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

Animals that start with Q include mammals such as the quokka and quoll; birds such as quails, quetzals and quelea; fish such as the queen angelfish and Queensland lungfish; invertebrates such as the quahog and Queen Alexandra’s birdwing butterfly; and extinct species such as the quagga and Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle.

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

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

Included in this list are individual species (e.g., the quokka) and groups of animals (e.g., quail) whose names begin with Q.

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


Index

animals that start with q

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 Q

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Qinling Panda

Qinling panda
  • Scientific name: Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Ursidae (the bear family)
  • Where found: Asia
  • Conservation status: Vulnerable

The Qinling panda is one of two subspecies of giant panda. It is believed to have diverged from the familiar, black and white giant panda around 300,000 years ago.

(A species is split into subspecies when it has two or more separate populations, and when there are significant physical or behavioral differences between the individuals of each population.)

Differences between the Qinling panda and the giant panda include: brown and light brown fur, a smaller skull, and smaller size. The Qinling panda’s eye patches are under the eye, rather than surrounding the entire eye.

As its name suggests, the Qinling panda is found in the Qinling mountains of the Shaanxi Province, in eastern China. Only around 100 individuals are believed to exist, and the subspecies is threatened by pollution from industrial processes.

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Quagga

quagga
  • Scientific name: Equus quagga quagga
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Equidae
  • Where found: Africa
  • Conservation status: Extinct

The quagga is an extinct subspecies of plains zebra. It was found in southern South Africa.

Unlike the familiar, black and white striped plains zebra, the quagga had stripes only on the front half of its body. Its rear was brown and its legs and undersides were white. Due to these differences, the quagga was initially thought to be a separate species, rather than a subspecies.

The quagga is believed to have diverged from other plains zebras between 120,000 and 290,000 years ago.

The quagga was confirmed as being extinct in 1900. Its extinction was caused by overhunting.

The Quagga Project, which began in 1987, is an attempt to “bring quaggas back from the dead”, by selectively breeding living plains zebras that have quagga-like characteristics.

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Quahog (Hard Clam)

Quahog Hard Clam
  • Scientific name: Mercenaria mercenaria
  • Type of animal: Mollusk
  • Family: Veneridae
  • Where found: Atlantic Ocean
  • Conservation status: Unassessed

The quahog is also known as the “hard clam” or “northern quahog”. It is a bivalve mollusk found off the eastern coast of North America. Its shell is white or gray and around 7.62 cm / 3 inches across, although specimens up to 12.7 cm / 5 inches are known.

Like other bivalves, the quahog has a two-part shell that is joined with a hinge, which allows the shell to open and close. Each half of the shell is called a valve.

Like other clams, the quahog is a filter feeder, gaining nutrients from small particles in the seawater.

The quahog is common on the coast of Rhode Island, and the species is the state’s official shellfish. The animated comedy Family Guy is set in the fictional Rhode Island city of Quahog.

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Quail

California Quail
California Quail
  • Type of animal: Bird
  • Order: Galliformes

Quails are small to mid-sized gamebirds. They belong to the same order of birds, Galliformes, as turkeys and chickens.

The world’s quails are divided between two families. Quails found in the Old World are included in the pheasant family, Phasianidae.

Old world quails are more closely-related to birds such as pheasants and turkeys than they are to birds in the other quail family: Odontophoridae, or New World quails.

Quail spend most of their lives on the ground, and tend only to fly for short distances. Some species of quail have been domesticated, and are bred for food. Quail eggs are considered a delicacy in many countries.

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Quechuan Hocicudo

(No photo available)

  • Scientific name: Oxymycterus hucucha
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Cricetidae
  • Where found: South America
  • Conservation status: Endangered

The Quechuan Hocicudo is a rat-like rodent that lives in the Andean cloud forests of Bolivia. Little is known about this species. It is mainly insectivorous (insect-eating), and probably uses its long claws for excavating invertebrates from the earth.

The species belongs to the same family, Cricetidae, as hamsters, voles and lemmings.

The species is endangered due to deforestation. Much of its native cloud forest has been cleared to make way for cattle pasture.

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Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Butterfly

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing Butterfly
The image above is the more colorful, but smaller, male of the species.
  • Scientific name: Ornithoptera alexandrae
  • Type of animal: Insect
  • Family: Papilionidae
  • Where found: New Guinea
  • Conservation status: Endangered

The Queen Alexandra’s birdwing butterfly is the world’s largest butterfly. The wingspan of the female can reach 25 cm (9.84 in.) and individuals can weigh up to 12 grams (0.42 oz.). Females are brown and white, while the males, which are smaller, are iridescent green and black.

The Queen Alexandra’s birdwing is found only in a small region of Papua New Guinea.

The species’ endangered status is due to habitat loss. Much of the rainforest in which it lives has been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. The eruption of Mount Lamington (a nearby volcano) also destroyed much of the insect’s natural habitat.

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You can see more rainforest animals on this page: Rainforest Animals List with Pictures & Facts

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Queen Angelfish

Queen Angelfish
  • Scientific name: Holacanthus ciliaris
  • Type of animal: Fish
  • Family: Pomacanthidae
  • Where found: Atlantic Ocean
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The queen angelfish is a member of the marine angelfish family, Pomacanthidae. It is found on coral reefs along the Atlantic coast of North and South America.

Like other members of its family, the queen angelfish has a thin, tall, and brightly-colored body. The species’ blue and yellow coloration, and a large spot (the species’ “crown”) on the forehead, distinguish it from other angelfish.

The diet of the queen angelfish consists almost entirely of sponges.

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Queen Of Sheba’s Gazelle

(No photo available)

  • Scientific name: Gazella bilkis
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Bovidae
  • Where found: Asia
  • Conservation status: Extinct

The Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle (also known as the Yemen gazelle) is an extinct species of antelope. It was found on hillsides and mountains of Yemen, in western Asia.

Once common, the Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle was last seen in 1951. The exact cause of its extinction is unclear, but it is known to have been hunted by the army for food.

Little is known about the Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle. It may not even have been a distinct species; some studies have shown it to be a subspecies of mountain gazelle.

Gazelles are relatively small, fast-running antelopes of genus Gazella. Ten species are currently recognized.

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Queen Snake

Queen snake
  • Scientific name: Regina septemvittata
  • Type of animal: Reptile
  • Family: Colubridae
  • Where found: North America
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The queen snake is a non-venomous snake found in North America. It is present in the eastern United States and southern Canada.

A semiaquatic species, the queen snake is found near rivers and streams. It is a member of the family Colubridae, which contains 2,046 species (source); more than any other snake family.

The back of the queen snake is dark brown / green; its undersides are cream with dark stripes. The snake is between 38 and 61 cm / 15 and 42 in length.

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Discover more amazing snakes on this page: Types of Snakes

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Queen Snapper

(No photo available)

  • Scientific name: Etelis oculatus
  • Type of animal: Fish
  • Family: Lutjanidae
  • Where found: Atlantic Ocean
  • Conservation status: Data Deficient

The queen snapper is a member of the snapper family, Lutjanidae, which contains around 113 species.

Growing to around 1 m / 3.28 ft., the queen snapper is pink on the back and sides, and pale below. It lives near the sea bed, and preys on squid and small fishes.

Found in the Western Atlantic Ocean, the queen snapper is a sought-after food fish.

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Queen Triggerfish

Queen Triggerfish
  • Scientific name: Balistes vetula
  • Type of animal: Fish
  • Family: Balistidae
  • Where found: Atlantic Ocean
  • Conservation status: Near Threatened

Also known as the “old wife”, the queen triggerfish is one of 42 species in the triggerfish family, Balistidae. It typically has blue and yellow sides and a yellow throat, although color varies significantly between individuals.

Like all triggerfish, the queen triggerfish is equipped with powerful jaws and specialized teeth for crushing shellfish and other marine invertebrates. Its primary prey animal is the lime urchin, Diadema antillarum.

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Queensland Grouper

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, otherwise known as the giant grouper, is a large fish found in tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

With a maximum length of 2.7 m / 8.86 ft, and a maximum weight of 400 kilograms / 880 lb., the Queensland grouper is one of the largest bony fish, and the largest bony fish found on coral reefs.

(Bony fish are fish whose skeletons are made of real bone, unlike fish such as sharks, whose skeletons are made of a softer material called cartilage.)

Found from the east coast of Africa to Hawaii, the Queensland grouper is the most widely-distributed of the groupers, a group of fish in the subfamily Epinephelinae. Groupers are stocky, large-mouthed and fast-swimming fish.

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Queensland Lungfish

Queensland Lungfish
  • Scientific name: Neoceratodus forsteri
  • Type of animal: Fish
  • Family: Neoceratodontidae
  • Where found: Australia
  • Conservation status: Endangered

The Queensland lungfish is one of only six lungfish species. Lungfish, unlike the vast majority of fish, are able to breathe air, rather than obtaining oxygen from the water via gills.

Unlike other lungfish, the Queensland lungfish is also able to use its gills, and has just one lung, rather than two.

The Queensland lungfish is found in still or slow-flowing rivers in northern Queensland, Australia.

Scientists study lungfish, which belong to an ancient group of fishes known as lobe-finned fishes, for clues on how fish evolved into land animals all those millions of years ago.

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Queensland Ringtail Possum

Common Ringtail Possum Marsupial
  • 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 common ringtail possum is around the size of a cat, and has grey fur with white undersides. Its tail is prehensile (able to grip) and is used when climbing.

This nocturnal animal is found in habitats ranging from rainforests to urban areas. The species has adapted to the presence of humans, and is often seen in gardens.

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Queensland Tube-Nosed Fruit Bat

Queensland Tube-Nosed Fruit Bat
  • Scientific name: Nyctimene robinsoni
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Pteropodidae
  • Where found: Australia
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The Queensland tube-nosed fruit bat is also known as the eastern tube-nosed bat. It is found in tropical rainforests in north-east Australia. Unconfirmed sightings have also been reported on New Guinea.

The species is brown with pale spots on its wings. It is named for its protruding, tube-shaped nostrils.

Like other megabats of family Pteropodidae, the Queensland tube-nosed fruit bat finds food by sight and smell. (Unlike the insect-eating microbats, the species lacks the ability to echolocate.)

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Quelea (Red Billed)

Red Billed Quelea
Red Billed Quelea (Male)
  • Scientific name: Quelea quelea
  • Type of animal: Bird
  • Family: Ploceidae
  • Where found: Africa
  • Conservation status: Least Concern

The red-billed quelea is a small bird found in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa (i.e., the area south of the Sahara Desert). It has pale brown wings, cream chest and a sturdy red bill. Males can be differentiated from females by their black faces and orange heads.

The red-billed quelea is the world’s most abundant wild bird species. The species’ population is estimated to number around 1.5 billion individuals.

The red-billed quelea forms huge flocks that roam the land in search of food. The species feeds on seeds, and can cause considerable damage to crops. For this reason, the red-billed quelea is often controlled using poisons and other methods.

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Quetzal

resplendent quetzal
Resplendent Quetzal (Male)
  • 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.

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Quokka

Quokka
  • Scientific name: Setonix brachyurus
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Macropodidae
  • Where found: Australia
  • Conservation status: Vulnerable

No list of animals that start with Q would be complete without the quokka. This cat-sized marsupial is a member of the kangaroo family, Macropodidae. It is found in the south west of West Australia, both on the mainland and on several nearby islands. The largest population of quokkas is found on Rottnest Island.

The species was once more widespread and common within its range. The species suffered due to the introduction of non-native predators such as foxes and cats, and is now rated Vulnerable.

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You can find out more about the quokka on this page: Quokka Facts

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Quoll

Eastern Quoll
Eastern Quoll
  • Type of animal: Mammal
  • Family: Dasyuridae
  • Where found: Australia, New Guinea

Quolls are six species of small to medium-sized carnivorous marsupials. The bronze and New Guinean quoll are found on the island of New Guinea; the eastern, western, northern and tiger quoll are found in Australia.

Quolls are solitary, nocturnal animals. They are carnivorous (meat-eating), feeding on small animals such as insects, birds and reptiles.

Like many native Australian animals, quolls have suffered as a result of the introduction to the continent of non-native animals such as cats, dogs, foxes and the cane toad.

Today, both the northern and eastern quolls are endangered, while the other four species have the conservation status of “Near Threatened”.

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You can find out more about quolls on this page: Quoll Facts

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Animals That Start With Q: Conclusion

We hope that you’ve discovered some interesting animals with names beginning with Q 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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