, they are also seen as Good luck in a variety of cultures. (7) Keep that in mind next time you see one!
- Ladybug (Coccinellidae)
- Lacewings (Neuroptera)
- Leafcutter Ant (Atta)
- Leaf Mantis (Mantodea)
- Leaf-mimic Katydid (Onomarchus kanara)
- Lice (Phthiraptera)
- Locust (Schistocerca gregaria)
- Long Bodied Cellar Spider (Pholcus phalangioides)
Mammals that Start with the letter L
Lions may be one of the first animals that come to mind when you’re thinking about mammals that start with the letter L, but let’s give the King of the Jungle a break from the spotlight and bring another animal on stage.
Llamas can come off as intimidating, especially since they can grow to be up to 6ft in height, but they have more similarities to us then we may know! For instance, Llamas love their closeknit group, just as we love our own. And Llamas also can be caught humming, just as we catch ourselves doing when a song is stuck in our heads! Llamas are so cool they even have their own National holiday on Decemeber 9th! (8) It’s pretty clear that Llamas have a lot going on for them, no wonder they have their own holiday.
- L’hoest’s Monkey (Cercopithecus lhoesti)
- Least Chipmunk (Tamias minimus)
- Lemur (Lemuroidea)
- Lemurine Night Monkey (Aotus lemurinus)
- Leopard (Panthera pardus)
- Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)
- Leopard Seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)
- Lesser Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae)
- Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus)
- Little Pocket Mouse (Perognathus longimembris)
- Liger (Panthera leo × Panthera tigris)
- Lion (Panthera leo)
- Llama (Lama glama)
- Llano Pocket Gopher (Geomys texensis)
- Llanos long-nosed Armadillo (Dasypus sabanicola)
- Lodgepole Chipmunk (Tamias speciosus)
- Long-eared Chipmunk (Tamias quadrimaculatus)
- Long-eared Myotis (Myotis evotis)
- Long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans)
- Long-tailed Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus formosus)
- Long-tailed Vole (Microtus longicaudus)
- Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata)
- Lowland Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus spadix)
- Lynx (Lynx)
Reptiles that Start with the letter L
L is for lizard, and it’s also for legs! But this lizard doesn’t have legs, it’s the Legless Lizard! Although this critter sounds like the punchline of a Dad Joke, it is very much real. Even though these lizards appear to look very much like snakes there are some district differences that set them a part. The Legless Lizard posses ears, eyelids, and coneshaped teeth rather than sharp pointy teeth that of a snake. (9) Now you’ve really seen it all, you can be the talk of your local trivia night by bringing up the Legless Lizard!
- Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- Legless Lizard (Anniella pulchra)
- Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
- Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis)
- Lined Day Gecko (Phelsuma lineata)
- Liopleurodon (Liopleurodon)
- Lizard (Lacertilia)
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii)
- Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)
- Long-tailed Brush Lizard (Urosaurus graciosus)
Before you head off into your day and perhaps check out our entertaining and free Animal Coloring Sheets, we’re throwing in a bonus critter spotlight. Simply because we don’t want the animal fun to end, and the mighty Lobster doesn’t fall in the typical animal categories! Did you know that these fancy crustaceans can sometimes live to be up to 100 years old in the wild? (10) That’s a lot of sea life to see!
Scientific Glossary
Here is your very own easy-peasy scientific glossary that you can refer to in case a word looks peculiar to you. No one likes to have strange words thrown at them, especially if they’re left to scratch their heads and wonder what they just read. Not on our watch!
Genus: The usual major subdivision of a family or subfamily in the classification of organisms, usually consisting of more than one species. (1)
Species: The major subdivision of a genus or subgenus, regarded as the basic category of biological classification, composed of related individuals that resemble one another, are able to breed among themselves, but are not able to breed with members of another species. (2)
Footnotes
1) “Genus”, Dictionary.com, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/genus (accessed 07/25/2022)
2) “Species”, Dictionary.com, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/species (accessed 07/25/2022)
3) Oliyath, Shaza. “Fun Leopard Frog Facts For Kids.” Kidadl. Last modified August 5, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2022. https://kidadl.com/facts/animals/leopard-frog-facts.
4) Thompson, Helen. “14 Fun Facts About Lovebirds.” Smithsonian Magazine. Last modified February 14, 2014. Accessed July 25, 2022. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-lovebirds-180949742/.
5) “Labradoodle – Top 10 Facts.” YouTube Dog Wiz. Accessed July 25, 2022. https://youtu.be/HpU8UePD6OM.
6) “24 Incredible Largemouth Bass Facts.” Bass Fishing Facts. Last modified November 30, 2019. Accessed July 25, 2022. https://bassfishingfacts.com/24-incredible-largemouth-bass-facts/.
7) “Ladybug.” National Geographic Kids. Accessed July 25, 2022. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/ladybug.
8) “Llama Mia! 10 Fun Facts about Llamas.” Discovery. Last modified December 8, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2022. https://www.discovery.com/nature/llama-mia–10-fun-facts-about-llamas-pictures.
9) “Legless Lizards! Facts and Care Tips.” YouTube Snake Discovery. Accessed July 25, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjDpvC9Xh0Y.
10) “24 Fascinating Lobster Facts.” Maine Lobster Now. Accessed July 25, 2022. https://www.mainelobsternow.com/maine-lobster-facts.