The animals that end with the letter S are a diverse, exciting group. Some are small, like the mantis, while others are large, like hippos and rhinos. Some are intelligent, while others can fly like an albatross. Others also have fins or scales that allow them to move quickly through the water. This group of animals has a lot of variety, and we’ll share 17 of these magnificent creatures with you in this article.
17 Animals that end with s
1. Pearly nautilus
Scientific name: Nautilus pompilius
The Pearly nautilus is a cephalopod found in the waters surrounding the Indo-Pacific region. They live at the ocean’s bottom, up to 500 meters deep, but they come close to the surface at night. It has an outer shell layer that ranges in color from matte white to orange.
These sea creatures are carnivores that eat dead animals as well as crustaceans such as shellfish and crabs.
2. Hippopotamus
Scientific name: Hippopotamus amphibius
Hippos are semi-aquatic mammals that live in rivers or lakes and spend the majority of their time in shallow water. They’re among the largest land mammal on earth, after the elephant and the rhinoceros. It is a herbivore that lives in Africa and feeds primarily on grasses.
These animals are muddy brown in color and can grow to be 5 feet tall and 16 feet long. They’re also large and powerful creatures, weighing up to 2 tons, with males being larger than females.
3. Greater yellowlegs
Scientific name: Tringa melanoleuca
Greater yellowlegs are shorebirds that are found in the northern United States and Canada. They can be found in lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and marshes throughout their range.
These animals have long bills that allow them to scoop food from the water’s surface or pick it out of the mud. It primarily feeds on small invertebrates like insects, worms, crustaceans, and mollusks.
4. Sumatran rhinoceros
Scientific name: Dicerorhinus sumatrensis
The Sumatran rhinoceros is a rare rhinoceros species. There are only about 80 left in the wild, and they live on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The horns of the Sumatran rhinoceros are also smaller than those of other rhinos.
They can be found in dense tropical rainforests and prefer to be near water, so these rhinos can be found near rivers or lakes. In addition to eating plants and leaves, Sumatran rhinos also eat fallen fruit from trees.
5. Chamois
Scientific name: Rupicapra rupicapra
Chamois are mountain goats found in the mountains of southern and central Europe. They’re goat-antelope species with dark brown bodies, white faces, and a black stripe below their eyes. These creatures also have two long horns on their heads that curve backward.
These goats are social animals that feed on grasses, herbs, shrubs, leaves, and roots in herds of up to 30 individuals.
6. Silversides
Scientific name: Menidia menidia
The silverside fish is a small type of marine fish found in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. They‘re distinguished by their silver scales, which provide camouflage in the water.
Silversides live in shallow water and feed on algae, plankton, and other small organisms. You can find these fishes in schools close to the shore or at sea. They’re bottom dwellers who prefer sandy or muddy areas covered in seaweed.
7. Great argus
Scientific name: Argusianus argus
The Great Argus is a pheasant found in Southeast Asia. This species lives in the jungles and is known for being a gentle and calm bird.
They have brown feathers and a bald blue head with a black crown. Their wings also have eye-like patterns.
During mating season, males will clear a grassy area of twigs and debris before making loud cries and dancing around the female while raising their wings, showing off the unique eye pattern on their wings.
8. Wandering albatross
Scientific name: Diomedea exulans
Wandering albatross is a large, long-winged seabird that can be found in the southern ocean and northern hemisphere. They have a very long lifespan, with some living for more than 60 years.
They’re monogamous and only breed every two years, laying one egg. Both parents incubate the egg for about two months. Krill, crustaceans, mollusks, squid, small fish, and carrion are the preferred foods of wandering albatrosses.
9. King colobus
Scientific name: Colobus polykomos
The king colobus monkey is only found in Africa, where it lives in tropical rainforests, wooded grasslands, and riverine forests. They live in small groups of up to four females and one to three males. The most dominant male usually leads this group.
These monkeys are herbivores that eat leaves, fruit, and flowers. These animals’ bodies are black, with a white tail and silver fringes around the face and shoulders. Because of this, they’re also called ‘western black-and-white colobus’.
10. Giant pacific octopus
Scientific name: Enteroctopus dofleini
The Giant Pacific octopus is one of the ocean’s most fascinating creatures. It lives in northern Pacific waters and is one of the world’s largest octopus species.
This magnificent octopus can grow to be more than 16 feet long, with males being smaller than females. They typically weigh more than 50 pounds, with the heaviest discovered weighing in at around 200 pounds.
Crabs, shrimp, clams, and other small fish are among their favorite foods. They also consume worms and other small invertebrates found on the ocean floor.
11. Platypus
Scientific name: Ornithorhynchus anatinus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal native to eastern Australia. They’re a nocturnal species that spend the majority of their time in the water and only come out to breed on land. These mammals have a duck-like bill, webbed hind feet, and an otter-like tail.
As carnivores, platypuses feed on small animals such as small fish, insects, and crustaceans. They’re among the most unusual mammals because, unlike others, they produce venom and lay eggs.
12. Black rhinoceros
Scientific name: Diceros bicornis
The Black Rhinoceros is one of the world’s most recognizable and iconic animals. It is found in Africa, where it lives in grasslands and savannas. It has a thick skin that protects it from predators and can live for 30 to 50 years.
The iconic rhino eats grasses and shrubs and spends the majority of its day eating. It can also consume up to 120 pounds of food per day.
13. Blue-ringed octopus
Scientific name: Hapalochlaena maculosa
The Greater blue-ringed octopus is a small species of octopus that lives in the waters of Australia. With a maximum length of around eight inches, it is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Due to their venom, this species is also known as the most deadly of all cephalopods.
Their natural habitat is shallow water, such as tidepools and shallow coral reefs. The Greater blue-ringed octopus feeds primarily on crustaceans, which they paralyze with their venom.
14. Walrus
Scientific name: Odobenus rosmarus
The walrus is a large marine mammal found in the Arctic. They’re extremely social and live in herds of up to thousands of individuals.
These animals live in a hierarchical system based on age, tusk size, and body size. The larger and older they’re, the more they’ll fit into the dominant group. Walruses dive into the sea to eat clams, mollusks, worms, shrimp, and crabs.
15. Praying mantis
Scientific name: Mantis religiosa
The praying mantis is one of the most striking insects in the world. It is a carnivorous animal that eats insects and small animals like frogs, lizards, and even small birds.
They have a triangular head and long slender legs and are typically greenish or brown in color. It has an elongated body with two pairs of wings that are held folded over its body when at rest. The female usually grows to be larger than the male.
16. Ass
Scientific name: Equus asinus
Asses are a subfamily of equids, and are closely related to horses. They’re mostly found in northeastern Africa, where they live in deserts, forests, and savannas.
Males in this species are territorial and won’t allow any other males to approach their territory. They attract and communicate with others by using their sounds.
As herbivores, their teeth are designed to bite and tear off plants from their roots. They’ll also consume grasses and forbs such as monkeyflower and evening primrose.
17. Daddy longlegs
Scientific name: Pholcus phalangioides
Daddy longlegs are one of the most widespread and recognizable arachnids due to their long legs. They’re most commonly found in cities, especially inside buildings and houses where these spiders aren’t disturbed.
These creatures are solitary animals that usually catch food by weaving webs. Daddy longlegs primarily eat small insects, much like other arachnids, but they’re also known for invading and feeding on other spiders and using their webs to catch prey.
