Royalty comes to mind when the letter Q pops up, but how about animals that start with letter Q? There’s more than you may think! And although they’re not wearing crowns, which would be the cutest visual ever, each animal that start with letter Q is interesting in its own right!
Visualizing tiny shiny crowns on the tops of these unique critters is one thing, but you can pop over to our Animal Coloring Sheets and draw them on yourself! And fancy up your coloring sheet by labeling the animal with its Scientific name(3), the Genus(1), and the Species(2) that are listed in parenthesis next to each animal.
Grab your scepter and get comfy on the thrown; let’s check out these animals that start with letter Q!
Amphibians that Start with the letter Q
Ducks aren’t the only quackers in the animal kingdom, and you may be surprised to know that another quacker dwells here in the list of amphibians that start with letter Q! But take our word for it, the animal kingdom is full of surprises. Alongside Ducks are Quacking Frogs!
These pond-loving frogs were named after their distinctive quacking croak. (4) Don’t believe us? Take a listen for yourself!
- Qianbei Horned Toad (Boulenophrys qianbeiensis)
- Qinghai Lake Toad (Bufo tuberculatus)
- Qiannan Short-legged Toad (Brachytarsophrys qiannanensis)
- Qionglai Frilled Tree Frog (Kurixalus qionglaiensis)
- Quacking Frog (Crinia georgiana)
- Quang’s Tree Frog (Gracixalus quangi)
- Quarry Worm Salamander (Oedipina poelzi)
- Queensland Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)
- Quezon Limestone Forest Frog (Platymantis quezoni)
- Quintana’s Rain Frog (Pristimantis quintanai)
- Quirimbas Mongrel Frog (Nothophryne unilurio)
Birds that Start with the letter Q
When we hear the pretty chirping of birds, we often look up to the trees, but if you’re trying to catch your eye on a Quailfinch, you’ll want to look down by your feet instead. This little birdy prefers to stay low to the sandy grounds nearby water where it can find its grub, but they also don’t mind a rock or fallen trees here or there to rest on. And instead of hopping, as other fiches do, the Quailfinch prefers to take a walk. (5) These guys can really walk the walk!
- Quail (Coturnix coturnix)
- Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis)
- Quailfinch Indigobird (Vidua nigeriae)
- Quail-plover (Ortyxelos meiffrenii)
- Quebracho Crested Tinamou (Eudromia formosa)
- Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno)
Dogs that Start with the letter Q
Perhaps Queensland Heeler doesn’t perk your ears but it’s other common name Australian Cattle Dog might! There’s only a few dogs that start with the letter Q, but this Queensland Heeler packs quite the punch.
These brave and strong pups were bread in Australia originally and you could say they’re a bit of workaholics! Without proper training and tasks for the Queensland Heeler to perform, they go a bit stir crazy. (6) That’s why herding is right up their alley!
- Qartuli Nagazi
- Qimmiq
- Queen Elizabeth Pocket Beagle
- Queensland Heeler
Fish that Start with the letter Q
Fish come in a large variety of appearances, sizes, and colors and one colorful fishy pal on this list of fish that start with the letter Q is the blue beauty Queen Parrotfish. With a strict diet of tasty algae these fish reside in the waters of the Bahamas, Bermuda, Northern South America, and Florida!
The Queen Parrotfish has quite the curios bedtime routine though; this fish produces a mucus cocoon for it to nestle up in and snooze. This critter does this so that it maintains its distinct scent which helps ward off potential predators. (7) Talk about getting your beauty sleep!
- Qianlabeo Striatus (Qianlabeo striatus)
- Quagga Catshark (Halaelurus quagga)
- Quagga Goby (Pomatoschistus quagga)
- Quakerfish (Malacanthus brevirostris)
- Queen Angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris)
- Queen Coris (Coris formosa)
- Queen Croaker (Seriphus Ayres politus)
- Queen Danio (Devario regina)
- Queen of Siam Goby (Mugilogobius rambaiae)
- Queen Parrotfish (Scarus vetula)
- Queen Snapper (Etelis oculatus)
- Queen Triggerfish (Balistes vetula)
- Queensland Blenny (Ecsenius mandibularis)
- Queensland Deepwater Skate (Dipturus queenslandicus)
- Queensland Dottyback (Pseudochromis fuscus)
- Queensland Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)
- Queensland Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri)
- Queensland Pygmy Goby (Eviota queenslandica)
- Queensland School Mackerel (Scomberomorus queenslandicus)
- Queensland Seahorse (Hippocampus spinosissimus)
- Queensland Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides)
- Queensland Toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni)
- Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish (Chaetodontoplus meridithii)
- Queriman Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus)
- Querimana Silverside (Melanorhinus microps)
- Quillback (Carpiodes cyprinus)
- Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)
- Quillfin Blenny (Labrisomus filamentosus)
- Quillfish (Ptilichthys goodei)
- Quilon Electric Ray (Tetronarce californica)
- Quitobaquito Pupfish (Cyprinodon eremus)
- Quoy’s Garfish (Hyporhamphus quoyi)
Insects & Spiders that Start with the letter Q
All hail the Queen! Oh wait, there might be some confusion here. Respectfully, we aren’t referring to the Queen of England, but rather the butterfly species Queen which graces this list of insects that start with the letter Q!
Queen butterflies can sometimes be confused with the recognizable Monarch butterfly due to their similar orange color and black boarder wings. Queen butterflies display a beautiful pattern when their wings are open and folded, with white dots scattered at the top of their delicate orange wings.
One thing the Queen butterfly doesn’t have to worry about too much is being eaten by birds, or at least the ones with this knowledge: because of the fact that the basis of the Queen’s diet is the milkweed from plants, they are not a tasteful meal for birds. (8) Save the Queen, butterfly!
- Quaker Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)
- Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae)
- Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus)
- Queensland Tarantula (Selenocosmia crassipes)
Mammals that Start with the letter Q
What could be more adorable then a mammal that start with the letter Q smiling, how about a marsupial that’s known for it’s cheesy smirk? It’s all smiles with the Australian native Quokka!
These furry critters can be around the size of an average cat, and they are known for their iconic little smile. Just like Kangaroos, Quokkas have their own pouches that their young chill out in. (9) It really doesn’t get cuter than that!
- Qinling Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis)
- Quagga (Equus quagga quagga)
- Quaira Spiny Rat (Proechimys guairae)
- Quechuan Hocicudo (Oxymycterus hucucha)
- Quechuan Hocicudo (Oxymycterus hucucha)
- Queen Of Sheba’s Gazelle (Gazella bilkis)
- Queensland Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)
- Queensland Tube-Nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene robinsoni)
- Querétaro Pocket Gopher (Pappogeomys neglectus)
- Quokka (Setonix brachyurus)
- Quoll (Dasyurus)
Reptiles that Start with the letter Q
There’s quite a few reptiles that start with the letter Q that have names of royalty, and we’re calling the Queen Snake to our animal spotlight. This slithering creature has the potential to be up to 3 feet long, and unlike other snake species they mainly have one type of meal on their mind. Like when we got to a restaurant and we ask for a menu even though we’re going to order the same thing we always do. Well, the Queen Snake’s go-to food is a softshell crayfish! (10)
- Quedenfeldtia Moerens (Quedenfeldtia moerens)
- Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)
- Queensland Legless Lizard (Paradelma orientalis)
- Queretaran Desert Lizard (Sceloporus exsul)
- Queretaran Dusky Rattlesnake (Crotalus aquilus)
- Queretaran Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus ochoterenae)
The parade of animals that start with letter Q has come to an end, but the fun doesn’t have to stop there. Be sure to click on Animal Coloring Sheets to dive into some fun coloring time while still engaging with animals. Our coloring sheets are free and cute, and there’s a variety to look through. Happy coloring!
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)
Scientific Name: A name used by scientists, especially the taxonomic name of an organism that consists of the genus and species. Scientific names usually come from Latin or Greek. An example is Homo sapiens, the scientific name for humans. (3)
Footnotes
1) “Genus”, Dictionary.com, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/genus (accessed 08/15/2022)
2) “Species”, Dictionary.com, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/species (accessed 08/15/2022)
3) “Scientific Name”, Dictionary.com, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/scientific-name (accessed 08/15/2022)
4) “Quacking Frog.” Western Australia Museum. Accessed August 15, 2022. https://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/frogwatch/frogs/quacking-frog.
5) “Quailfinches: Ortygospiza.” Beauty of Birds. Accessed August 15, 2022. https://www.beautyofbirds.com/quailfinches.html.
6) “Australian Cattle Dog.” American Kennel Club. Accessed August 15, 2022. https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/australian-cattle-dog/.
7) “Queen Parrotfish.” SeaWorld. Accessed August 15, 2022. https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/bony-fish/queen-parrotfish/#:~:text=Fun%20Facts,explore%20the%20Bony%20Fishes%20InfoBook.
8) “Queen (Danaus gilippus).” Butterfly Identification. Accessed August 15, 2022. https://www.butterflyidentification.com/queen.htm.
9) Giaimo, Cara. “5 Strange Facts About Quokkas.” The New York Times. Accessed August 15, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/23/science/quokka.html.
10) “The Queen Snake: Everything You Need To Know!.” YouTube The Wild Report. Accessed August 15, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCucRNf2rIc.