Mammalian species like the quokka and quoll; avian species like quails, quetzals, and quelea; fish like the queen angelfish and Queensland lungfish; invertebrates like the quahog and Queen Alexandra’s birdwing butterfly; and extinct animals like the quagga and Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle are among those that start with Q.
Beginning with Q, this page has a list of numerous fascinating species, as well as images and information on each.
Links are provided underneath each animal for further information and photos.
Individual species (such as the quokka) and groupings of animals (such as quail) are included in this list.
Each of the individual species has its scientific name and conservation status included.
Qinling Panda
- Scientific name: Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Family: Ursidae (the bear family)
- Where found: Asia
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
One of the two subspecies of giant pandas is the Qinling panda. It is thought to have split from the typical black and white giant panda some 300,000 years ago.
(When a species has two or more distinct populations, and substantial physical or behavioral differences exist between the individuals of each population, it is divided into subspecies.)
Brown and light brown fur, a smaller skull, and a smaller size distinguish the Qinling panda from the large panda. Instead of spanning the whole eye, the Qinling panda’s eye patches are located beneath it.
The Qinling panda may be found in eastern China’s Shaanxi Province, as the name suggests, in the Qinling mountains. Pollution from industrial operations is threatening the subspecies, which is thought to number only about 100 individuals.
Quagga
- Scientific name: Equus quagga quagga
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Family: Equidae
- Where found: Africa
- Conservation status: Extinct
The plains zebra’s quagga subspecies is now extinct. Southern South Africa was where it was discovered.
The quagga had stripes only on the front half of its body, unlike the well-known black and white striped plains zebra. Its legs and undersides were white, while its back was brown. The quagga was first categorized as a distinct species rather than a subspecies due to these distinctions.
Between 120,000 and 290,000 years ago, the quagga is thought to have separated from other plains zebras.
In 1900, the quagga was declared to be extinct. Overhunting was the reason for its extinction.
The Quagga Project seeks to resurrect quaggas by breeding living plains zebras with quagga-like traits, which started in 1987.
Quahog (Hard Clam)
- Scientific name: Mercenaria mercenaria
- Type of animal: Mollusk
- Family: Veneridae
- Where found: Atlantic Ocean
- Conservation status: Unassessed
The terms “hard clam” and “northern quahog” are also used to describe the quahog. It’s a mollusc that lives on the eastern side of North America’s coast. It has a white or gray shell that is 7.62 cm / 3 inches in diameter, with up to 12.7 cm / 5 inches being reported.
The quahog’s shell is composed of two parts, which are joined by a hinge and can be opened and closed like other bivalves. A valve is the name for each half of the shell.
The quahog, like other clams, is a filter feeder that draws nutrients from particles in the water.
The quahog is Rhode Island’s official shellfish and is found along the coast. Family Guy is a fictitious Rhode Island city that is the setting of an animated comedy.
Quail
- Type of animal: Bird
- Order: Galliformes
tiny to mid-sized gamebirds known as quails They are related to turkeys and chickens in the Galliformes order of birds.
Quails come in two different families around the globe. The pheasant family, Phasianidae, includes quails that are found in the Old World.
Birds in the other quail family, Odontophoridae, or New World quails, are more closely related to old world quails than birds such as pheasants and turkeys.
Quails only fly for brief distances and spend the majority of their lives on the ground. Domesticated quail species have been developed for culinary purposes. In many nations, quail eggs are regarded a delicacy.
Quechuan Hocicudo
- Scientific name: Oxymycterus hucucha
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Family: Cricetidae
- Where found: South America
- Conservation status: Endangered
In Bolivia’s Andean cloud forests, the Quechuan Hocicudo is a rat-like rodent. This species is poorly understood. It’s primarily insectivorous, and its large claws are most likely used to dig invertebrates out of the ground.
Cricetidae, or hamsters, voles, and lemmings, are all members of the same family.
Deforestation is jeopardizing the species’s survival. To make way for cattle pasture, most of the native cloud forest has been cleared.
Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Butterfly
- Scientific name: Ornithoptera alexandrae
- Type of animal: Insect
- Family: Papilionidae
- Where found: New Guinea
- Conservation status: Endangered
The world’s biggest butterfly is the Queen Alexandra’s birdwing butterfly. Females may grow to 25 cm (9.84 in.) and males may weigh up to 12 grams (0.42 oz.). Males, who are smaller, are iridescent green and black, while females are brown and white.
Only a small area of Papua New Guinea is home to the Queen Alexandra’s birdwing.
Habitat loss is the species’ endangered status. Palm oil plantations have destroyed much of the rainforest in which it lives. Much of the insect’s natural habitat was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Lamington (a neighboring volcano).
Queen Angelfish
- Scientific name: Holacanthus ciliaris
- Type of animal: Fish
- Family: Pomacanthidae
- Where found: Atlantic Ocean
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The marine angelfish family, Pomacanthidae, includes the queen angelfish. It can be found on North and South American coral reefs.
The queen angelfish has a slender, tall, and vividly colored body, as do other members of its family. Other angelfish are distinguished from this species by its blue and yellow coloration, as well as a large area (the species’ “crown”) on the foreskull.
The queen angelfish’s diet primarily consists of sponges.
Queen Of Sheba’s Gazelle
- Scientific name: Gazella bilkis
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Family: Bovidae
- Where found: Asia
- Conservation status: Extinct
The Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle was last seen in 1951, despite its popularity. It is uncertain why it went extinct, although it is known that the army hunted it for food.
The Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle is a mystery. nothing is known about it. Some investigations have shown it to be a subspecies of mountain gazelle, so it’s possible that it isn’t even a separate species.
Gazelles are a genus of small, swift-running antelopes. There are ten different species that have been discovered.
Queen Snake
- Scientific name: Regina septemvittata
- Type of animal: Reptile
- Family: Colubridae
- Where found: North America
- Conservation status: Least Concern
In North America, the queen snake is a non-venomous snake. Eastern North America and southern Canada are home to this species.
The queen snake is a semiaquatic species that lives near rivers and streams. It belongs to the Colubridae family, which includes 2,046 species (source), more than any other snake family.
The queen snake’s undersides are cream with dark stripes, and the back is dark brown / green. The snake measures 38 to 61 cm (15 to 42 in) in length.
Queen Snapper
- Scientific name: Etelis oculatus
- Type of animal: Fish
- Family: Lutjanidae
- Where found: Atlantic Ocean
- Conservation status: Data Deficient
The snapper family, Lutjanidae, contains approximately 113 species and includes the queen snapper.
The queen snapper has a pink back and sides with a pale underbelly that grows to about 1 m / 3.28 ft. It feeds on squid and tiny fish, and lives at the sea bed.
Queen snapper, a sought-after food fish found in the Western Atlantic Ocean..
Queen Triggerfish
- Scientific name: Balistes vetula
- Type of animal: Fish
- Family: Balistidae
- Where found: Atlantic Ocean
- Conservation status: Near Threatened
The queen triggerfish belongs to the Balistidae family of triggerfish and is also known as the “old wife.” Although the color varies significantly between individuals, it is typically blue and yellow on one side and yellow on the other.
The queen triggerfish is one of 42 species in the Balistidae family, and it’s also known as the “old wife.” It has a yellow throat and typically has blue and yellow sides. Individual colors vary widely.
Queensland Grouper
- Scientific name: Epinephelus lanceolatus
- Type of animal: Fish
- Family: Serranidae
- Where found: Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean
- Conservation status: Data Deficient
The Queensland grouper is a huge fish that lives in hot seas in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is also known as the giant grouper.
The Queensland grouper is one of the world’s biggest bony fish, as well as the world’s biggest bony fish found on coral reefs, measuring 2.7 meters (8.86 feet) in length and weighing 400 kilograms (880 pounds).
(In contrast to fish like sharks, whose bones are made of a softer substance known as cartilage, bony fish are animals with real bone in their skeletons.)
The Queensland grouper, a member of the Epinephelinae subfamily of fish, is found from the east coast of Africa to Hawaii and is the most widely distributed. Stocky, robust, and swift-swimming fish belong to the groupers.
Queensland Lungfish
- Scientific name: Neoceratodus forsteri
- Type of animal: Fish
- Family: Neoceratodontidae
- Where found: Australia
- Conservation status: Endangered
Lungfish species are extremely rare in Queensland. Lungfish are the only fish that can breathe air rather than obtaining oxygen from water via gills, in contrast to the vast majority of fish.
The Queensland lungfish has just one lung, unlike other lungfish, and can use its gills.
In northern Queensland, Australia, the Queensland lungfish can be found in still or sluggish rivers.
Lungfish, a lobe-finned fish species that dates back millions of years, are being studied by scientists for insights into how fish evolved into land creatures.
Queensland Ringtail Possum
- Scientific name: Pseudocheirus peregrinus
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Family: Pseudocheiridae
- Where found: Australia
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The Queensland ringtail possum, which is more commonly known as the common ringtail possum, is a marsupial (pouched mammal) found only in Australia.
The grey-furred common ringtail possum is comparable to a cat in size. When climbing, its tail is prehensile (capable of holding).
The nighttime animal can be found in rainforests to metropolitan environments. The species has evolved to live in gardens, which are often found near human habitation. The grey-furred ringtail possum is about the size of a cat, and it has white underbellies. When climbing, its tail is prehensile (capable of grabbing).
From rainforests to urban settings, this nocturnal creature may be found. The species has learnt to coexist with humans, and can frequently be found in gardens.
Queensland Tube-Nosed Fruit Bat
- Scientific name: Nyctimene robinsoni
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Family: Pteropodidae
- Where found: Australia
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The eastern tube-nosed bat is another name for the Queensland tube-nosed fruit bat. It can be found in northern Australia’s tropical rainforests. New Guinea has also been connected to unconfirmed sightings.
The wings of the species are brown with pale dots. Its prominent, tube-shaped nostrils earned it the name.
The Queensland tube-nosed fruit bat, like other megabats of the Pteropodidae family, feeds on sight and smell, unlike insect-eating microbats.
Quelea (Red Billed)
- Scientific name: Quelea quelea
- Type of animal: Bird
- Family: Ploceidae
- Where found: Africa
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The red-billed quelea is a little bird that can be found in sub-Saharan Africa (specifically, the region south of the Sahara Desert). It features a cream chest and a robust red beak. Its wings are light brown. Males and femen have black faces and orange heads that separate them.
The world’s most common wild bird species is the red-billed quelea. There are roughly 1.5 billion individuals in the population of the species.
The red-billed quelea, which searches for food in huge flocks, is found across the country. The species eats seeds and may harm crops severely. As a result, poisons and other techniques are often used to manage the red-billed quelea.
Quetzal
- Type of animal: Bird
- Family: Trogonidae
- Where found: South America, North America
Quetzals are six species of brightly-colored birds found in tropical regions of Central and South America.
A large degree of sexual dimorphism exists in quetzals, with females often being significantly less colorful than males.
(“Sexual dimorphism” is a term used to describe a marked difference in the physical appearance of males and females of the same species.)
Perhaps the best-known quetzal is the resplendent quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno. The male of this species is known for its bright green plumage and long tail, which reaches lengths of 1 m / 3.28 ft.; over twice the length of the body.
Quokka
- Scientific name: Setonix brachyurus
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Family: Macropodidae
- Where found: Australia
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
The quokka is an animal that must be on any list of Q-animals. The kangaroo family, Macropodidae, includes this cat-sized marsupial. It can be found on the mainland and in a number of neighboring islands in the south-west of Western Australia. Rottnest Island has the highest number of quokkas.
Within its range, the species had once again become widespread and common. Non-native predators such as foxes and cats were introduced, and the species was designated as Vulnerable as a result.
Quoll
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Family: Dasyuridae
- Where found: Australia, New Guinea
Six species of small to medium-sized carnivorous marsupials are known as quolls. The eastern, western, northern, and tiger quolls are all found in Australia, while the bronze and New Guinean quoll can be found on New Guinea.
Quolls are nocturnal animals that live alone. These are meat-eaters, devouring tiny creatures like flies, birds, and reptiles.
Quolls, like many other indigenous Australian species, have been impacted by the introduction of non-native species such as cats, dogs, foxes, and cane toads.
The other four species have the conservation classification of “Near Threatened,” while both the northern and eastern quolls are endangered today.
Animals That Start With Q: Conclusion
We hope that you’ve discovered some interesting animals with names beginning with Q on this page.