Mammalian species such as uakaris, Uinta chipmunk, Utah prairie dog, and unadorned rock wallaby; avian species like umbrellabirds and Uluguru violet-backed sunbird; insect species like the Ulysses butterfly; and fish like the unicorn crestfish are among those that begin with U.
Beginning with U, this page has a list of several other fascinating species, as well as images and information on each one.
Individual species (the Utah prairie dog) and groupings of species (e.g., umbrellabirds) are included in this list, as are other taxa whose names start with U.
Each of the separate species has its scientific name and conservation status listed.
List Of Animals Beginning With U
All of the animals are shown in photos and facts on the page below.
Uakari
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Pitheciidae
Genus: Cacajao
Where found: South America
The genus Cacajao includes several monkeys, including Uakaris. Bald heads, long shaggy coats, and short tails distinguish these unusual monkeys.
The conservation status of each of the four uakari species is described below:
- Cacajao calvus is a vulnerable species of uakari.
- Cacajao melanocephalus, Least Concern Golden-backed / black-headed uakari
- Neblina uakari is a Least Concern species, while Aracá uakari is Endangered.
The Amazon rainforest is home to all four uakaris. The saki monkeys and titi monkeys are their closest cousins, and the three monkey families belong to the Pitheciidae family.
The “New World Monkeys,” which include Pitheciidae, are one of five monkey families. Before the evolution of apes from Old World monkeys, the New World monkeys split from the Old World monkeys.
Apes (including people) are more closely related to Old World monkeys than to New World monkeys like uakaris, therefore they are more closely related.
Ugandan Kob
Scientific name: Kobus kob thomasi
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Bovidae
Where found: Africa
Conservation status: Least Concern
The kob, a Central African antelope, has several subspecies. The Ugandan kob is one of them.
Kobs are a kind of antelope that stands about 2 meters tall. Males have backwards-pointing, spiraled, lyre-shaped horns that are just slightly bigger than females.
The reddish-brown coat of the Uganda kob subspecies distinguishes it from other kob subspecies, which range in color from light brown to dark brown.
In Uganda, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, the Ugandan kob lives in shrublands and grasslands.
The Ugandan kob subspecies is now locally extinct in both Kenya and Tanzania as a result of hunting and habitat destruction, despite the fact that it is not currently endangered.
Uguisu (Japanese Bush Warbler)
Scientific name: Horornis diphone
Type of animal: Bird
Family: Cettiidae
Where found: Asia
Conservation status: Least Concern
The Japanese bush warbler (uguisu is the Japanese name for the species) is a tiny songbird that is better known as the uguisu.
The Japanese bush warbler is found throughout most of Japan and the northern Philippines all year. It is migratory in some areas and can be found periodically in China, Korea, and Taiwan.
The Japanese bush warbler, like many other warblers, is a small bird with pale brown-grey plumage. It is nondescript. Its well-known song may be heard from early spring and is famous for its pleasant melody.
Uinta Chipmunk
Scientific name: Neotamias umbrinus
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Sciuridae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
Chipmunks exist in North America, with 25 species represented. (Just the Siberian chipmunk, which is found in Asia, exists outside of North America.)
In western United States, the Uinta chipmunk resides in hilly forests. With a reddish-brown coat and white stripes over the face and back, it is a medium-sized species.
The Uinta chipmunk is a squirrel-like rodent and belongs to the Sciuridae family, like all chipmunks. It eats mostly plants, but will devour insects and carrion on rare occasions.
The Uinta Mountains in Utah and Wyoming inspired the name of the chipmunk.
Uinta Ground Squirrel
Scientific name: Urocitellus armatus
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Sciuridae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
In Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Utah in the United States, the Uinta ground squirrel is a rodent. Grasslands and shrublands are its preferred habitat. It has a moderately bushy tail and brown-gray fur.
Only a few months of the year are the species active. It returns to its burrow as early as mid-July and hibernates until mid-March the following year.
The Uinta ground squirrel belongs to the Sciuridae family of squirrels, as do other ground squirrels. The Uinta Mountains in Utah and Wyoming inspired the species’ name.
Ultimate Shrew
Scientific name: Crocidura ultim
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Soricidae
Where found: Africa
Conservation status: Data Deficient
The shrew family, Soricidae, which lives in highland tropical woods in Kenya, includes the ultimate shrew.
Because there is a lack of available data, the species’ conservation status is unclear; nevertheless, human activities such as logging and the development of towns pose a significant threat to its habitat.
Mice are not rodents, despite the fact that shrews resemble them. In reality, hedgehogs, moles, and solenodons are more closely related to shrews than humans are.
Uluguru Violet-Backed Sunbird
Scientific name: Anthreptes neglectus
Type of animal: Bird
Family: Nectariniidae
Where found: Africa
Conservation status: Least Concern
In Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania, in East Africa, the Uluguru violet-backed sunbird is a species of sunbird. The males’ iridescent purple-blue plumage inspired the name
The Uluguru violet-backed sunbird, like other small passerine (perching birds), has a downward-curving beak that is an adaptation for nectar eating.
A “superspecies” or “species complex” is a group of species that are so closely related that it is difficult to tell them apart. The Uluguru violet-backed sunbird is one of four species that make up this group.
Ulysses Butterfly
Scientific name: Papilio ulysses
Type of animal: Insect
Family: Papilionidae
Where found: Australia, Asia
Conservation status: Unknown
Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and neighboring islands are home to the Ulysses butterfly, a big butterfly.
The Ulysses butterfly’s hindwings feature elongated streamers, as do those of many swallowtail butterflies. It has a 14 cm (5.5 in) wingspan.
Because of its striking appearance, enormous size, and vivid blue color, the species is well-known.
Tropical rainforests are home to the Ulysses butterfly. The Papilionidae family of swallowtail butterflies includes over 550 species.
Umbrellabird
Type of animal: Bird
Family: Cotingidae
Genus: Cephalopterus
Where found: Central America / South America
In Central and South America, umbrellabirds are three different types of mid to big rainforest birds. The umbrella-shaped crest that covers their heads inspired their names.
The long-wattled umbrellabird, Amazonian umbrellabird, and Bare-necked umbrellabirds are the three species of umbrellabirds. The genus Cephalopterus is named after them.
The black plumage of all umbrellabirds, as well as their distinctive meaty bag, which is called a wattle, hangs from the neck. The birds’ booming calls are amplified by inflating this pouch.
The Costa Rican and Panamanian bare-necked umbrellabird is an endangered species. Habitat loss from banana and pineapple plantations is the main threat to the species.
Unadorned Rock Wallaby
Scientific name: Petrogale inornata
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Macropodidae
Where found: Australia
Conservation status: Least Concern
In Queensland, Australia, the unadorned rock wallaby is a mid-sized marsupial. With a long tail, strong hind legs, and shorter arms, it has the body form of a kangaroo family animal, Macropodidae.
The plain rock wallaby is nocturnal and extremely agile, able to climb on rocky terrain with ease. It is similar to other rock wallabies. Its name comes from the fact that it has a light, plain coat.
Unalaska
Scientific name: Canis familiaris / Canis lupus familiaris
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Canidae
Where found: Antarctica
Conservation status: Domestic
The sled dog, Unalaska, is one of the few species that starts with the letter U. Admiral Richard E. Unalaska, a naval officer and explorer, was the lead dog on the expedition. Between 1928 and 1930, the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition was conducted.
Wolf and St. Unalaska were both present. Bernard is a mixed breed of setter and Siberian husky. He wore a white coat that was spotless.
Unalaska assisted in the sleds that carried Byrd and the other members of the expedition as they performed scientific operations in some of the world’s most difficult conditions, which were hand-picked by Admiral Byrd himself.
Unalaska was added to a traveling lecture program about the journey when he returned to the United States.
Unalaska was hit by a vehicle and murdered while the concert was in Monroe, Louisiana. At the gardens of the city’s Georgia Tucker assisted living community, a memorial to this courageous dog may still be seen.
Unau
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Choloepodidae
Where found: Central America, South America
Conservation status: Least Concern
A two-toed sloth is also known as an au. The forests of Central and South America are home to two-toed sloths, a kind of mammal. They, like all sloths, are arboreal (tree-dwelling) creatures that spend their lives hanging upside-down from branches.
Linnaeus’ two-toed sloth Choloepus didactylus and Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth Choloepus hoffmanni are the only two-toed sloth species.
Zoologists are the inspiration for both species’ names.
- Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish scientist who contributed to the taxonomy system of categorizing species, is commemorated by Linnaeus’ two-toed sloth.
- Karl Hoffmann, a German physician and naturalist who discovered various new species, is honored by Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth.
The Choloepodidae family includes only two-toed sloths, which are the sole living members.
The three-toed sloths belong to the Choloepodidae family, which is one of two sloth families.
There are six living sloth species, two of which have two toes and four of which have three toes.
The three-toed sloths have three toes on their hind legs, whereas the two-toed sloths only have two toes on their front legs.
Underwood’s Long-Tongued Bat
Scientific name: Hylonycteris underwoodi
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Phyllostomidae
Where found: Central America, Mexico
Conservation status: Least Concern
The Phyllostomidae family of New World leaf-nosed bats includes Underwood’s long-tongued bat.
The two hundred or more members of this family have huge or complicated nares, which is an adaptation thought to assist with echolocation.
(Bats and other creatures use sound to “see” their surroundings.) These animals can perceive distances and locate prey by listening to the reverberations generated by their calls.)
The long-tongued bat, which is native to Mexico and Central America, is rather frequent across its area. Nectar, pollen, and fruit are among its foods.
Unicorn Crestfish
Scientific name: Eumecichthys fiski
Type of animal: Fish
Family: Lophotidae
Where found: Tropical and Subtropical Waters Worldwide
Conservation status: Least Concern
The unicorncrestfish is a tropical and subtropical fish that lives in oceans all over the world. It’s also known as the unicornfish.
The body of this rarely seen species is silver and eel-like. Its horn-like bump on the face, which looks like a unicorn’s horn, is what gives it its name.
The bathyal zone, which is a zone of the sea ranging from one to four kilometers (.62 to 2.5 miles) in depth, is home to the unicorn crestfish. This region of the ocean is completely exposed to sunlight.
The unicorn crestfish produces ink, similar to cephalopods such as squid and octopuses, to deter predators.
Unstriped Ground Squirrel
Scientific name: Xerus rutilus
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Sciuridae
Where found: Africa
Conservation status: Least Concern
Several east African countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania, have populations of the unstriped ground squirrel. The squirrel family, Sciuridae, contains about 286 species.
Dry savannas and shrublands are home to this species. It has no stripes down its sides and is a sandy-brown color, unlike other African ground squirrels.
The leaves, fruits, seeds, and insects that the unstriped ground squirrel consumes are found in its burrows.
Ural Field Mouse
Scientific name: Apodemus uralensis
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Muridae
Where found: Europe, Asia
Conservation status: Least Concern
The Ural field mouse is one of over 700 species in the Muridae family, and it’s also known as the herb field mouse and pygmy field mouse. Mice, rats, and gerbils are just a few of the rodents that belong to this animal family.
The eastern European and Asian counterparts of the Ural field mouse live in fields, forests, and woodland borders.
Urial
Scientific name: Ovis vignei
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Bovidae
Where found: Asia
Conservation status: Vulnerable
In Central and South Asia, the urial is a species of wild sheep. It belongs to the Caprinae subfamily of the Bovidae family, which includes both sheep and goats.
The urial, often referred to as an arkars or shapo, dwells in colonies that normally range from 30 to more than one hundred individuals.
The male urial features huge, backwards-spiralring, ridge horns that may grow to 1 m / 3.3 ft in length. It’s a long way down. Female horns have a shorter circumference than those of males.
While it may also be found on rocky cliffs and in cold deserts, the species prefers grasslands and woodlands.
Uromastyx
Type of animal: Reptile
Family: Agamidae
Where found: Africa, Asia
The genus Uromastyx contains mid-to-big lizards that are closely related. North Africa and the Middle East are home to these creatures.
As a defense mechanism, uromastyx lizards have thick, spiked tails that may be swung at rapid speeds at attackers. These are mostly vegetarian creatures that may occasionally eat insects.
Some Uromastyx species are kept as pets.
Utah Prairie Dog
Scientific name: Cynomys parvidens
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Sciuridae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Endangered
Prairie dogs are only found in North America and belong to the squirrel family, Sciuridae.
The five species of prairie dogs range in size from the Utah prairie dog to the giant burrowing machine. The grasslands of Utah are home to this species, as the name suggests.
From light, reddish-brown to sandy-yellow, the Utah prairie dog rangers have a wide range of colors. It has black patches on its cheeks and a dark ‘eyebrow. It has a white tip to its tail.
In enormous, multi-chambered burrows, the Utah prairie dog resides with its extended family. The species has been the target of severe persecution by farmers who wish to protect their livelihoods since it is capable of inflicting enormous losses to crops and fields.
The species has become endangered as a result of this persecution and continued habitat loss.
Animals That Start With U: Conclusion
We hope that you’ve discovered some interesting animals with names beginning with U on this page.