Animals That Start With M: List With Pictures & Interesting Facts

Animals that start with M include mammals such as the mandrill, manatee, maned wolf and moose; birds such as the macaroni penguin, macaw and martial eagle; fish such as the manta ray and monkfish; and invertebrates such as the millipede and monarch butterfly.

On this page is a list containing these and many other interesting animals beginning with M, together with pictures and facts on each species.

Below each animal, you’ll find links that you can follow for further information, pictures and videos.

Included in this list are individual species (e.g., mandrill) and groups of animals (e.g., moths) whose names begin with M.

The scientific name and conservation status are provided for each of the individual species.


Index

animals beginning with m

Scroll down to see pictures and facts on all of the animals, or use the index below to go directly to a particular animal.

List Of Animals Beginning With M

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Macaque

Barbary Macaque
Barbary Macaque
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkey family)
  • Genus: Macaca
  • Where found: Africa, Asia, Europe (the Barbary macaque)
  • Conservation status: Various

Macaques are monkeys in the genus Macaca. There are 23 recognized species of macaque. The only macaque not to be found in either Asia or Africa is the Barbary macaque.

(The Barbary macaque is found both in North Africa and in Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory in Europe.)

Whereas most macaques are herbivorous (plant-eating), some species are omnivorous (they eat both plants and meat).

Well known macaque species include the Barbary macaque, rhesus macaque and crab-eating macaque.

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Macaroni Penguin

Macaroni Penguin
Macaroni penguins (with chinstrap penguins in the background).
  • Scientific name: Eudyptes chrysolophus
  • Type of animal: Bird
  • Family: Spheniscidae
  • Where found: Sub Antarctic and Antarctic peninsula
  • Conservation status: Vulnerable

During the breeding season, the macaroni penguin forms vast colonies that can contain up to 2.5 million individuals. The species is monogamous, generally mating for life.

It is estimated that there are around 18 million macaroni penguins in the wild, making the species the most abundant of all penguins.

Despite being relatively abundant, the macaroni penguin is listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN, as its population has dropped by 50% in the last 50 years.

The macaroni penguin is around 71 cm / 28 in. tall, and has an average weight of 6 kg / 13.2 lbs.

Like all penguins, the Macaroni penguin has bones that are denser than those of flighted birds. This is an adaption for helping the bird to dive and remain deep underwater for long periods of time.

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Macaw

Macaw
Scarlet Macaw
  • Type of animal: Bird
  • Order: Psittaciformes
  • Where found: Central and South America

Macaws are parrots with large beaks, long tails, and featherless faces (macaws are known to blush when they’re excited). There are 17 living macaw species. These brightly-colored birds are native to Central and South America.

Macaws are popular pets due to their colorful appearance, inquisitive personality and ability to mimic human speech. Unfortunately, the birds’ popularity has led to a dramatic decline in their wild populations, as they often fall prey to the illegal pet trade.

Macaws are social birds that form monogamous pairs. There is no sexual dimorphism between the sexes, which is somewhat uncommon among brightly-colored bird species.

Macaws are mainly herbivorous, eating different types of flowers, fruits, seeds and nuts. Their powerful beaks are specially adapted for cracking open hard plant material. Macaws are opportunistic feeders and will also eat eggs, small lizards and insects if the opportunity arises.

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Magellanic Penguin

Magellanic Penguin
  • Scientific name: Spheniscus magellanicus
  • Type of animal: Bird
  • Family: Spheniscidae
  • Where found: South America
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The Magellanic penguin is a found on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern South America. A migratory species, it travels south for the breeding season, spending the rest of the year in warmer waters further north.

This Magellanic penguin has special adaptations for life in warmer environments, including callus formations on the face that help the penguin thermoregulate. It can also extend its flippers upwards, so that more of its body is exposed to cool breezes.

Like all penguin species, the Magellanic penguin is carnivorous, with a diet consisting of fish, krill, squid and crustaceans.

The penguin’s diet varies depending on where a colony is located; colonies in the north eat mostly anchovies, while colonies in the south feed mainly on squid.

The Magellanic penguin is very vocal and has different vocalizations for territorial fights, alarm calls, mutual calls and many more. The species mates for life, with mated pairs relying on tactile and visual cues to strengthen their bond.

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Magpie

Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian Magpie
  • Type of animal: Bird
  • Family: Corvidae
  • Where found: Europe, Asia, North America
  • Conservation status: Various

Magpies are birds in the crow family, Corvidae. Most are mid-sized birds with long tails and striking plumage. One group of magpies, the genus Pica, are known for their black and white coloration. Other magpies are more colorful.

Several birds, such as the Australian magpie, have “magpie” in their names despite not being true magpies.

Magpies, like all crows, are highly intelligent. The Eurasian magpie, Pica pica, is able to recognize itself in a mirror; something that very few animals are able to do.

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Malayan Civet

Malayan Civet
  • Scientific name: Viverra tangalunga
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Viverridae
  • Where found: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The Malayan civet is a solitary, nocturnal mammal that can be found in a wide variety of habitats including grasslands, brush and primary and secondary forests.

Although usually found on the forest floor, the Malayan civet is equipped with retractable claws and is a good climber.

This Asian mammal is a skilled predator of small mammals, birds and insects. It will also eat eggs and some fruits and roots.

The Malayan civet weighs between 5 to 11 kg / 11 to 24.3 lbs. Its elongated body can reach a length of up to 143 cm / 53.3 in., with its tail making up for about a third of the total length. Its fur is a brownish or greyish color with black spots and a dark line running along the back.

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Malayan Tiger

Malayan tiger
  • Scientific name: Panthera tigris tigris
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Felidae
  • Where found: Peninsular Malaysia
  • Conservation status: Endangered

Although there is only one species of tiger, there are several different types, or subspecies, of tiger. One of these subspecies is the mainland Asian tiger, and Malayan tigers are members of this subspecies that are found on the Malaysian Peninsula.

The Malayan tiger is a relatively small type of tiger. Its coat is a darker orange, and its stripes shorter and thinner, than those of most other tigers.

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Mallard

Mallard Male Duck
Male Mallard
  • Scientific name: Anas platyrhynchos
  • Type of animal: Bird
  • Family: Anatidae
  • Where found: Europe, North America, Africa, Australia (introduced)
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The mallard is a species of duck found in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere (the species has also been introduced into Australia).

Due to its wide range and ability to live in urban environments, the mallard is one of the world’s best-known birds. If you’ve ever fed bread to the ducks on the pond at your local park, chances are they were mallards!

As is the case with many ducks, the male mallard is much more colorful than the female, having a metallic green head and a deep brown chest. The female is pale brown all over. Both male and female mallards have a flash of blue on their wings.

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Manatee

West Indian Manatee
West Indian Manatee
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Trichechidae
  • Genus: Trichechus
  • Where found: North America; South America; Africa
  • Conservation status: Vulnerable

Manatees are large marine mammals. These slow-moving and rather docile animals are also known as ‘sea cows’. Their closest living relatives are elephants and hyraxes (small, rodent-like mammals found in Africa and the Middle East).

There are three species of manatee: the Amazonian manatee (found in the rainforests of South America), the West Indian manatee (found in the West Indies and North and Central America) and the West African manatee (found on the west coast of Africa). All three species have a "Vulnerable" conservation status.

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Mandrill

Mandrill
  • Scientific name: Mandrillus sphinx
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Cercopithecidae (The Old-World monkey family)
  • Where found: Africa
  • Conservation status: Vulnerable

The mandrill is the world’s largest species of monkey. It lives in large groups known as “hordes” in the rainforests of western Africa.

Male mandrills are highly distinctive, with blue snouts, red noses, and rumps that are equally as colorful! Females are considerably smaller and somewhat less colorful.

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Maned Wolf

Maned Wolf
  • Scientific name: Chrysocyon brachyurus
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Canidae (the dog family)
  • Where found: South America
  • Conservation status: Near Threatened

The maned wolf is a canid (member of the dog family, Canidae) found in the grasslands of central South America. It is both the largest canid found in South America, and the tallest of all wild dogs. This distinctive species has a shaggy, red-brown coat, long legs and large ears.

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Manta Ray

giant oceanic manta ray
Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
  • Scientific name: Mobula birostris (giant oceanic manta ray); Manta alfredi (reef manta ray).
  • Type of animal: Fish
  • Order: Myliobatiformes
  • Where found: Oceans worldwide
  • Conservation status: giant manta ray: Endangered; reef manta ray: Vulnerable

There are two species of manta ray: the giant oceanic manta ray and the reef manta ray.

The giant oceanic manta ray is found in temperate, tropical and subtropical oceanic waters, usually very far from land.

The reef manta ray, which is smaller, is found in coastal waters near coral reefs, primarily in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Manta rays are long-lived fish and have an average lifespan of 50 years. Females reach sexual maturity at around ten years of age and will usually produce just one (occasionally two) offspring every two years. Gestation is believed to last 12 - 13 months.

Unfortunately, both species of manta ray are victims of overfishing. Their gills are very popular in Chinese medicine, despite there being no scientific evidence that supports their use.

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Mantella Frog

Mantella Frog
  • Type of animal: Amphibian
  • Order: Anura
  • Genus: Mantella
  • Where found: Madagascar

There are 16 species of genus Mantella. These tiny tree frogs are around 5 cm / 2 in. in length and have an average weight of 56 gr / 2 oz; females are usually larger than males. Most are brightly-colored, although some have a dull appearance for camouflage.

Mantella frogs are diurnal insectivores (insect-eaters) that form social groups that contain twice as many males as females. Their average lifespan is 8 years.

Most mantella frogs produce toxins, and their bright coloration serves as a warning to potential predators.

A number of mantella species are colorful despite not being poisonous. By mimicking species that are toxic, the frogs lower their own risk of predation. This type of adaptation is known as “protective mimicry”.

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Mantis Shrimp

Mantis Shrimp
  • Type of animal: Crustacean
  • Order: Stomatopoda
  • Where found: Oceans worldwide
  • Conservation status: Various

There are over 450 species of mantis shrimp. Together, they make up the crustacean order Stomatopoda.

Mantis shrimp are mainly found in tropical and subtropical waters. These small to mid-sized crustaceans are predatory, and armed either with club or spear adaptations to their front appendages.

Mantis shrimps with clubs are known as “smashers”. Some species are powerful enough to break through aquarium glass!

The eyes of mantis shrimp are among the most complex in the entire animal kingdom. This is another adaptation for a predatory and territorial lifestyle.

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Margay

Margay
A female margay moves her kitten out of danger.
  • Scientific name: Leopardus wiedii
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Felidae
  • Where found: Central America; South America
  • Conservation status: Near Threatened

The margay is a small wild cat found deep in the rainforests of Central and South America. Its pale golden coat is marked with dark spots, rings and patches.

The margay is smaller than the related ocelot (another spotted wild cat with which the margay shares much of its range).

The margay is an expert at climbing trees. It can even climb down trees headfirst, using its specially-adapted, highly-flexible ankles.

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Marine Toad

Cane Toad

Marine toad is another name for the cane toad, an amphibian native to Central and South America, and an invasive species in several other regions.

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Markhor

Markhor
  • Scientific name: Capra falconeri
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Bovidae
  • Where found: Central and South Asia
  • Conservation status: Near Threatened

The markhor is a large wild goat that inhabits the Karakoram and Himalaya Mountain ranges in Asia. It is found at elevations of 600 - 3,600 m / 1,969 - 11,811 ft.

The male markhor possesses a pair of remarkable twisted horns that can reach 1.6 m / 5.25 ft. in length.

Male and female markhor have very noticeable physical and behavioral differences. The male is significantly larger, reaching up to 110 kg / 243 lbs., compared to the female’s 50 kg / 110 lbs. Whereas the female markhor is social, living in small herds, the male is solitary and will only join female herds briefly for mating.

The markhor is preyed upon by leopards, Himalayan lynxes, snow leopards and wolves; however, the markhor’s biggest threat is from humans; the species is heavily hunted, and its body parts are used in Asian medicine.

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Marmoset

Common Marmoset
Common Marmoset
  • Type of animal: Mammal (Primate)
  • Family: Callitrichidae
  • Where found: South America
  • Conservation status: Various

Marmosets are small monkeys that live in the forests of South America. All 22 species of marmoset belong to the family Callitrichidae, which is also home to tamarins.

Unlike other monkeys, marmosets have claws instead of nails.

Marmosets live and forage high in the forest canopy. They feed on insects, fruit and tree sap, which they obtain by gnawing holes in trunks and branches.

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Marmot

Yellow Bellied Marmot
Yellow Bellied Marmot
  • Type of animal: Mammal (order Rodentia)
  • Family: Sciuridae
  • Genus: Marmota
  • Where found: North America, Europe, Asia
  • Conservation status: Various

Marmots belonging to the genus Marmota, which is part of the squirrel family. They belong to a group of squirrels known as “ground squirrels”, which also includes prairie dogs and chipmunks.

Marmots are found North America, Europe and Asia. They are well-adapted for living in cold regions, having thick coats and small, furry ears.

Marmots are burrowing animals, equipped with strong claws for digging.

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Marsh Frog

Marsh Frog
  • Scientific name: Pelophylax ridibundus
  • Type of animal: Amphibian
  • Family: Ranidae
  • Where found: Europe and Western Asia
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The marsh frog is the largest frog found in Europe, with females growing to 13 cm / 5 in. in length. Males are smaller, reaching lengths of around 9 cm / 3.5 in.

This species is commonly referred to as “laughing frog” due to the sound of its calls. It spends most of its time in the water, and if threatened, will usually dive deeper underwater to hide.

The marsh frog is carnivorous, feeding mainly on a variety of insects. Larger individuals will also eat other amphibians and even small mice.

This frog has a mutualistic relationship (a relationship that is mutually beneficial) with water buffalos. It is known to hop onto the backs of wading buffalos and feast on the flies living in their thick coats.

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Martial Eagle

Martial Eagle
  • Scientific name: Polemaetus bellicosus
  • Type of animal: Bird
  • Family: Accipitridae
  • Where found: Africa
  • Conservation status: Endangered

The martial eagle is the largest eagle found in Africa. It has a wingspan of 6.33 ft.            / 1.93 m, which is longer than most people are tall.

The martial eagle hunts by soaring high above the African savanna. When a suitable prey animal is spotted, the eagle dives down on it at an incredibly high speed.

The diet of the martial eagle includes other birds and mammals such as monkeys, small antelopes, meerkats and hyraxes (small, rodent-like animals).

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Masked Palm Civet

Masked Palm Civet
Photo: Rejoice Gassah, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped / resized by ActiveWild.com)
  • Scientific name: Paguma larvata
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Viverridae
  • Where found: Asia
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The masked palm civet is the most abundant of all civet species and can be found in a wide range of forests and mountainous regions in Southeast Asia. It is named after the mask-like black and white markings on its face.

These civet’s bold coloration is thought to serve as a warning to predators that it is well-defended; animals that get too close are sprayed with a foul-smelling secretion produced by the civet’s anal glands. 

This solitary animal is nocturnal and arboreal (tree-dwelling), spending about 80% of its life in the trees. It spends the day resting in the highest part of trees and then spends around half of the night traveling, foraging and hunting.

An omnivore, the masked palm civet feeds mainly on fruits, but will also consume birds, insects and small vertebrates.

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Meerkat

Meerkats
  • Scientific name: Suricata suricatta
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Herpestidae (the mongoose family)
  • Where found: Africa
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The meerkat is a small mammal in the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It is found in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa.

The meerkat lives in large family groups known as “mobs”. There are usually around 20 meerkats in a mob, but some mobs can contain 50 or more individuals. Meerkats are diurnal (active during the day), and mainly eat insects.

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Megamouth Shark

Megamouth shark in museum
Megamouth shark in museum. Photo: opencage, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific name: Megachasma pelagios
  • Type of animal: Cartilaginous fish
  • Family: Megachasmidae
  • Where found: Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The megamouth shark has been encountered so infrequently that very little is known about this mysterious fish.

The species is one of three filter-feeding sharks (the other two being the whale shark and the basking shark) and is most likely diurnal, as it follows the swarms of krill on which it feeds.

This massive shark can reach lengths of 5 m / 16.4 ft. or more, and weighs over a ton (1,000 kg / 2204 lbs.). Females are bigger than males, and it is believed that this shark, like all other sharks, continues to grow indefinitely throughout its life.

The megamouth shark is thought to have a lifespan similar to that of the basking shark, which can live for around 50 years.

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Mexican Redknee Tarantula

Mexican Redknee Tarantula
  • Scientific name: Brachypelma smithi
  • Type of animal: Arachnid
  • Family: Theraphosidae
  • Where found: North America (Mexico)
  • Conservation status: Near Threatened

The Mexican redknee tarantula is a large spider found in hilly rainforest habitats in Mexico. It is one of 1,040 tarantula species, which together make up the tarantula family, Theraphosidae. If the spider looks familiar that’s because it’s the species of tarantula most often used in movies!

The Mexican redknee tarantula hunts at night and is an ambush predator. It senses the vibrations given off by other animals before pouncing and injecting its victim with venom. Its prey includes insects, frogs, lizards and mice.

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Millipede

Millipede
  • Type of animal: Arthropod
  • Class: Diplopoda
  • Conservation status: Various

Millipedes are a group of invertebrate animals known for having a large number of legs.

A millipede’s body is divided into many segments, each of which has two pairs of legs. Despite its name (which means ‘thousand feet’), a millipede usually has far fewer than a thousand legs.

(Centipedes, another group of many-legged arthropods, have just a single pair of legs per body segment.)

Both millipedes and centipedes belong to a larger group of invertebrate animals, the subphylum Myriapoda.

The animal with the largest number of legs is the millipede Eumillipes Persephone, which is found in Western Australia.

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Minke Whale

Minke Whale
  • Scientific name: Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Common minke whale); Balaenoptera bonaerensis (Antarctic minke whale)
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Balaenopteridae
  • Where found: Oceans worldwide
  • Conservation status: Common minke whale: Least Concern; Antarctic minke whale: Near Threatened

Minke whales are the smallest of the baleen whales, a group of filter-feeding whales that includes giants such as the blue whale and fin whale.

There are two main minke whale species: the common minke whale, which has an average weight of 9.2 tons (9,200 kg / 20282.5 lbs.); and the larger Antarctic minke whale, which can weigh 11.5 tons (11,500 kg / 25353 lbs.).

Minke whales are usually found either alone or in small groups of 2 to 3 individuals. At certain times of the year, larger groups of up to 60 whales will congregate to socialize and feed.

The vocalizations of minke whales can reach 152 decibels, which is as loud as a plane taking off.

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Mole

Eastern Mole
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Order: Soricomorpha
  • Where found: Worldwide except Antarctica and South America

Moles are small mammals that spend almost all their lives underground, normally coming to the surface only to gather nest material and to look for water in times of drought.

Moles possess a high number of very specialized adaptations for their subterranean existence. These include: barrel-shaped bodies, powerful claws, velvety fur (to minimize friction), and unique hemoglobin in their blood cells (this allows moles to spend long periods of time in low-oxygen environments).

Moles belong to the family Talpidae. Most moles are solitary omnivores with a lifespan of around two years.

Moles build extremely complex tunnels with areas for storage, nesting and resting. A single mole can dig up to 5.5 m / 18 feet of a tunnel in an hour.

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Monarch Butterfly

Adult Male Monarch Butterfly
Adult Male Monarch Butterfly
  • Scientific name: Danaus plexippus
  • Type of animal: Insect (order Lepidoptera)
  • Family: Nymphalidae
  • Where found: North America, Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The monarch butterfly is a large butterfly found in the Americas, Australia, Southeast Asia, southern Europe and northern Africa.

The species is famous for its long-distance migration. North American monarchs head south in the fall, and can cover distances of up to 3,000 miles (4,830 km). Most American monarchs overwinter in Mexico or southern California.

The northward journey commences in spring. No single insect will cover the entire distance north. Instead, individual monarchs lay eggs partway through the migration, and their offspring will continue the journey.

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Mongoose

Yellow Mongoose
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Herpestidae
  • Where found: Europe, Africa, Asia
  • Conservation status: Various

Mongooses are small carnivorans (members of the order Carnivora) with long bodies, long tails and short legs. The 29 species of mongoose make up the family Herpestidae.

Mongooses are found in Africa and Eurasia. They are resistant to the venom produced by some snakes.

Mongooses are primarily carnivorous, preying on a variety of animals, including small mammals, reptiles and insects.

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Monkfish

Monkfish
  • Type of animal: Fish
  • Family: Lophiidae
  • Conservation status: Various

Monkfish are anglerfish of genus Lophius. They are bottom-dwelling ocean predators with flat bodies for hiding under sand. Their fins function as legs, enabling the fish to “walk” across the sea bed.

Monkfish lure prey into the range of their large jaws with the use of a special fin, which acts as “bait” to attract curious fish.

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Moose

Moose
  • Scientific name: Alces alces
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Cervidae (the deer family)
  • Where found: North America, Europe, Asia
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The moose is the largest living member of the deer family, Cervidae. It is found in northern North America, Asia, and northern Europe, where it is known as an elk.

Male moose have large palmate antlers. (Palmate means ‘shaped like an open palm’. It is used to refer to the wide, flat antlers of some deer species.)

Male moose use their antlers to fight each other in order to gain access to females. This takes place during a period called the “rut”. After the mating season, the antlers drop off. New antlers will begin to grow in time for the next year’s rut.

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Moray Eel

Moray Eel
  • Type of animal: Bony fish
  • Order: Anguilliformes
  • Where found: Oceans worldwide

Moray eels are fish of family Muraenidae, which is part of the order Anguilliformes, which contains all eels.

Moray eels are found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide. There are over 200 different species, ranging in size from 15 cm to 4.5 m / 6 in. to 15 ft.

A small number of moray eel species live in freshwater at least for part of their life. One such species is the freshwater moray Gymnothorax polyuranodon.

Moray eels have a reputation of being aggressive fish, but in reality, their open-mouthed stance is a result of their having very small gills; they need to keep their mouths open in order to get enough oxygen.

Like most “dangerous” animals, moray eels will not attack unless provoked.

Distinctive characteristics of moray eels are a single dorsal fin running the length of the back and a lack of pelvic and pectoral fins.

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Mosquito

Mosquito
  • Type of animal: Insect
  • Family: Culicidae (the mosquito family)

Mosquitoes are small flies in the family Culicidae. You may not think so by looking at them, but mosquitoes are the world’s deadliest animals. They feed on the blood of other animals, and in doing so can spread diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.

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Moth

Moth
  • Type of animal: Insect
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Where found: Worldwide except Antarctica

Moths are insects that, together with butterflies, make up the order Lepidoptera. There are over 160,000 moth species; around eight times the number of butterfly species.

Moths are important pollinators that move pollen from plant to plant while feeding on nectar and fruits. Most moths are nocturnal.

The smallest species of moth is the pygmy moth, which has a wingspan of 4 mm / 0.1 in.; the largest is the Hercules moth, which has a wingspan of up to 28 cm / 11 in.

Moths are present on all continents except Antarctica.

Like all members of the order Lepidoptera, moths go through four different life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult.

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Mountain Gorilla

Mountain Gorilla
  • Scientific name: Gorilla beringei beringei
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Hominidae (the great ape family)
  • Where found: Africa
  • Conservation status: Critically Endangered

The mountain gorilla is one of two subspecies of eastern gorilla (the other being the slightly larger eastern lowland gorilla). It is found in East Africa, where it lives in forests in the mountainous regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

Mountain gorillas have longer and thicker hair than other gorillas. There are only around 600 adult mountain gorillas in the wild, but fortunately, the population of this gorilla subspecies is slowly increasing.

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Mountain Lion

Mountain Lion with Cubs
  • Scientific name: Puma concolor
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Felidae (the cat family)
  • Where found: North America; South America
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The mountain lion is a large wild cat species found in North and South America. It is the second-largest wild cat of the Americas; only the jaguar is larger.

The mountain lion goes by several other names, including puma and cougar. Its closest relatives are the jaguarundi and the cheetah.

Highly adaptable, the mountain lion is found in a wide range of habitats, including forests, grasslands and deserts.

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Mouse

Wood Mouse
Wood Mouse
  • Type of animal: Mammal (order Rodentia)
  • Family: Muridae (the mouse, rat and gerbil family)
  • Where found: All continents except Antarctica
  • Conservation status: Various

No list of animals that start with M would be complete without the mouse!

Mice are small rodents of genus Mus. Mice are found on all continents except Antarctica. The most familiar species, the house mouse (Mus musculus), was originally found in Europe and North Africa, and has since been introduced into the Americas and many other parts of the world.

Although frequently prey for other animals, mice are extremely hardy and able reproduce quickly, making them an extremely successful group of species.

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Muskox

Muskox With Calf
  • Scientific name: Ovibos moschatus
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Bovidae
  • Where found: Arctic regions of North America and Asia
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The muskox is a member of Bovidae, a family of hooved animals that is also home to cattle, antelopes, and goat-antelopes. Members of this family are known as bovids.

The muskox is found in Arctic regions of North America and Siberia. It has also been introduced to Norway and Sweden. The musk ox has long, shaggy fur and a pair of large, curved horns.

During the mating season, the male musk ox emits a strong musky smell, which is how the species got its name.

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Animals That Start With M: Conclusion

We hope that you’ve discovered some interesting animals with names beginning with M on this page.

You can discover more animals in our A to Z animals section by clicking on the letters below…

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