Here you’ll find 18 Animals that start with Q that begin with Q, organized from “Quagga” to “Quokka”. These animals span mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and insects, and serve well for education, quick reference, and conservation awareness.
Animals that start with Q are species whose common English names begin with the letter Q. Notable examples include the extinct quagga and the quokka, famous for its friendly appearance and wide social appeal.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Scientific name, Habitat, Description, and Conservation status.
Name: The animal’s common English name, so you can recognize familiar species and find related information easily.
Scientific name: The accepted Latin binomial that helps you locate authoritative records and avoid name confusion across regions.
Habitat: Brief biome and geographic region, so you understand where each species lives and its ecological context.
Description: A concise one-to-two sentence summary highlighting appearance, behavior, or diet, giving you a quick species snapshot.
Conservation status: IUCN or similar tag indicating risk level, helping you spot threatened species and prioritize further reading.
Animals that start with Q
| Name | Scientific name | Habitat | Conservation status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quagga | Equus quagga quagga | Grassland savanna — South Africa | Extinct |
| Quahog | Mercenaria mercenaria | Marine intertidal zone — Eastern North America | Not Evaluated |
| Quail-plover | Ortyxelos meiffrenii | Arid savanna and scrubland — Sahel region, Africa | Least Concern |
| Quailfinch | Ortygospiza atricollis | Grassland and wetlands — Sub-Saharan Africa | Least Concern |
| Quokka | Setonix brachyurus | Scrubland and forests — Southwestern Australia | Vulnerable |
| Queen Angelfish | Holacanthus ciliaris | Coral reefs — Western Atlantic Ocean | Least Concern |
| Queen Butterfly | Danaus gilippus | Open woodlands and fields — North and South America | Not Evaluated |
| Queen Conch | Aliger gigas | Seagrass beds and sandy bottoms — Caribbean Sea | Not Evaluated |
| Queen Coris | Coris formosa | Coral reefs — Western Indian Ocean | Least Concern |
| Queen Parrotfish | Scarus vetula | Coral reefs — Western Atlantic Ocean | Least Concern |
| Queen Snapper | Etelis oculatus | Deep rocky reefs — Western Atlantic Ocean | Least Concern |
| Queen Snake | Regina septemvittata | Freshwater streams and rivers — Eastern North America | Least Concern |
| Queen Triggerfish | Balistes vetula | Coral reefs and seagrass beds — Western Atlantic Ocean | Vulnerable |
| Queensland Grouper | Epinephelus lanceolatus | Coral reefs and estuaries — Indo-Pacific Ocean | Vulnerable |
| Queensland Lungfish | Neoceratodus forsteri | Freshwater rivers — Queensland, Australia | Endangered |
| Queensland Tube-nosed Bat | Nyctimene robinsoni | Tropical rainforest and woodlands — Queensland, Australia | Least Concern |
| Quillback | Carpiodes cyprinus | Freshwater rivers and lakes — North America | Least Concern |
| Quillfish | Ptilichthys goodei | Marine pelagic zone — North Pacific Ocean | Not Evaluated |
Descriptions
Quagga
An extinct subspecies of plains zebra, the quagga was known for having stripes only on the front part of its body. The last captive individual died in a Dutch zoo in 1883.
Quahog
A large, hard-shelled clam found along the Atlantic coast, famous for its use in chowders. Some individuals can live for over 200 years, making them one of the longest-living animals on Earth.
Quail-plover
A tiny, ground-dwelling bird that resembles a quail but is related to buttonquails. When threatened, it can fly straight up into the air and perform a unique “parachuting” display on its descent.
Quailfinch
This small, seed-eating finch is named for its quail-like appearance and behavior of running through grass rather than flying. It builds a distinctive dome-shaped nest on or near the ground.
Quokka
A small wallaby famous for its “smile,” making it a popular subject for tourist selfies. This nocturnal marsupial is found mainly on islands off the coast of Western Australia.
Queen Angelfish
A stunningly vibrant reef fish, recognized by the bright blue, ringed “crown” on its forehead. Juveniles look very different from adults, sporting a darker body with vertical blue bars.
Queen Butterfly
A close relative of the Monarch butterfly, the Queen is a rich brown color with white spots. Its caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed plants, which makes them toxic to predators.
Queen Conch
A large sea snail with a beautiful, flaring pink shell that is an icon of the Caribbean. This herbivore moves by using its muscular foot in a unique leaping or hopping motion.
Queen Coris
A species of wrasse where juveniles and adults display dramatically different color patterns. Males are particularly striking, with a mix of green, blue, and orange, while juveniles are orange with white patches.
Queen Parrotfish
This colorful fish uses its beak-like teeth to scrape algae from corals, playing a vital role in keeping reefs clean. Much of the fine white sand on Caribbean beaches is actually digested coral.
Queen Snapper
A deep-water fish prized for its excellent taste, the Queen Snapper has large eyes adapted for seeing in low light. It is typically found at depths between 100 and 450 meters (330 to 1,500 feet).
Queen Snake
A non-venomous, semi-aquatic snake with a highly specialized diet. It feeds almost exclusively on newly molted crayfish, using its keen sense of smell to hunt them underwater.
Queen Triggerfish
Known for its vibrant colors, this fish can lock its first dorsal spine into an erect position to wedge itself into crevices. It often blows jets of water to uncover sand-dwelling prey like sea urchins.
Queensland Grouper
One of the largest bony fish found in coral reefs, it can grow up to 2.7 meters (nearly 9 feet) long. Also known as the giant grouper, it is an apex predator that ambushes its prey.
Queensland Lungfish
A living fossil, this ancient fish has a single lung that allows it to breathe air when water quality is poor. Unlike other lungfish, it cannot survive completely out of water.
Queensland Tube-nosed Bat
This fruit bat is easily identified by its prominent, tube-like nostrils, which may help direct the scent of fruit. It roosts alone rather than in colonies, wrapping its wings around itself like a cloak.
Quillback
A type of sucker fish named for the long, quill-like ray at the front of its dorsal fin. It is a bottom-feeder, using its fleshy lips to vacuum up small organisms from the sediment.
Quillfish
An incredibly long, slender fish that resembles a quill pen, growing up to 40 cm (16 inches) in length. It is nocturnal and is often attracted to lights on ships and piers at night.
