Discover 360+ Animals Beginning with S: Classified Lists with Pictures and Fun Fact

The animal kingdom is brimming with fascinating creatures, and exploring them in new and exciting ways never gets old. This time, let’s spotlight animals whose names start with the letter ‘S.’ From the sleek swordfish to the stealthy snow leopard and the charming seahorse, this collection showcases some of the most remarkable examples of nature’s diversity. Ideal for secondary school students eager to learn, explore, or simply satisfy their curiosity, here are 20 stunning animals beginning with ‘S’ to spark your imagination and expand your knowledge!

Sheep	Scorpions	Sparrow
Squirrel	Swordfish	Swans
Skunk	Shrimp	Sea Snake
Smooth Green Snake	Snails	Snow Leopard
Spiders	Squid	Sloth
Stork	Starfish	Salamander
Sand Cat	Salmon

1. Sheep

The Sheep (Domestic Sheep) domesticated from wild sheep (Ovis orientalis) around 10,000 to 11,000 years ago in the Near East, specifically Mesopotamia and the Zagros. This is a herbivore that grazes on grass and hay. They have a wide field of vision, allowing them to see predators from afar. Sheep are mammals, belonging to the Bovidae family, with a moderate body, small head, big eyes, short nose, large and drooping ears. An adult male sheep, or ram, stands about 3 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds, while an adult female, or ewe, weighs about 145 pounds.

Fun fact: They have the memory and brain capacity to recognize and remember up to 50 different members of their flock.

2. Squirrel

The Squirrel (Grey Squirrel) is a diverse group consisting of approximately 279 species and 51 genera. They are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. Squirrels range in body size from mouse-sized African pygmy squirrels to robust red giant flying squirrels of Asia, weighing up to 3 kilograms. They vary greatly in geographic range and habitat. Squirrels are largely herbivorous, eating seeds, nuts, fruits, fungi, and other plant matter. Average squirrels grow in size from 15 to 20 inches (38 to 51 cm) in length. Their tails add an extra 6 to 9.5 inches (15 to 24 cm) to their length. Typically they weigh about 1 to 1.5 pounds (450 to 680 grams).

Fun fact: They can leap 10 times their body length and turn their ankles 180 degrees to face any direction when climbing.

3. Skunk

The Skunk (Mephitidae) is a black-and-white mammal, found primarily in the Western Hemisphere, that uses extremely well-developed scent glands to release a noxious odor in defense. The common striped skunk is about 8 to 19 inches in length, with a tail of 5 to 15 inches, and weighs between 7 ounces to 14 pounds. They are known for their brave and tough nature, often protecting farms from pests like foxes, badgers, and otters.

Fun fact: They need to “reload” after spraying once, leaving them helpless for nearly 10 days.

4. Smooth Green Snake

The Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis) is a non-venomous snake native to North America. It is known for its vibrant green coloration and smooth scales. The snake is uniformly light green on its back, with a yellow or white belly. It reaches a maximum length of 26 inches. This snake is generally solitary and tends to be active both day and night during the warmer months. In the colder winter months, they hibernate, often gathering in large numbers in burrows, ant hills, and other dug-out underground areas.

Fun fact: They are known to hibernate in large groups.

5. Spiders

Spiders (Araneae) are 8-legged arachnids that live across almost all of Earth aside from Antarctica. As of 2022, there are nearly 50,000 species of spiders living across nearly every major biome. Spiders range from incredibly tiny – the smallest spider is a fraction of the size of a pinhead – to giant spiders that can measure a foot across. Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that exhibit a wide range of behaviors and activities, with some species being active hunters with a well-developed sense of touch or sight.
Weight | Varies widely; 0.01–0.3 oz (0.3–8.5 g)
Lifespan | 1–3 years; tarantulas can live up to 25 years
Habitat | Found in nearly every habitat worldwide, including forests, deserts, and urban areas
Diet | Carnivorous; feeds on insects and small animals
Social Structure | Solitary, except for a few social species
Conservation | Least Concern

 

Fun fact: A spider named Darwin’s bark spider produces a web that’s 10-fold stronger than Kevlar.

6. Stork

The Stork (Ciconiidae) is a large bird known for its long legs, neck, and bill. The color of their plumage varies by species, and some have a gular pouch or sac on their necks. These birds can grow quite large, with several species reaching heights up to 5 ft. tall, and weighing up to 20 lbs. or more. Their wingspans range from 8 – 10 ft. across at the largest. Storks live in a variety of different ecosystems and habitats, many of which rely on aquatic habitats to catch prey, but some forage in dry regions as well. They are commonly associated with wetland environments, such as marshes, swamps, and river deltas.

Fun fact: They can’t sing like other birds.

7. Sand Cat

The Sand Cat (Desert Cat) is a small, solitary feline native to deserts in Africa and Asia. They have a broad head with large eyes and low-set ears. Their body length ranges from 18 to 22.5 inches (45 to 57 centimeters), with the tail adding an extra 11 to 14 inches (28 to 35 centimeters). Adult sand cats weigh between 3 to 7.5 pounds (1 to 3.5 kilograms). They have a pale sandy to grey-brown coat, which is slightly darker on the back and pale on the belly, with occasional stripes on the legs. Conditions are extreme in the desert, and temperatures can reach 124º F during the day, and 31º F at night. While they don’t socialize with other cats, they will occasionally share burrows.

Fun fact: They have so much fur on their feet that they don’t leave behind footprints.

8. Scorpions

Scorpions (Scorpiones) are a predatory species of arachnid with 8 legs and a long tail with a stinger at the end. Their exoskeletons have fluorescent chemicals that glow in ultraviolet light. They are well-distributed all over the world, and they live on every continent except Antarctica. There are over 2,600 species of scorpions. Most species of scorpions are not a serious threat to humans. Scorpions are primarily nocturnal predators, known for their venomous sting used for offense and defense.

Fun fact: Scorpions can change the size of their scales when they feel threatened.

9. Swordfish

The Swordfish (Xiphias gladius), also known as broadbills in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood. They commonly reach 10 ft (3 m) in length, and the maximum reported is 14 ft 11 in (4.55 m) in length and 1,430 lb (650 kg) in weight. They are found in tropical and temperate waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans

Fun fact: They are known for their incredible swimming ability and are among the fastest fish in existence.

10. Shrimp

Shrimp (Caridea) are found in all oceans, in both shallow and deep water, and also in freshwater lakes and streams. They have a semitransparent body that is flattened from side to side and a flexible abdomen terminating in a fanlike tail. Shrimp range in length from a few millimeters to more than about 8 inches (20 cm), with an average size of about 1.5 to 3 inches (4 to 8 cm). They feed mostly on small plants and animals, although some shrimp feed on carrion. The female shrimp may lay from 1,500 to 14,000 eggs, which are attached to the swimming legs.

Fun fact: They swim backward by rapidly flexing the abdomen and tail.

11. Squid

Squid (Giant Squid) are found in every ocean, where they can live alone or in schools. They have elongated tubular bodies and short compact heads. Squid range in size from 0.8 inches to 16 feet long on average. They are swift swimmers and part of the drifting sea life (plankton). Squid have short life spans and usually die soon after mating, at around one year old.

Fun fact: They are masters of deception, relying on their wiles to survive.

12. Snails

Snails (Gastropoda) are found in diverse habitats worldwide, from deserts to frigid climates. They have a soft body and a hard shell, which can range in size from 0.02- 27 in(0.68mm to 70cm). The shell, often brown or yellow, protects the snail’s body and internal organs. Snails are most active at night and during humid weather. They can be either solitary or territorial, depending on the species.

Fun fact: A snail’s mouth may be the size of a pin, but it can have up to 20,000 teeth.

13. Starfish

Starfish (Sea Star) are marine animals that have broad fins running the full length of their bodies, giving them a flat, roundish shape. They can be found in all the world’s oceans, from tropical habitats to the cold seafloor. They have a size of up to 6.5 feet and can weigh up to 11 pounds. They feed by attaching to prey and extending their stomach out through their mouth.

Fun fact: They can regenerate limbs, and in some cases, entire bodies.

14. Salmon

Salmon (Atlantic Salmon) are anadromous fish, meaning they live in both fresh and salt water. They are born in freshwater where they spend a few months to a few years before moving out to the ocean. When it’s time to spawn, they return to freshwater. Their scales typically have a silver color, and some also have red coloration as well. Depending on the species, these fish measure about 2 feet long on average. Salmon can weigh up to 126 pounds.

Fun fact: They can smell one drop of scent in an area the equivalent of ten Olympic size pools.

15. Sparrow

The Sparrow (House Sparrow) is a small bird that has a typical length of about 5.5–6.3 in (14–16 centimeters) in length. They have thick fur with two layers: a soft inner down layer and a sturdy outer feather layer. It is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and a large part of Asia. Sparrows are strongly associated with human habitation and can live in urban or rural settings. They typically avoid extensive woodlands, grasslands, polar regions, and hot, deserts far away from human development.

Fun fact: They have an extra bone in their tongues so that it can be used to hold seeds.

16. Swans

Swans (Cygnus) are the largest members of the Anatidae family. At their largest, their wingspan grows up to 10 ft. across. They also weigh up to 30 lbs. at their largest, though most weigh around 15 lbs. or so. Swans are waterfowl, and rely very heavily on water bodies in their environment. They live in a variety of environments, including lakes, ponds, slow moving rivers and streams, wetlands, marshes, and more.

Fun fact: Swans are some of the largest flying birds.

17. Sea Snake

The Sea Snake (Hydrophiinae) primarily inhabits marine environments for most or all of their lives. They are extensively adapted to a fully aquatic life and are unable to move on land. Their bodies are laterally compressed, giving them an eel-like appearance. They have paddle-like tails and small eyes with a round pupil. Adult sea snakes typically grow between 4 and 5 ft (120 and 150 cm) in length. They are venomous, feeding mostly on fish eggs.

Fun fact: They can breathe through their skin.

18. Snow Leopard

The Snow Leopard (Ounce) is a medium-sized cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia. They are usually found between 9842-17716 ft (3,000 and 5,400 meters) above sea level. They have large, triangular ears, a golden-yellow to buff coat spotted and striped with black, and a short, black-tipped tail. Their fur is incredibly thick, up to five inches, to better insulate them in the snow. Snow Leopards are shy, elusive cats known for their solitary nature. They are most active at dawn and dusk, which is called a “crepuscular activity pattern” by scientists.

Fun fact: They can travel over an incredible 25 miles in a single night.

19. Sloth

The Sloth (Three-toed Sloth) is a tree-dwelling mammal noted for its slowness of movement. They live in lowland tropical forests of South and Central America. They have long legs, stumpy tails, and rounded heads with inconspicuous ears. Although they possess color vision, their eyesight and hearing are not very acute; orientation is mainly by touch. The limbs are adapted for suspending the body rather than supporting it. As a result, sloths are completely helpless on the ground unless there is something to grasp. Generally, sloths do not grow to more than 10 ft (3 m) in length and rarely weigh over 200 pounds (90 kilograms).

Fun fact: They are so incredibly sluggish, that algae grows on their fur.

20. Salamander

Salamanders (Fire Salamander) is a common amphibian found in forests throughout Europe. They have black bodies with yellow spots or stripes of varying sizes, some individuals are almost completely black while others are predominantly yellow. They often live in mountain streams, hiding in logs or underneath rocks and gravel. Their size varies depending on the species, ranging from 1-9in (2.5 cm to 20 cm). However, Chinese Giant salamanders can grow up to 6 feet (1.8m) in length.

Fun fact: The earliest Salamander species lived before the dinosaurs.

Now that we’ve explored some of the most popular animals starting with the letter S, let’s dive deeper into a specific category: mammals—warm-blooded creatures that captivate us with their diversity and unique characteristics.
Mammals that start with S
Here is a list of fascinating mammals that start with the letter S, each showcasing unique traits and characteristics that make them stand out in the animal kingdom.

Somali Cat	Slovak Cuvac	Saddleback Tamarin
Shih Tzu	Shepkita	Serval
Scottish Terrier	Schneagle	Sika Deer
Saluki	Sable Black German Shepherd	Small-toothed Palm Civet
Shetland Sheepdog	Small Indian Civet	Spiny Anteater
SchipperkeSchipperke	Siberian Ibex	Spectacled Flying Squirrel
Sheepadoodle	Springbok	Sable Antelope
Saanen Goat	Snowshoe Hare	Spotted Skunk
Syrian Hamster	Scrofa Pig	Samoan Flying Fox
Shih Poo	Sugar Glider	Spotted Hyena
Shichi	Spanish Goat	Southern White Rhinoceros
Silkie Chicken	Shetland Pony	Standard Schnauzer
Scottish Deerhound	Savanna Goat	Stabyhoun
Sphynx Cat	Shiloh Shepherd	Spinone Italiano
Spanish Mastiff	Spanish Water Dog	Sable German Shepherd
Saint Berdoodle	Silky Terrier	Schnoodle
Skye Terrier	Silken Windhound	Snowshoe
Siberian Retriever	Siberpoo	Scottish Fold Cat
Spanador	Saint Shepherd	Swedish Vallhund
Serengeti Cat	Smooth Collie	Snorkie
Staffordshire Bull Terrier	Saint Bernard	Shiba Inu
Schnauzer	Siberian Husky	Satin Rabbit
Shepweiler	Swedish Elkhound	Stoat
Senepol Cattle	Schapendoes	Sealyham Terrier
Sable Ferret	Shepadoodle	Shrew
Sarplaninac	Smooth Fox Terrier	Santa Catalina Island Fox
Scandinavian Lynx	Southern Elephant Seal	Sichuan Takin
Squirrel Monkey	Sardinian Fox	Slow Loris
Star-Nosed Mole	Sperm Whale	Sun Bear
Striped Hyena	Spectacled Bear	Sambar Deer
Sifaka	Sambar	Sloth Bear
Sand Gazelle

 

21. Somali

The Somali (Somali Catis a medium-sized, long-haired cat breed originating from Africa. This cat breed was developed in the 1960s from breeding Abyssinians with other long-haired cats, such as Maine Coons or Persians. The goal of the crossbreeding was to create a breed of cat with long fur and color similar to the Abyssinian cat. Males on average are 8-13lbs in weight while females are 6-10lbs in weight. Somali cats are characterized by large almond-shaped eyes and large ears. They also have a bushy tail. Somali cats are intelligent, playful and full of energy. They love to play and interact with humans

Fun fact: Somali cats are relatively rare, but they’re also one of the most popular choices for show cats.

22. Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu (Lion Dog) is an ancient dog breed originating from Tibet and China. It is a small and compact breed that stands approximately 9 to 10.5 inches at the shoulder. They are known for their long, flowing coat and their friendly, personable nature. These intelligent dogs, with a touch of independence, were bred to live in very close quarters with their families, thriving on human company. If left alone for long periods, they may develop into nuisance barkers.

Fun fact: Despite their small size, they are heavy shedders.

23. Samoyed

The Samoyed (Bjelkier) originates from the Siberian region of Russia. They were bred by the Samoyed people, a nomadic tribe in Siberia, from Spitz dogs and Arctic white wolves to help them pull sleds, herd livestock and protect their families. It is a medium-sized dog with a height ranging from 19 to 23.5 inches and weight from 50 to 65 pounds (23 to 29 kilograms). They are friendly, personable dogs, intelligent with a touch of independence. Bred to live in a tent in very close quarters with their families, they thrive on human company.

Fun fact: Samoyeds are most closely related to prehistoric wolves.

24. Siamese

The Siamese (Siamese Cat) is one of the oldest cat breeds in the world, originating in Thailand around the 14th century. Initially, they were kept in Thai royal palaces and temples and were considered a precious pets clan. It is a small to medium-sized breed of cat with well-defined slender aristocratic features. It has an overall height of about 8 in, a body length of 13 in, and weighs between 6–14 lbs (2.7–6.4 kg). Siamese cats are a people-loving breed who bond very closely to their humans.

Fun fact: For a long time, many Siamese cats had crossed eyes and crooked, kinked tails.

25. Sarplaninac

The Sarplaninac (Yugoslavian Shepherd) is a breed of dog that hails from the mountainous regions of Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo. The Sarplaninac is a large and strong breed with good muscling all over, heavy, thick bones, a large head, and a long body. It has relatively small, sunken dark eyes and small, furry, v-shaped ears that hang down behind its face They are intelligent, independent, loyal, fearless, and dominant. They have a calm yet vigilant demeanor and are both gentle and protective. They are incredibly devoted to their families, and early socialization is crucial to ensure they are friendly and tolerant of strangers and other animals.

Fun fact: They can fend off bears, wolves, or bandits when the time comes.

26. Smooth Fox Terrier

The Smooth Fox Terrier (Fox Terrier) is a well-known terrier breed, historically used as a fox bolting dog. It originated from England. They have short, smooth stems that are usually white with streaks of black, brown, or both. It has an energetic personality and stands between 13”-16” (33-41 cm) tall. The Smooth Fox Terrier is known for its high energy levels and playful nature. They are always on the move and have a special passion for ball chasing.

Fun fact: They were the first breed of the Fox Terrier family acknowledged by England’s Kennel Club in 1875.

27. Sable Ferret

The Sable Ferret (Black Sable Ferret) is a small creature, with males typically larger than females. A full-grown sable ferret can weigh between 1.5–5 lbs (0.7–2.3 kg). They are characterized by their elongated bodies and short legs. Sable Ferrets are highly adaptable creatures, capable of thriving in a variety of environments. However, they are predominantly indoor pets and require a safe and comfortable living space within the home.
Weight | 1.5–5 lbs (0.7–2.3 kg)
Lifespan | 6–10 years in captivity
Habitat | Domesticated; native to Europe, prefers forests and grasslands
Diet | Carnivorous; eats small mammals, birds, and insects
Social Structure | Solitary or forms small groups
Conservation | Domesticated

Fun fact: They are very clean animals and can be trained to go in a litter box.

28. Shepadoodle

The Shepadoodle (Shepherd Poodle Mix) is a hybrid mix between the Old English Sheepdog and Poodle. It is a hybrid breed that originated in the United States. Shepadoodles are large dogs, standing 22–28 inches tall and weighing between 50–90 pounds. They are large dogs with shaggy coats, which makes them look even bigger. Sheepadoodles are well-known for their adorable teddy bear looks and an awesome personality. They are very social creatures and they enjoy spending time with their humans.

Fun fact: Some police officers with allergies use Shepadoodles as their K-9 partner.

29. Senepol Cattle

The Senepol Cattle (Senepol Cow) was developed on the Caribbean Island of St. Croix. They are now found in nearly two dozen states in the US and around the world in countries such as Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, the Philippines, and Zimbabweare. They are red, medium-sized, naturally polled cattle. They have good conformation which produces a good carcass. Adult cows average 1,000 to 1,200 lbs. They are very heat tolerant and can graze easily in the heat of the day.

Fun fact: They are also disease and insect resistant as compared to many other beef cattle breeds.

30. Schapendoes

The Schapendoes (Dutch sheepdog) is a medium-sized herding dog breed from the Netherlands with a long, thick, slightly wavy double coat that can come in a variety of colors. They are very devoted to their family, though they can be slightly reserved around strangers. They require at least 2 hours of exercise per day to keep them happy and healthy.

Fun fact: The breed nearly disappeared around the time of World War II.

31. Shepweiler

The Shepweiler (Shepherd Rottweiler Mix) is a hybrid breed produced by crossing the Rottweiler and the German Shepherd. They have a big, muscular body, long legs, a large muzzle, powerful jaws, and droopy ears that sometimes become erect when the dog is particularly attentive. They are excellent guard dogs that will watch over members of the family.

Fun fact: They are known for their natural suspicion of strangers, making them excellent watchdogs.

32. Swedish Elkhound

The Swedish Elkhound (Norrbottenspets) is a breed of dog of the Spitz type that is found in Northern Europe. They have a loosely curled tail, a medium to long muzzle, and a double coat of various shades of agouti. They are outgoing and adventurous but can also be calm and laid back.

Fun fact: They existed in prehistoric times.

33. Schnauzer

The Schnauzer (Standard Schnauzer) is a medium-sized dog breed that originated in Germany. Males can be as heavy as 50 pounds and stand 19.5 inches tall at the shoulder, while females can weigh up to 45 pounds and stand 18.5 inches tall. They have a double coat of wiry hair, which gives them a distinctive appearance. Schnauzers are known for their intelligence and playful nature.

Fun fact: They can slow progression into mental adulthood, maintaining their puppy-like tendencies for years longer than other breeds.

34. Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky (Arctic Husky) is a working dog breed that originated in northeast Asia. They stand about 1 foot tall at the shoulder and weigh between 14 and 20 pounds. They have a compact and furry body, pointed ears, and a bushy tail. Siberian Huskies are known for their high energy levels and vocal nature.

Fun fact: To communicate, they rarely bark but instead create their music and howl.
35. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffy) is a muscular dog breed that originated in the United Kingdom. They stand 14 to 16 inches tall at the withers and weigh about 28 to 38 pounds. They have a smooth, short, and close coat. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are known for their loyalty to their family.

Fun fact: Despite their rather violent past, they love people and take instructions easily.

36. Saint Bernard

The Saint Bernard (Alpine Mastiff) is a working dog breed that originated in the Alps. They stand 26 to 30 inches tall at the withers and weigh 120 to 180 pounds. They have a red-brown and white or brindle and white coat, which may be either short and dense or medium-long. Saint Bernards are known for their friendly and loyal nature.

Fun fact: They can detect a body buried under 20 feet of snow

37. Serengeti Cat

The Serengeti Cat (Serengeti Breed) is a domestic breed that originated in the United States, was bred from the Oriental Shorthair breed and the Bengal cat breed in the 1990s.In addition to the spotted fur, the Serengeti Cat also has large ears, rounded at the tips, almond-shaped eyes and long, slim legs, reminiscent of a wild cat. It is known for its playful and curious nature. These cats are agile climbers and jumpers, often found exploring their surroundings.

Fun fact: They have exceptional athletic abilities, thriving in environments that support activities such as jumping and climbing.

38. Smooth Collie

The Smooth Collie (Collie) is a breed of dog developed originally for herding. It is a short-coated version of the Rough Collie of Lassie fame. Some breed organisations consider the smooth-coat and rough-coat dogs to be variations of the same breed. Smooth Collies are medium to large dogs, ranging from 20–24 inches (51–61 cm) in height and 40–66 pounds (18–29 kg) in weight. The Smooth Collie is a sociable, easily trained family dog that is alert and vocal, making it an excellent watchdog, and it requires regular exercise due to its active nature.

Fun fact: They were a favorite of Queen Victoria.

39. Spanador

The Spanador (Labrador Retriever Cocker Spaniel Mix) is a crossbreed between a Labrador Retriever and a Cocker Spaniel. This medium to large dog stands about 20 inches tall and weighs between 20 and 50 pounds. The Spanador is an affectionate dog that prefers being around its human as much as possible. They are known to follow their owners around the house and even curl up into their laps even after they’re fully grown.

Fun fact: They love water and often try to swim in their water bowls.

40. Saint Shepherd

The Saint Shepherd (Saint Bernard German Shepherd Mix) is a mix of the German Shepherd and the Saint Bernard. These are both large dogs so the Saint Shepherd is usually large or giant, standing about 28 inches tall and weighing about 120 pounds on average. This is a friendly and outgoing dog who loves children and other dogs but must be socialized when young.

Fun fact: Despite their size, they are known for their gentle and friendly nature.

41. Siberian Retriever

The Siberian Retriever (Siberian Husky Labrador Retriever Mix) inhabit Canada, more specifically in the northeastern Atlantic coast of the country, in Newfoundland. It is a medium to large breed dog that measures up to 25 inches tall. These dogs are very friendly, playful, and affectionate. They are excellent companions, are great as guide dogs, and work well for police purposes as these dogs are very smart and obedient.

Fun fact: Many they have one blue eye and one brown eye.

42. Siberpoo

The Siberpoo (Siberian Husky Poodle Mix) is a designer breed created by mixing a Siberian Husky with a Poodle. Siberpoo tends to carry on the colors and markings of the husky, but with more of a poodle-like coat, and they sometimes even have the blue or multi-colored eyes of the husky. They are usually easy to train and very obedient with a wonderfully laid-back personality.

Fun fact: They are not ideal for apartment life due to their high energy and need for exercise

43. Skye Terrier

The Skye Terrier (Clydesdale Terrier) is a medium-sized terrier breed from Scotland with either upright or dropped ears, short legs, a long body, facial hair, and plenty of fur in its long double coat. They weigh between 25 to 40 lbs. They are sometimes described as big small dogs. This breed is known for its elegant appearance, but they were bred as working dogs, which had to be extremely brave and tough.

Fun fact: Queen Victoria’s fondness for Skye Terriers was a major factor in the dogs’ increased popularity among the aristocracy.

44. Silken Windhound

The Silken Windhound (Longhaired Whippet) is a medium-sized breed that originated in the United States. They typically stand 24 inches tall and weigh around 55 pounds. They have a long, silky coat that comes in various colors including brown, grey, dark brown, cream, chocolate, caramel, chestnut, dark grey, ginger, white-brown, multi-colored, sandy, grey-brown, golden, and light-brown. Silken Windhounds are moderately active dogs, generally healthy and usually living well into their late teens. They are loyal, friendly, and smart.

Fun fact: They can be trained to participate in many events, including herding, agility, rally, tracking and fly ball.

45. Silky Terrier

The Silky Terrier (Australian Silky Terrier) is a small toy dog breed from Australia. They stand 9 to 10 inches tall and weigh around 10 pounds. They have a long, silky coat that is black and tan; blue and tan; blue, silver, and tan; gray and tan; silver and tan; or silver, black, and tan. Silky Terriers are active, alert, and affectionate. They are quick to bark at strangers or other perceived threats, yet they tend to be quite loving with their family.

Fun fact: They are famous for hunting snakes and rodents.

46. Saint Berdoodle

The Saint Berdoodle (St. Bernard Poodle Mix) is a large breed that is a mix between a purebred Standard Poodle and a Saint Bernard. They typically weigh between 70 and 160 pounds and can be between 24 and 30 inches tall. Saint Berdoodles are very playful dogs that are loyal, friendly, and smart, and enjoy activities with their families. They are friendly, loyal, smart, mischievous and clumsy.

Fun fact: Despite their size, they are not good guard dogs.

47. Spanish Mastiff

The Spanish Mastiff (Mastín Español) is a large and powerful dog breed from Spain. It has a short, smooth double coat that comes in black, fawn, red, wolfgray, or yellow with/without white and/or brindle markings. Females are at least 26 in (65 centimetres), and weigh 88 to 132 lb (40 to 60 kilograms) while males in this breed are 70 to 85 centimetres (28 to 33 in) tall at the withers, and range from 110 to 150 lb (50 to 70 kilograms). This noble giant is aloof, dignified, calm and intelligent. It is devoted to its family and may politely accept strangers if it has been socialized properly, although it will be wary of them.

Fun fact: They’re one of the oldest hunting breeds on Earth.

48. Spanish Water Dog

The Spanish Water Dog (Perro de Agua Español) is a medium-sized herding dog breed from Spain. It has a low-shedding, medium-length curly coat that often forms cords when it grows out. The coat color can be black, black and white, brown, or brown and white. Females typically stand 15.75 to 18 inches tall and weigh 31 to 40 pounds, while males are 17.5 to 19.75 inches tall and weigh 40 to 49 pounds. This breed is known for its high energy, alertness, and protective nature. It is typically very affectionate, playful, and loyal with its family, and it excels at training.

Fun fact: They are popular with fishermen and hunters to retrieve game from the water.

49. Sphynx cat

The Sphynx cat (Canadian Hairless) is a distinctive breed known for its lack of fur. Originating from Canada, these cats are playful, affectionate, friendly, energetic, and loving. They typically weigh less than 12 pounds and measure 13 to 15 inches from head to tail. Their nearly hairless coat can be any color, including white, black, red, brown, and lilac. Despite their lack of fur, Sphynxes are not hypoallergenic. They are very sociable and enjoy the company of other cats, dogs, and children.

Fun fact: Despite their hairless appearance, they are not actually bald.

50. Shiloh Shepherd

The Shiloh Shepherd (Shiloh Shepherd Dog) is a large, strong dog breed developed in the 1970s in the United States. They typically weigh between 75 to 95 pounds for males and 55 to 73 pounds for females, standing up to 26 inches tall for males and 24 inches tall for females. They have a domed shape head with a long, square muzzle. Shiloh Shepherds are intelligent, easily trainable, and excellent with children and other pets. They are known for their gentle, loving disposition and get along well with children and other pets.

Fun fact: They shed a lot, even though they come in long-haired and short-haired varieties.

51. Standard Schnauzer

The Standard Schnauzer (Mittelschnauzer) is a robust, sinewy, nearly square breed, with a length of body equal to height at shoulders. They are known for their strong, vigorous nature and great endurance. They typically weigh between 30-50 lbs and stand 18-20 inches tall. They have a hard, wire-like coat. Standard Schnauzers are known for their spirited and alert personality, they are intelligent, confident, and lively dogs with a strong sense of loyalty to their families, and possess a protective nature.

Fun fact: They have a keen nose so hiding treats and toys is also a great idea.

52. Stabyhoun

The Stabyhoun (Frisian Pointing Dog) is a medium-size sporting dog breed from the Netherlands with a medium-length, silky coat that typically comes in black and white and features feathering around the chest, belly, legs, and tail. Females typically stand 19 to 21 inches tall and weigh 40 to 60 pounds, while males are 23 to 27 inches tall and weigh 70 to 80 pounds. This breed is affectionate, companionable, and energetic. It is friendly and loving with its family, and it is intelligent and eager to please.

Fun fact: They are 1 of the top 5 rarest dog breeds in the world.

53. Spinone Italiano

The Spinone Italiano (Italian Coarsehaired Pointer) is a large, rugged dog known as Italy’s all-purpose hunting dog. It has a wiry, dense coat that comes in brown, white, and orange. Females typically stand 22 to 25 inches tall and weigh 60 to 70 pounds, while males are 23 to 27 inches tall and weigh 70 to 80 pounds. This breed is sociable, affectionate, and bright. It is friendly, sensitive, intelligent, calm, patient, and biddable but may be stubborn on occasion.

Fun fact: They have webbed feet and are excellent swimmers.

54. Sable German Shepherd

The Sable German Shepherd (Black Sable German Shepherd) is a variation of the German Shepherd breed, known for its unique fur coloring. They typically weigh between 50-95 lbs and stand 22-26 inches tall. Their hair strands contain multiple bands of colors like tan, red, silver, or brown and have black tips. They are highly intelligent, easy to train, fun-loving, and people-oriented.

Fun fact: The gene responsible for their color is also found in wolves.

55. Schnoodle

The Schnoodle (Schnauzer Poodle Mix) is a hybrid breed resulting from the cross between a Schnauzer and a Poodle. They are known for their intelligence and friendly nature. The size of a Schnoodle can vary greatly depending on the size of the parent breeds, with weights ranging from 10 to 60 pounds. They have a variety of coat types including silky and wavy, straight, or curly, and their colors can range from black, to black with white, gray, silver, apricot, or sable. They are generally healthy and energetic dogs.

Fun fact: They are known for their adaptability to various living environments.

56. Snowshoe

The Snowshoe (Snowshoe Cat) comes from the United States, is a breed of cat known for its distinctive color and coat markings. They typically weigh between 7 to 10 pounds and have a lifespan of up to 14 years. Their coat is short but dense, and they come in a variety of colors including brown, gray, black, red, cream, and white. They are known for their affectionate and sociable nature.

Fun fact: Despite their sociable nature, they are known for their strong independence.

57. Scottish Fold Cat

The Scottish Fold Cat (Felis catus), part of the Felidae family, is a medium-sized, domesticated breed weighing 6–14 lbs (2.7–6.4 kg) and standing 8–10 inches (0.2–0.25 m) tall. Perfectly suited for indoor living, they adapt well to apartments and homes and thrive in human companionship. Their soft, plush coat can be short or long, with a wide variety of colors and patterns such as solid, tabby, or calico.
Known for their calm, affectionate nature, Scottish Folds enjoy lounging but also need interactive play to stay active. They bond closely with their families and get along well with other pets and children. Litters usually consist of 2–6 kittens, requiring care, proper nutrition, and veterinary attention to prevent potential joint or bone issues.

Fun fact: Despite their calm demeanor, they are known for their high energy levels.

58. Swedish Vallhund

The Swedish Vallhund (Canis lupus familiaris), part of the Canidae family, is a small yet sturdy breed weighing 20–35 lbs (9–16 kg) and standing 12–14 inches (0.3–0.35 m) tall. Known for their dense, weather-resistant coat, they come in shades of gray, red, or sable, often with lighter markings. Adaptable to urban and rural settings, they thrive in temperate climates and handle cold weather well, thanks to their double coat.
Energetic and intelligent, Swedish Vallhunds enjoy physical activities like running, hiking, or herding. They form strong bonds with families and are great with children and pets when socialized properly. Litters typically have 4–6 puppies, which require nursing, early socialization, and training to become well-rounded adults.

Fun fact: They were originally bred for herding and are known for their excellent herding abilities.

59. Snorkie

The Snorkie (Canis lupus familiaris), a mix of Miniature Schnauzer and Yorkshire Terrier, is a small and lively member of the Canidae family. Weighing 5–12 lbs (2.3–5.4 kg) and standing 7–10 inches (0.2–0.25 m) tall, they adapt well to apartment living and urban settings. With a silky or wiry coat in colors like black, tan, gray, or silver, regular grooming is essential to keep their coat healthy.
Snorkies are playful, affectionate, and energetic, forming strong bonds with their families. Though small, they have a bold, alert nature, making them excellent watchdogs. They thrive on attention and enjoy interactive play. Mothers typically give birth to 2–5 puppies, which require gradual diet transitions, training, and socialization to become well-mannered adults.

Fun fact: Despite their small size, they are known to be quite agile and quick on their feet.

60. Shiba Inu Mix

The Shiba Inu Mix (Canis lupus familiaris), part of the Canidae family, varies in size depending on the mix, weighing 15–45 lbs (7–20 kg) and standing 13–23 inches (0.3–0.6 m) tall. Adaptable to various living environments, these dogs thrive in apartments, suburban homes, and rural areas. With a thick, double-layered coat, they handle temperate climates well, offering insulation in cooler weather.
Loyal and independent, Shiba Inu mixes combine the strong-willed nature of the Shiba with traits of the other breed. They enjoy regular exercise, making them great for active owners. Though typically good with families, early socialization is essential to ensure they adapt well to children and other pets. Litters usually consist of 4–6 puppies, requiring care, a balanced diet, and early training.

Fun fact: They are known for their independence and cat-like grooming habits.

61. Swedish Lapphund

The Swedish Lapphund (Canis lupus familiaris), a member of the Canidae family, is a medium-sized dog weighing 20–35 lbs (9–16 kg) and standing 16–20 inches (0.4–0.5 m) tall. This breed thrives in colder climates, thanks to its dense, weatherproof double coat originally developed for harsh Scandinavian winters. Domesticated and non-migratory, the Swedish Lapphund thrives in rural or suburban homes with active families.
These dogs are energetic, intelligent, and affectionate. They enjoy daily walks, games, and mental challenges, making them excellent companions. Social and family-oriented, they are great with children and other pets. Mothers typically give birth to 4–6 puppies per litter, which require early socialization, training, and a gradual transition to solid food.

Fun fact: They are known as Sweden’s national dog.

62. Sapsali

The Sapsali, also called the Sapsaree (Canis lupus familiaris), is part of the dog family, Canidae. This medium-sized breed usually weighs between 40–60 lbs (18–27 kg) and stands about 20–24 inches (0.5–0.6 m) tall. Sapsalis adapt well to temperate climates, thriving in suburban or rural homes with room to roam. Their thick, shaggy coat helps them stay warm in colder weather, while their diet primarily consists of high-quality dog food.
They’re friendly, loyal, and love spending time with their families. Known for their moderate activity levels, Sapsalis enjoy daily walks and playtime. This breed reproduces through live birth, with mothers typically having 4–6 puppies. Owners should socialize and train pups early, gradually transitioning them to solid food.

Fun fact: Natives know this breed as the “ghost hunter” because they believe these dogs can ward off evil spirits.

63. Silver Labrador

The Silver Labrador (Silver Lab) is a lively and friendly companion, ideal for active homes. The breed originated from Newfoundland, off the coast of the Labrador Sea, where they were developed with St. John’s water dogs. Their special trait is the dilute gene, which turns their chocolate fur into a pale silvery gray. They are generalist feeders and eat exclusively fish.

Fun fact: They often keep their light blue eye color until they are 6- to 8-months old.

64. Shih Tzu Mix

The Shih Tzu Mix ((Shih Tzu Crossbreed) is a crossbreed dog that has been bred by combining a Shih Tzu with another purebred dog. This type of mixed breed dog can inherit traits from both of its parent breeds, and can vary in appearance and temperament. Shih Tzu mixes are playful, affectionate, and make great companions for people of all ages. Despite their small size, Shih Tzus are known to be alert and can make good watchdogs. They are also relatively low-maintenance dogs and do not require a lot of exercise, making them well-suited to apartment living.

Fun fact: Despite having long, flowing hair, they and many of their hybrids are hypoallergenic.

65. Scotch Collie

The Scotch Collie (Old Farm Collie) is a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many types have a distinctive white color over the shoulders. Collies are very active and agile, and most types of collies have a very strong herding instinct. Collie breeds have spread through many parts of the world (especially North America and Australia), and have diversified into many varieties, sometimes mixed with other dog types.

Fun fact: They breed developed rather organically over time to meet the needs of Scottish shepherds.

66. Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu (Brushwood Dog) is a muscular dog that stands 13.5 to 16.5 inches (34 to 42 cm) tall at the shoulders and weighs 17 to 23 pounds (7.5 to 10.5 kg). It is known for its confidence, perkiness, and triangularly set eyes. It is a very old dog breed that existed as far back as 300 BC. They come from mountainous regions of Japan, where they were used to hunt wild animals and birds.

Fun fact: Red Shiba Inus are often mistaken for foxes due to their coat color, face, ears, and legs.

67. Satin Rabbit

The Satin Rabbit (Satin Breed) is a medium-large sized rabbit with a commercial body type and a short flyback coat like fine satin. They initially appeared in 2 colors – white, and a chinchilla (grayish) color but they now exist in over 11 different colors. They typically live in these warrens with a group of other rabbits in meadows, deserts, woods, grasslands, wetlands, or forests. They are gentle and calm pets, suitable for any age of owner or level of rabbit experience.

Fun fact: They are now mainly bred as show rabbits.

68. Scottish Terrier

The Scottish Terrier (Scottie) originating from Scotland, is a small, sturdy breed with a lot of confidence and personality. They stand about 10 inches tall and weigh between 19-22 pounds for males and 18-21 pounds for females. They have a distinctive appearance with well-defined eyebrows and a beard. Their coat can be black, brindle, or wheaten. Scottish Terriers were originally bred to hunt fox and vermin for farmers.

Fun fact: They are often described as a big dog in a little dog’s body due to their feisty and independent nature.

69. Saluki

The Saluki (Persian Greyhound) originating from the Middle East, is one of the oldest known breeds of dogs, with archaeological evidence dating back at least 5,000 years. They are slim, yet strong dogs, weighing between 35-65 pounds and standing 23-28 inches tall. They have a short, soft, and silky coat that can be either feathered or smooth. Salukis are sighthounds, meaning they rely on their sight rather than scent to hunt.

Fun fact: They are considered one of the fastest dog breeds, capable of reaching speeds up to 43 mph.

70. Shetland Sheepdog

The Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) also known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog that originated in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. They are small dogs, usually weighing between 15-25 pounds, and standing 13-16 inches tall. They have a double coat that can be either feathered or smooth. Shetland Sheepdogs are one of the most successful breeds at obedience trials.

Fun fact: They are known for their tremendous stamina and strength, being able to run almost 50 miles per hour.

71. Schipperke

The Schipperke (Spitzke) is a small dog breed that originated in Belgium. They are known for their agility and constant energy. Males stand about 13 inches tall at the shoulder, while females stand about 12 inches tall. Males can weigh up to 16 pounds, and females can weigh up to 15 pounds. They have a black coat, pointed ears, and curious eyes, always on alert. Schipperkes were used to hunt rats and other rodents.

Fun fact: They are also known as “little captains” due to their history of hunting rodents on ships.

72. Sheepadoodle

The Sheepadoodle (Sheepdog Poodle Mix) is a crossbreed between an Old English Sheepdog and a Poodle, first bred in the 1960s in the United States. They are known for their friendly and playful temperament. They can vary in size depending on the Poodle used for breeding, but most Sheepadoodles weigh between 60 and 80 pounds. They have a thick, fluffy coat that can be black, white, or a mix of both. They are intelligent, loyal and easy to train. They are also very affectionate and sociable with children.

Fun fact: They were first bred as an experiment for use as a military dog in the Army in the 1960s.

73. Saanen Goat

The Saanen Goat (Swiss Saanen Goat) is the largest among all the dairy goat breeds, standing nearly 4 feet tall and weighing over 300 pounds. Originating from the Saanen Valley of Switzerland, they are highly valued for their consistency in producing large amounts of milk. Their white skin and short white coat are distinctive features. Saanen Goats are docile temperament, and adaptable to a wide range of climates.

Fun fact: They can produce 3 gallons of milk a day.

74. Syrian Hamster

The Syrian Hamster (Golden Hamster) is a small rodent belonging to the hamster subfamily, Cricetinae. The natural habitat of the Syrian Hamster is the dry lands of Syria and Türkiye. They are highly territorial, scent-marking their home ranges with glands found on their flanks. Syrian Hamsters can weigh anywhere from 3.5 to 4.4 oz and can grow to around 5.1 to 7.1 inches long. They are omnivores, with a diet that includes seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables, and small insects.

Fun fact: All Syrian hamsters that are now kept as pets, originate from a single captured female.

75. Shih Poo

The Shih Poo (Shih Tzu Poodle Mix) is a small, fluffy creature with a round face and button-like eyes. Their long nose, hanging ears, and triangular muzzle give them a teddy bear-like appearance. They weigh about 8 to 18 pounds. They are highly adaptable, making them suitable for both small apartments and large homes. Shih Poos are social animals, preferring to stay close to their human companions. They are not fans of being left alone for long periods and can become distressed if left alone for too long. This can be achieved through short walks or vigorous play sessions.

Fun fact: They are known to excel in dog sports.

76. Shichi

The Shichi (Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix), a cross between a Shih Tzu and a Chihuahua, is a toy-sized companion dog usually weighing between 5 and 12 pounds, depending on its parentage. They usually have a round head, and they can either have ears that are erect or that hang down. Shichis are energetic and affectionate animals. They are also highly intelligent, though some Shichis may have a stubborn streak inherited from their parent the Chihuahua that could interfere with efforts to train them.

Fun fact: They are known to be fairly vocal animals, especially when they encounter strangers or otherwise feel threatened.

77. Scottish Deerhound

The Scottish Deerhound (Deerhound) is a breed that originated in Scotland, UK. They are one of the tallest dog breeds, with males standing 30-32 inches tall and females standing at least 28 inches tall. Males typically weigh between 85-110 pounds, while females weigh between 75-95 pounds. They have a wiry grey coat and are known for their speed and size. Scottish Deerhounds are gentle, friendly, and docile. They are open to strangers and like children, though their size may intimidate small children. They are also good with other dogs.

Fun fact: They were bred to hunt the giant Red Deer.

78. Slovak Cuvac

The Slovak Cuvac (Slovenský čuvač) is a breed of dog that hails from Slovakia. They are bred for use as livestock guard dogs and are closely related to the Hungarian Kuvasz. Males stand between 24–28 inches tall and weigh 79–97 lbs, while females are slightly smaller, standing 23–26 inches tall and weighing 68–82 lbs. They are boundlessly loyal and stout-hearted, resisting every enemy – bears and wolves included.

Fun fact: They are always bred in white to be discernible from the beasts of the night.

79. Shepkita

The Shepkita (German Shepherd Akita Mix) is a mixed breed dog—a cross between the Akita and German Shepherd Dog breeds. They are stoic, loyal, and hard-working. The main colors of Akita Shepherds are brindle, white, silver, red, gray, brown, sable, and black. They have medium energy levels and require at least one good half-hour- to hour-long walk per day with a few good, active play sessions and shorter walks mixed in.

Fun fact: They are rather intelligent and headstrong, and they may try to test out their humans’ boundaries.

80. Schneagle

The Schneagle (Schnauzer Beagle Mix) is a mixed breed that comes from a purebred Beagle and another mixed breed, the Miniature Schnauzer. They are friendly, playful, energetic, social, needy, loyal, and eager to please. They are miniature but certainly not in spirit. Rarely weighing more than 20 pounds, these diminutive pups have made a loving and energetic addition to many homes.

Fun fact: They are quiet but alert, which also makes them excellent watchdogs for both singles and families.

81. Sable Black German Shepherd

The Sable Black German Shepherd (Black Sable Shepherd) is an extremely rare variation of the standard black-and-tan German Shepherd. They are completely black but are still a purebred Shepherd. They are medium-sized to large dogs with almost no sexual dimorphism. Male black German shepherds grow to be 24 to 26 inches in height and weigh 65 to 90 pounds, while the females are usually 22 to 24 inches tall and weigh 50 to 70 pounds. Sable Black German Shepherds are known for their intelligence, loyalty, and courage, requiring plenty of exercise, playtime, activities, and social interactions to satisfy their minds and bodies.

Fun fact: Despite their reputation for aggressive behavior, these dogs are more aloof with strangers than aggressive.

82. Small Indian Civet

The Small Indian Civet (Malabar Large-spotted Civet) is a civet native to South and Southeast Asia. It has a rather coarse fur that is brownish grey to pale yellowish brown, with usually several longitudinal black or brown bands on the back and longitudinal rows of spots on the sides. They are nocturnal and mostly terrestrial animals.

Fun fact: They can dig their own burrows, but also occupy abandoned burrows of other species.

83. Siberian Ibex

The Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica) is the largest species of goat. They are native to Central Asia. Males can be 4.26 to 5.41 feet long, stand 2.62 to 3.28 inches high at the shoulder, and weigh 176 to 220 pounds. They are known for their straight muzzles and backs. Siberian Ibex, principally a diurnal animal, live at high elevations and often climb up to the vegetation line at 5,000 meters, but they usually seek out lower slopes during the winter.

Fun fact: They typically molt between April and July, developing their paler summer coat.

84. Springbok

The Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium-sized antelope that stands about 30-34 inches high and weighs between 60-106 lbs. It has a reddish-brown coat with a pale underside and a dark brown stripe running from each eye to their upper lip. They inhabit the dry areas of south and southwestern Africa, primarily in the Savannah Biome. Springboks are herbivores, feeding on leaves and grasses depending on the season. They are known for their ability to survive without drinking water for years, meeting their requirements through eating succulent vegetation.

Fun fact: They can reach speeds of up to 55 mph.

85. Snowshoe Hare

The Snowshoe Hare (Varying Hare) is a secretive forest-dwelling mammal found only in North America. It has large hind feet, hence the name “snowshoe”. Their fur is rusty brown in the spring and summer, and white in the winter. They are about 16 to 20 inches in size and weigh between 2 to 4 pounds. Snowshoe hares are nocturnal, feeding at night on trees and shrubs, grasses, and plants.

Fun fact: They have a snow-white winter coat that turns brown when the snow melts each spring.

86. Scrofa Pig

The Scrofa Pig (Wild Boar) is a creature that thrives in various habitats across Eurasia and North Africa. Their habitat ranges from forests to grasslands, and they are known for their adaptability. They have a large head with a long snout, which is strengthened by a special prenasal bone and a disk of cartilage at the tip. Their skin is covered with sparse, bristly hair. Scrofa Pigs are social animals that form small groups. They forage both during the day and night, with the activity being most intense at night. Females are known to leave the group to give birth and rejoin shortly after, displaying a strong protective instinct towards their young.

Fun fact: They possess mutations that protect against snake venom.

87. Sugar Glider

The Sugar Glider (Sugar Squirrel) is a small marsupial native to Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. They are widely distributed in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and some neighboring archipelagos. They are usually found in lowlands and mountainous areas below 4921 ft (1,500 meters) in altitude. They weigh between 4 to 5 ounces and grow up to 13 inches long. Known for their gliding ability, they can travel 328 ft (100 meters) in 1 glide.

Fun fact: They have 4 fingers on their hands and feet, which help them grip trees when they are gliding.

88. Spanish Goat

The Spanish Goat (Brush Goat) is a type of domestic goat originating from Africa. They were first domesticated about 10,000 years ago by nomadic tribes in North Africa. Later, Spanish goats were introduced to Europe by the Phoenicians and Romans. It is a medium to large-sized goat. They have long horns that are distinctively twisted. They have large ears that are held horizontally and forward next to the head. Spanish Goats can live in a variety of different habitats, but they prefer areas with abundant grasses and browse. They are generally gentle and good-natured, making them a popular choice for raising livestock. It weighs between 200 and 250 pounds.

Fun fact: They are known for their excellent mothering abilities.

89. Shetland Pony

The Shetland Pony (Sheltie) is a breed native to the Shetland Isles, Scotland. These ponies are adapted to harsh climates and scarce food supplies, often consuming seaweed for nutrients. They stand up to 40 inch (102 cm), with a heavy coat and short legs. Their bodies are compact and sturdy, with a small head, widely spaced eyes, and small alert ears. Shetland Ponies are known for their strength, able to pull twice their body weight. They have a friendly and gentle temperament, but can be headstrong if not properly trained.

Fun fact: They have a double winter coat to withstand harsh weather.

90. Savanna Goat

The Savanna Goat (Savannah Goat) is a large-frame, well-muscled meat goat breed that originated from South Africa. They are characterized by short yet smooth white hair or coat all over their body with highly pigmented skin. Their dark grey or black skin enables them to stay cool even under intense sunlight. Most Savanna goats stand at around 1.64 to 2.08 feet. These goats are medium to large in scale, with mature goats averaging 130 pounds or 58.87 to 60 kilograms. They are exceptional climbers and extremely agile, able to run and jump with ease through the canopy.

Fun fact: They were first discoverd by a South African goat rancher in 1956.

91. Saddleback Tamarin

The Saddleback Tamarin (Andean Saddle-back Tamarin) is a squirrel-sized New World monkey from the family Callitrichidae. They have longer and narrower hands than Saguinus species, possibly an adaptation to differing foraging behavior. Saddleback tamarins are more likely to search for insects that are hidden in knotholes, crevices, bromeliad tanks, and leaf litter. Long, narrow hands considered an adaptation, help the saddleback tamarin reach into small crevices and catch insects. Scalloped ears protrude from a small round head covered in black fur. The snout is flat and covered with white hairs or whiskers in some individuals.

Fun fact: They have over 38 different types of vocalizations.

92. Serval

The Serval (Tierboskat) is a wild cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, except in rainforest regions. They are slender, medium-sized cats that stand 21–24 in (54–62 cm) at the shoulder and weigh 77–99 lbs (35–45 kg). They are characterized by a small head, large ears, and a short, black-tipped tail. Servals are solitary carnivores and active both by day and at night.

Fun fact: Servals can leap more than 1 meter into the air.

93. Sika Deer

The Sika Deer (Spotted Deer) is a species of deer native to East Asia but can also be found in parts of Europe and North America. Depending on the subspecies, Sika Deer can vary in height from 20 to 43 inches at the shoulder, and 37 to 71 inches in head-and-body length. Their weight varies between subspecies, with the average adult weight being 92 lbs. Sika Deer are herbivores, and their diet consists of a variety of plant material, including grasses, leaves, and bark.

Fun fact: They bounce on all fours like gazelles when they run away.

94. Small-toothed Palm Civet

The Small-toothed Palm Civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata) is a viverrid native to dense forests of Southeast Asia. This mid-sized animal, by the standards of its family, weighs 3–8 lbs (1.4–3.6 kg) and measures 21 in (53 cm) long along the body, plus a tail of 23 in (58 cm). It has short fur that is generally a tawny or buff color while the head is a darker greyish tawny. They are known to be solitary, nocturnal, and arboreal species.

Fun fact: They can jump up to 3 meters between trees.

95. Spiny Anteater

The Spiny Anteater (Echidna) is a creature with elongated and slender snouts, sharp spines, and coarse hair. They are usually small in size, with a body covered in closely set spines, resembling a giant hedgehog. These animals have a small mouth with no teeth and catch prey with their long sticky tongue. They are found in Australia and New Guinea and primarily feed on termite ants and other small invertebrates. When threatened, the Spiny Anteater will roll itself into a ball, exposing its sharp spines.

Fun fact: They grind up their food with specially adapted spines instead of teeth.

96. Spectacled Flying Squirrel

The Spectacled Flying Squirrel (Petauristini) is a nocturnal creature native to various regions worldwide. It has a unique ability to glide between trees, thanks to a special membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle. This small mammal is not aggressive and is rarely seen, mostly because it is active late at night. The body size for adults is typically less than 0.4 inch (1 cm) long, but some reach lengths of about 20 inches (50 cm) or more.

Fun fact: They are one of the most spectacular and secretive squirrels on Earth.

97. Sable Antelope

The Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger) inhabits wooded savanna in East and Southern Africa. It has a robust build, a thick neck, and tough skin. Adult males are larger than females, measuring about 46-55 inches in height and weighing around 485-518 lbs. The general coloration is rich chestnut to black. They are important grazers and browsers in their habitats.

Fun fact: They are known for their large necks with an upright mane.

98. Spotted Skunk

The Spotted Skunk (Spilogale) are found throughout the western United States, northern Mexico, and southwestern British Columbia. It is a medium-sized, slender mammal with a small head, short legs, and a prominent, long-haired tail. The fur is rather long, soft, and glossy. The overall color is black with conspicuous white stripes and spots. They are largely nocturnal, medium-sized omnivores.

Fun fact: They perform handstands before spraying their enemies.

99. Southern White Rhinoceros

The Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) is one of the largest and heaviest land animals in the world. They are found almost exclusively in southern Africa, from Angola and Namibia eastward through Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Eswatini, and Mozambique. Females weigh around 3,527–3,748 lbs and males around 4,409–5,071 lbs. The head-and-body length is 11–13 feet with a shoulder height of 5.2–6.1 feet. They have two horns on their snout. Southern White Rhinos are semi-social and territorial. They stay together in herds on the grassy plains and mark their territory with strategically placed deposits of dung.

Fun fact: They can live up to 35 years in the wild and 40 in captivity.

100. Spotted Hyena

The Spotted Hyena (Laughing Hyena) is native to sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting savannahs, grasslands, and woodlands. It has a sandy, ginger-colored coat with black markings on its body and legs. The body can grow almost 6.5 feet long, with a dark, bushy tail measuring 10-12 inches long. Females, which are heavier than males, can weigh up to 181 lbs. They are social mammals, living in structured groups called clans, with females ranking higher than males.

Fun fact: They are the most vocal mammals in Africa, with over 11 different sounds recorded.

101. Stoat

The Stoat (Short-tailed Weasel) is a mustelid that resides in Eurasia and North America. It has a body length in the range of 6.7”-12.6” (17-32 cm) and total weight of .3-1 lb (.14-.45 kg). Stoats have a shoulder height between 2.6”-4.5” (6.5-11.5 cm), body width of 2.2”-3.9” (5.5-10 cm), and tail length of 3.5”-5.5” (9-14 cm).

Fun fact: Their black tail tip may act as a predator-deflection mark.

102. Sealyham Terrier

The Sealyham Terrier (Welsh Border Terrier) is a rare Welsh breed of small to medium-sized terrier that originated in Wales as a working dog. It is principally a white-bodied, rough-coated breed, developed in the mid-to-late-19th century by Captain John Edwardes at Sealyham House, Pembrokeshire. The body of the Sealyham Terrier is elongated, with a thick double undercoat. They are 12 inches (30 cm) tall at the withers, and they weigh up to 9 kilograms (20 lb) for males and 8 kilograms (18 lb) for females. They are very active and agile, and most types of collies have a very strong herding instinct.

Fun fact: They can drag more than 70 kilograms of cargo over distances as long as 100–150 kilometres.

103. Shrew

The Shrew (Soricidae) is a small mammal found throughout the world, except for Australia, southern South America, and the polar regions. They are very small, weighing only between 0.07 and 0.1 ounces as adults. Due to their size, shrews must eat almost constantly. They are active at almost all times of day and throughout the year.

Fun fact: They must eat 80-90% of their own body weight in food daily.

104. Santa Catalina Island Fox

The Santa Catalina Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis catalinae) is the largest native mammal on Santa Catalina Island. They have light gray and white coats with brown sides and white underbellies. Santa Catalina Island Foxes are generally docile, show little fear of humans, and are easily tamed; they are active day and night, marking their territory with urine and scat, and pairs tend to mate for life with overlapping territories.

Fun fact: It is the smallest fox species known from the United States.

105. Scandinavian Lynx

The Scandinavian Lynx (Lynx lynx) is a muscular creature that stands 27.5 inches (70 cm) tall at the shoulders and weighs between 40 to 66 lb (18 to 30 kg). It has a short tail, characteristic tufts of black hair on the tips of their ears, large, padded paws for walking on snow, and long whiskers on the face. It is found throughout Europe and Asia, and it prefers forested habitats. Scandinavian Lynxes are solitary and nocturnal animals, they are most active at dusk and during the night, and when at rest, they prefer inaccessible terrain with boulder fields and hills.

Fun fact: They have a highly developed sense of smell despite their poor eyesight.

106. Southern Elephant Seal

The Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina) is the largest member of the clade Pinnipedia and the order Carnivora. Males can range from 3,300 to 8,200 lbs ( 1,500 to 3,700 kg) and grow to 14 to 19 ft (4.2 to 5.8 m) in length. They are found in the colder climate and waters of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic. Southern Elephant Seals are known for their solitary and migratory nature, spending most of their lives at sea, making long foraging trips, and diving deep to forage.

Fun fact: Males can weigh up to 10 times more than females.

107. Squirrel Monkey

The Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri) lives in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer. They have short and close fur colored black at the shoulders, green or purple fur along the back and extremities, and white on the face. Squirrel monkeys grow from 9.8 to 13.8 inches long, plus a 14 to 17 inch tail. Male squirrel monkeys weigh 0.6 to 2.4 lbs. Females weigh 0.4 to 1.7 lbs.

Fun fact: They are the cleverest monkeys due to having a large brain compared to the size of their body.

108. Star-Nosed Mole

The Star-Nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) is a small mole that inhabits wet lowland areas of North America. They have a strange appearance, with a unique star-shaped nose that’s ringed with 22 fleshy appendages (called ‘rays’), which they use to feel their way around, and even hunt prey. A fully grown, adult star-nosed mole typically measures only around 6-8 inches in length, while its tail is thin and hairy and 1-2 inches in length. They weigh around 1.5–2.5 oz (43–70 g) when fully grown.

Fun fact: They blow bubbles into the water and then re-inhale them through the nose to sniff for prey.

109. Striped Hyena

The Striped Hyena (Laughing Hyena) is a secretive forest-dwelling mammal found only in North Africa, India, and Turkey. They have a dog-like appearance, with a long, black muzzle and large, pointed ears. Their gold or brownish gray fur is lined with black stripes. Males, which are significantly larger than females, grow over 5 feet in length and weigh up to 90 pounds. Females rarely weigh more than 75 pounds. They are nocturnal and form small groups of up to seven animals in areas with abundant food or water.

Fun fact: They raise their impressive manes when threatened or upset.

110. Sardinian Fox

The Sardinian Fox (Vulpes vulpes ichnusae), is a small to medium-sized omnivorous mammal. The red fox is an animal that has learned to thrive in many different climates and habitats, from steep mountain cliffs to flat and featureless deserts. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail. Sardinian Foxes, like most foxes, are known to be monogamous, mate for life, and can be friendly.

Fun fact: They are the most common and widespread species of fox.

111. Sperm Whale

The Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is a deep-sea dweller often found near underwater canyons or the edges of continental shelves. They have a unique appearance with a large square head, which makes up about one-third of their total body length, and a narrow lower jaw. Their skin is typically dark blue-gray or brownish, with white patches on the belly. Sperm Whales are known for their deep dives, reaching depths of up to 3,280 feet to find food, which primarily includes squid, sharks, skates, and fish. They usually live in groups, called pods, of about 15 to 20 animals. Females and young males live together, while mature males may live solitary lives outside of the mating season.

Fun fact: They possess the largest brain of any creature known to have lived on Earth.

112. Spectacled Bear

The Spectacled Bear (Andean Bear) is a species native to the Andes Mountains in western South America. They stand 2-3 ft high at the shoulder, with a length of 4-6.5 ft (120-200 cm). Their weight ranges from 220–440 lbs (100–200 kg). Spectacled bears are arboreal, active both during the day and night in Andean cloud forests. They have the ability to climb even the tallest trees of the Andes due to their continued survival alongside humans.

Fun fact: They can sit in a tree for days waiting for fruit to ripen.

113. Sichuan Takin

The Sichuan Takin (Tibetan Takin) is a large and muscular animal, with a distinctive red color and no horns. They inhabit the same dense bamboo forests as the giant panda. Adult cows average 1,000 to 1,200 lbs., and consistently wean off 50% or better of their body weight while maintaining an efficient calving interval. They are very heat tolerant and can graze easily in the heat of the day.

Fun fact: They have large, baggy sweat glands which help keep them cool by regulating their internal body temperatures during grazing.

114. Slow Loris

The Slow Loris (Nycticebus) is a nocturnal primate found throughout Southeast Asia. They have a round head, a narrow snout, large eyes, and a variety of distinctive coloration patterns that are species-dependent. Their arms and legs are nearly equal in length, and their torso is long and flexible, allowing them to twist and extend to nearby branches. The hands and feet of slow lorises have several adaptations that give them a pincer-like grip and enable them to grasp branches for long periods. Slow Lorises are known for their nocturnal behavior, moving slowly and deliberately in trees much like a sloth.

Fun fact: They have a toxic bite, a trait rare among mammals and unique among primates.

115. Sun Bear

The Sun Bear (Honey Bear) is the smallest member of the bear family, living in the dense lowland forests of Southeast Asia. Males, slightly larger than females, are about 5 feet in length and weigh up to 150 pounds. They have a stocky, muscular build, small ears, and a short muzzle, which has earned them the nickname “dog bear”. They are excellent climbers and have been observed making sleeping platforms high above the ground out of branches and leaves. They are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, berries, roots, insects, small birds, lizards, and rodents.

Fun fact: They have a long tongue for extracting honey from bee nests, giving them their other nickname, “honey bear”.

116. Sambar Deer

The Sambar Deer (Indian Sambar) is a large species of deer that resides in southern Asia. They can stand up to 63 inches at the shoulder. The largest males weigh up to 1,200 lbs., but their weight is usually between 220 – 770 lbs. on average. Males are mostly solitary, but females live in small herds, usually no more than 16 animals or so. These deer are most active at night, or during sunrise and sunset.

Fun fact: They use urine to communicate with one another.

117. Samoan Flying Fox

The Samoan Flying Fox (Pacific Flying Fox) is a species of flying fox found in American Samoa, Fiji, and Samoa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. This medium-sized bat weighs about 1.5–2.6 lbs (700–1,200 g) with a wingspan of about 2 ft 10 in (0.86 meters). It has a fox-like face with a pointed muzzle, a brown body, and wings. This bat is mostly diurnal, making foraging expeditions in early mornings and late afternoons. The diet consists mainly of fruit but leaves, flowers, and nectar are also eaten.

Fun fact: Because their teeth are made for grazing, sambar deer are habitual grazers.

120. Sand Gazelle

The Sand Gazelle (Reem Gazelle) is a small antelope that weighs about 44–65 lbs (20–30 kg). They are native to the Middle East, specifically the Arabian and Syrian Deserts. They inhabit desert and semi-desert areas, including sand seas. They are known for their ability to survive in harsh desert conditions.

Fun fact: They are the only antelope to regularly give birth to twins.

121. Sloth Bear

The Sloth Bear (Stickney Bear) is a forest-dwelling bear that inhabits tropical or subtropical regions of India and Sri Lanka. They grow up to 6 feet in length, and males can weigh up to 310 pounds, while females weigh up to 210 pounds. They feed predominantly on termites and ants and employ a well-evolved method to dig them out.

Fun fact: They are known to scale the occasional tree to knock down a bee honeycomb, which they will then enjoy on the ground below.

122. Santa Rosa Island Fox

The Santa Rosa Island Fox (Channel Island Fox) is no larger than an average house cat. It is native to the Island Fox that is found only on Santa Rosa Island, one of the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California. The adult foxes generally weigh four to seven pounds. They are typically active during the day due to lack of disturbances on the islands.

Fun fact: They are the only carnivores unique to California.

123. Spanish Lynx

The Spanish Lynx (Iberian Lynx) is a medium-sized cat native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe. It’s smaller than its Eurasian counterpart, with a bobbed tail, spotted coat, long legs, and a muscular body. Its coat is tawny to bright yellowish-red, with black or brown spots and white underparts. The Spanish Lynx is a solitary and nocturnal animal that hunts by silently stalking its prey until the perfect moment, then pounces and kills it with a bite to the throat.

Fun fact: They are known for their exceptional ability to camouflage, making them skilled hunters.

124. Sea Lion
Sea Lions (California Sea Lion) are marine creatures that inhabit a variety of aquatic habitats, from sandy shores to rocky outcrops. They have a streamlined body, ranging mainly from light to dark brown, and are equipped with powerful front flippers for swimming. Interestingly, their rear flippers can be rotated under their bodies, allowing them to walk efficiently on land. Males are typically larger than females and possess a sagittal crest, or large bump, on their heads.

Fun fact: They can hold their breath underwater for up to 20 minutes.

125. Slender Loris

The Slender Loris (Red Slender Loris) is a species of primate native to India and Sri Lanka. It has long, slender limbs, small hands, a rounded head, and a pointed muzzle. They feed mostly on insects and are solitary. The female usually bears a single young after 5 or 6 months’ gestation.

Fun fact: They have a unique trait among bears where the cubs often ride on their mother’s back.

126. Sea Otter

The Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. They are often found in kelp beds and prefer nearshore habitats such as rocky shores and estuaries. With a length reaching up to 47 inches and a weight of up to 99 lbs, they are the largest otters. Their fur, the densest of any animal, is usually dark brown. They have webbed and flipper-like hind feet. Sea Otters are known for their unique feeding behavior. They use rocks to break open crabs and other shellfish while floating on their back. They also consume sea urchins, which helps maintain the health of kelp forests.

Fun fact: They can live their entire life without leaving the water.

127. Solenodon

The Solenodon (Solenodonta) is a small, primitive mammal. They are usually 10-12 inches in length, but some individuals have been found up to 25 inches long. They have a distinct teardrop or carrot-shaped body, wide at the head and tapered at the end. Their bodies are covered in coarse fur, not scales, and they have a slightly oily sheen. They inhabit various types of wet marshy settings, including forests, swamps, and along rivers, coastlines, and ponds.

Fun fact: They can survive for long periods without food.

128. Siamang

The Siamang (Greater Gibbon) is a type of gibbon native to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. They have jet black fur, only the hands, feet and around the eyes are hairless. Siamangs are slightly larger than other gibbons, standing 29 to 35 inches tall and weighing about 23 pounds. They are arboreal animals, spending most of their time in trees, and have a diet that primarily consists of leaves, fruit, and insects.

Fun fact: It’s known for its loud, resonating call, which can be heard up to 3 miles away.

129. Santa Cruz Sheep

The Santa Cruz Sheep (Navajo-Churro Sheep) is a breed of domestic sheep that can be traced to Central Asia or the Middle East. Males are usually larger than females, with a standing shoulder height between 31.5”-47.2” (80-120 cm), overall body length of 47.2”-70.9” (120-180 cm), and a weight between 99-287 lb (45-130 kg). They are known for their robust bodies, shaggy hair, elongated snouts, and strong limbs with non-retractable claws. They are gentle, easy to raise, and adapt well to many environmental conditions.

Fun fact: They may have a large fat tail composed of fat.

130. Southern Right Whale

The Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) is a large baleen whale that can grow to 18 m in length and weigh up to 80 tonnes. Its skin is black, occasionally grey or with white patches on the belly and it is the only large whale that lacks a dorsal fin. Southern right whales inhabit oceans south of the Equator, between the latitudes of 20° and 60° south. In 2009 the global population was estimated to be approximately 13,600. Southern Right Whales are known for their unique behaviors such as breaching, lobtailing, flippering, and ‘sailing’, where they lift and hold their flukes above the surface, allowing the wind to push them through the water.

Fun fact: They are polyandrous, with females having up to 7 partners.

131. Spider Monkey

The Spider Monkey (Black-handed Spider Monkey) is a large New World monkey that lives in tropical rainforests from central Mexico in the north to Bolivia in the south. They have a body length of 13-25 in and a tail length of 13-36 in (35-89 cm). Males are usually larger than females. They have long, thin arms with hooklike hands that allow them to swing through the trees. They do not have opposable thumbs. Spider monkeys are social, living in groups of up to 40 members. Within that group, smaller subgroups will often splinter off to forage.

Fun fact: They can cover as much as 30 feet of distance with a single powerful swoosh of their arms.

132. Sri Lankan Elephant

The Sri Lankan Elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) inhabit Sri Lanka. They are often found in mixed habitats, moving frequently in search of water sources and areas with good food availability. These elephants are known for their dark gray to dark brown skin color, which can vary depending on the soil and mud where they have bathed.

Fun fact: They can reach a top speed of 43 Km/h.

133. Saimaa Ringed Seal

The Saimaa Ringed Seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is among the most endangered seals in the world, having a total population of only about 400 individuals. They have lived in complete isolation from other ringed seal species for around 9,500 years. Saimaa Ringed Seals, which are between 33 to 63 inches in length and weigh between 110 to 198 lbs, are colored dark gray, with a gray-black dorsal featuring circular white rings, and the bottom of the seal is light gray. The Saimaa ringed seal is endemic to their habitat in Lake Saimaa, Finland. They are generalist feeders and eat exclusively fish.

Fun fact: They are one of the few living freshwater seals.

134. Siberian Tiger

The Siberian Tiger (Amur Tiger) is the largest subspecies of tiger originating from the Korean Peninsula, the north-eastern parts of China, and eastern Siberia. Siberian Tigers have a shoulder height between 30”-42” (75-107 cm), body length of 5’7”-6’10” (170-208 cm), and weight in the range of 260-700 lb (118-318 kg). The tail of a Siberian Tiger is 35”-40” (89-102 cm) in length.

Fun fact: A hungry tiger can eat as much as 60 pounds in 1 night.

135. Scottish Wildcat

The Scottish Wildcat (Highland Tiger) is a European wildcat population in Scotland. They have a head and body length of between 3 and 5.6 feet. Their tail can be between 2.4 and 5.2 inches in length and they can have a shoulder height of 2 to 2.6 feet. Depending on the sex and age, Scottish Wildcats can weigh between 57 and 152 pounds. When hunting they may travel long distances each night in search of prey.

Fun fact: They can clock 50 miles an hour on their long migrations.

136. Saiga Antelope

The Saiga Antelope (Saiga) is an antelope species native to Russia and Kazakhstan. They live in semideserts, grasslands, open woodlands, and steppes. They have a characteristic beaked nose, similar to an elephant’s trunk, and hollow, ringed horns, found only in males. They avoid travelling through heavily forested areas, preferring to stay out in the open where they can spot predators and run unimpeded. Saigas are quite social, and even when they are not migrating will form herds of 30 – 40 individuals. Saiga mainly eat leaves of shrubs, herbs and grass.

Fun fact: Despite their awkward running gait, they can clock 80 mph to escape predators.

137. Sumatran Elephant

The Sumatran Elephant (Sumatran Dwarf Elephant) is a subspecies of the Asian elephant found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. These elephants are smaller than African elephants, with a height ranging from 6.56-10.5 ft (2 to 3.2 meters) and a weight between 4,400–8,800 lbs (2,000–4,000 kg). They have a lighter skin color than the Sri Lankan elephant and the Indian elephant. Sumatran elephants are highly social animals, forming herds of 20-35 individuals, dominated by the largest adult female. Males leave the herd upon reaching adolescence, typically rejoining only for mating.

Fun fact: They can give out subsonic sounds, perceived at a distance of up to 5 km.

138. Sumatran Rhinoceros

The Sumatran Rhinoceros (Hairy Rhinoceros) is a solitary creature that inhabits the dense mountain forests of Indonesia, particularly on the island of Sumatra. The front horn may grow up to 31 inches but is normally much smaller. The average height of this species is between 48 to 58 inches, and they can reach a length of 8 to 10 feet. They weigh approximately 1,760 pounds. They feed on fruit, twigs, leaves, and shrubs, with a preference for wild mangoes, bamboos, and figs. They also seek out salt licks and will visit their favorites every month.

Fun fact: They communicate with whistling and whining noises.

139. South China Tiger

The South China Tiger (Amoy Tiger) is a subspecies of tiger native to China. Males measure from 90 to 104 inches in length and weigh 286 to 386 lbs. Females are smaller, measuring 87 to 94 inches in length, and weigh 220 to 253 lbs. They are solitary predators, stalking their prey and hiding in vegetation until an opportunity to attack.

Fun fact: Some believe that this tiger is the original tiger from which all other tiger subspecies evolved.

140. Sumatran Tiger

The Sumatran Tiger (Sunda Island Tiger) is a native species of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It thrives in the dense tropical rainforests, from lowland forests to mountainous terrains. This species is the smallest among tigers, with weight of about 260 pounds. Its fur is a darker shade of orange with closely spaced camouflage black stripes, providing excellent in its habitat. It’s an ambush predator, hunting at night and preying on a variety of animals.

Fun fact: They can cover distances up to 18 miles in search of food.

141. Somali Wild Ass

The Somali Wild Ass (Somali Donkey) is a subspecies of the African wild ass. Males measure from 90 to 104 inches in length and weigh 286 to 386 lbs. Females are smaller, measuring 87 to 94 inches in length, and weigh 220 to 253 lbs. They are solitary animals and are known to be excellent swimmers.

Fun fact: The legs of the Somali wild ass are striped, resembling those of its relative, the zebra.

142. San Clemente Island goat

The San Clemente Island goat (San Clemente Goat) is a small, fine-boned, and deer-like creature. Adult goats generally weigh between 35-130 lbs. They are typically red or tan with characteristic black markings. These goats were first introduced to San Clemente Island in 1875. They are generally docile, show little fear of humans, and are easily tamed.

Fun fact: They are listed as a critically endangered heritage breed.

143. Saola

The Saola (Asian Unicorn) is an antelope species native to the forests on the north-central borders of Vietnam and Laos. Saolas have a shoulder height between 30.7”-35” (78-89 cm), a body length of 46”-52.75” (117-134 cm), a standing height of roughly 40.2”-45.7” (102-116 cm), and a body width of 11”-13” (28-33 cm). The horns of a Saola are between 14”-20” (35.6-50.8 cm). Weights of Saola vary between males and females with males weighing between 190-220 lb (85-100 kg) and females from 175-200 lb (80-90 kg).

Fun fact: They are often called the Asian unicorn, due to their incredibly long horns and exceptional rarity.

144. Sakhalin Husky

The Sakhalin Husky (Karafuto Ken) is a critically endangered landrace and sled laika associated with Sakhalin Island and adjacent areas. They are also known Karafuto Ken, Sakhalin Laika, or Gilyak Laika. The body of the Sakhalin Husky is elongated, with a thick double undercoat. They are 22–26 in (56–66 centimetres) tall at the withers, and they weigh up to 66–88 lb (30–40 kilograms). They have large paws and excellent endurance that allows them to cover long distances in snowy conditions in just a few days.

Fun fact: They can navigate over ice flows during blizzards, even maintaining the correct course over the 300 miles (480 kilometres).

145. Sunda Pangolin

The Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica) is a species of pangolin found throughout Southeast Asia. It weighs around 22 lbs and measures between 16 to 26 inches in length. It has a body covered by rows of scales and fibrous hair, and it spends a large part of its life in trees. Sunda Pangolins are primarily solitary creatures, preferring to live and forage alone except during the breeding season or when a mother is caring for her young.

Fun fact: They have a highly developed sense of smell and use their long, sticky tongue to collect ants and termites.

146. Sumatran Orangutan

The Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) is a species of great ape native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. The Sumatran Orangutan is the largest of the Orangutan species. Adult males can grow up to 4.9 feet tall and weigh up to 154 lbs, while females are smaller, about 3.3 feet tall and weigh about 77 lbs. This species is known for its distinctive reddish-brown hair and its ability to swing from tree to tree using its long, strong arms. They are primarily arboreal, spending most of their time in the trees, and have a diet that consists mainly of fruit, leaves, and insects.

Fun fact: They are known to spend up to 60% of their time foraging and eating.
After exploring the intriguing mammals that start with ‘S’, let’s dive into the fascinating world of reptiles that share the same initial letter.
Reptiles that start with S
Explore a variety of reptiles that start with the letter S, from powerful predators to intriguing species, each offering a glimpse into the diverse world of these cold-blooded creatures.

Spider-Tailed Horned Viper	Spotted Python	Spiny Bush Viper
Spectacled Caiman	Stinkpot Turtle	Sidewinder
Skink Lizard	Scarlet Kingsnake	Savannah Monitor
Smooth-fronted Caiman	Spiny Softshell Turtle	Saltwater Crocodile
Sharp-Tailed Snake	Snapping Turtle	Spectacled Cobra
Slow Worm	Speckled Kingsnake	Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
Sand Viper	Southern Hognose Snake	Snouted Cobra
Stephen’s Banded Snake	Sunbeam Snake	Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko
Spiny Hill Turtle	Saint Lucia Whiptail	Sulcata Tortoise
San Esteban Island Chuckwalla	San Francisco Garter Snake	Sand Lizard
Spotted Turtle	Sea Turtle

 

147. Spider-Tailed Horned Viper

The Spider-Tailed Horned Viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides) is a venomous snake endemic to western Iran and over the border region with Iraq. It has a unique tail with a bulb-like end that is bordered by long drooping scales that give it the appearance of a spider. The tail tip is waved around and used to lure insectivorous birds to within striking range.

Fun fact: They like to hide in crevices on the sides of cliffs, waiting for prey.

148. Spotted Python

The Spotted Python (Antaresia maculosa) is a python species found in northern Australia and New Guinea. Adults average about 39–55 in (100–140 centimetres) in length, though a record exists of a 69 in (180 cm) specimen. It has an irregular, blotched color pattern throughout its life. The blotches have ragged edges because the dark pigmentation occurs only on complete scales. They are primarily nocturnal, and are semi-arboreal with younger animals preferring to utilize elevated hiding spots more than adults. They inhabit various habitats, including forest edges, oak woodlands, chaparral, shrubland, meadows, and pastures.

Fun fact: They hang from cave entrances to catch bats as they fly by.

149. Spiny bush viper

The Spiny bush viper (Atheris hispida) is a venomous snake native to Central Africa. It is known for its extremely keeled dorsal scales that give it a bristly appearance. The scales around the head and neck are the longest, decreasing posteriorly. Spiny bush vipers vary in color and can be green, olive green, bluish, or brownish with a yellow or pale olive belly. Their length is 22.8 to 28.7 inches. The males of this species are surprisingly long and slender compared to the females. They are nocturnal creatures that spend the daytime basking on top of flowering bushy plants. They are also capable of climbing reeds and stalks and hanging upside down from tree branches.

Fun fact: They have excellent senses of smell, eyesight, and vibration that they use to avoid predators and find food.

150. Spectacled Caiman

The Spectacled Caiman (Common Caiman) is a crocodilian reptile found in much of Central and South America. It has a large, upward-facing mouth in a large head, with eyes on top of its head. It usually buries itself in sand and leaps upwards to ambush prey.

Fun fact: It uses an electric shock to stun its prey.

151. Stinkpot Turtle

The Stinkpot Turtle (Common Musk Turtle) is a small aquatic species native to southeastern Canada and much of the Eastern United States. They inhabit slow-moving waters with smooth bottoms, such as ponds, lakes, rivers, and swamps. Their shell, which is highly domed in young turtles and flattens out as they age, is dark and measures about 3-5 inches long. They have a pair of bright stripes running beneath their eyes. These turtles are not strong swimmers and prefer to stay in shallow waters. They are primarily active at night. If threatened, they can emit a strong, repellant, foul-smelling odor from their scent glands.

Fun fact: Despite being aquatic, they sometimes climb trees up to 6 feet high.

152. Sidewinder

The Sidewinder (Horned Rattlesnake) is a venomous pit viper species found in the desert regions of North America. They are relatively small rattlesnakes at 18 to 32 inches long. The snakes have powerful venom and eat rodents, birds, and lizards.

Fun fact: They use sidewinding to ascend sandy slopes, allowing them to ascend to the sand slope without slipping.

153. Skink Lizard

The Skink Lizard (Scincidae) is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Most skinks have tiny limbs or no limbs at all while other lizards have larger limbs. Smaller species are usually 3 inches long, while large species can reach up to 14 inches in length. They are found in different habitats except arctic and subarctic regions. Skink Lizards are known for their terrestrial lifestyle, often preferring to live on the ground or burrow underground, although some species are arboreal or aquatic.

Fun fact: They can shed and regrow their tails to distract predators

154. Scarlet Kingsnake

The Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) is a species of kingsnake found in the southeastern and eastern portions of the United States. Like all kingsnakes, they are nonvenomous. They are found in pine flatwoods, hydric hammocks, pine savannas, mesic pine-oak forests, prairies, cultivated fields, and a variety of suburban habitats. Scarlet Kingsnakes are characterized by their tricolored pattern of black, red, and white bands, and they lead a secretive, fossorial lifestyle, often hiding underneath the loose bark on rotting pines and in decaying wood

Fun fact: Its colors mimic those of the coral snake, which is venomous.

155. Savannah Monitor

The Savannah Monitor (Varanus exanthematicus) is a medium-sized species of monitor lizard native to Africa. A full-grown Savannah Monitor can reach a maximum length of 3.5-5.0 ft (105-155 cm) and weigh between 11 to 13 lbs. They are primarily ground-dwelling creatures that shelter in burrows.

Fun fact: They are very good climbers and excellent diggers.

156. Smooth-fronted Caiman

The Smooth-fronted Caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus) is a crocodilian native to the Amazon and Orinoco Basins in South America. This creature, one of the smallest species of the Alligatoridae family, has a robust build and is strong for its size. It has a dark greyish-brown color with mid-brown eyes. The head, lacking the ridge between the eyes seen in other caiman species, is similar to that of the spectacled caiman. The scutes on the back of the neck and tail are large, triangular, and sharp. This caiman is primarily nocturnal and terrestrial. It spends most of its time on land, often hiding in underwater burrows during the day. At night, it comes out to patrol its territories and feed.

Fun fact: They can swallow their prey whole thanks to their strong stomach acid and small stones in their stomachs.

157. Spiny Softshell Turtle

The Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) is a species of turtle known for its leathery shell, which is soft, flat, and flexible. Adult females can measure anywhere from 7 to 19 inches (18 to 48 centimeters) in length, while males are smaller, measuring 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) in length. This species is native to North America and is found in rivers, ponds, streams, and lakes with sandy or muddy bottoms and relatively little vegetation. The Spiny Softshell Turtle is a carnivorous species that spends most of its life in the water.

Fun fact: They are known to be excellent swimmers due to their webbed feet.

158. Saltwater Crocodile

The Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is a formidable creature residing in a variety of aquatic environments, from the brackish wetlands of India’s east coast, across Southeast Asia, to northern Australia. It possesses a broad body and a large triangular head with teeth that can measure up to 3.5 inches long. This species is known for its solitary nature and excellent swimming abilities. They are nocturnal hunters, spending their days moving through water or basking in the sun. Their hunting strategy involves stealth and ambush, using their immense jaw strength to overpower their prey.

Fun fact: They can stay submerged for over an hour.

159. Spectacled Cobra

The Spectacled Cobra (Indian Cobra) is a venomous snake native to the Indian subcontinent, including countries such as India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. It is characterized by its distinctive spectacle-like markings on the back of its hood. This medium-sized snake can reach lengths of up to 6 feet or even longer in some cases. The Spectacled Cobra is mainly active during the day and is often found basking in the sun to regulate their body temperature. When threatened, they raise their hoods, spread their neck ribs, hiss loudly, and make aggressive movements to intimidate their opponent.

Fun fact: They are one of the most venomous snakes in the world, with venom that is primarily neurotoxic, affecting the victim’s nervous system.

160. Snapping Turtle

The Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a large freshwater turtle known for its combative disposition when out of the water. It has a rugged, muscular build with a ridged carapace (upper shell), although ridges tend to be more pronounced in younger individuals. The Snapping Turtle is found in freshwater habitats throughout Central America. Snapping Turtles are known for their ambush predator behavior, spending long periods standing still and short bursts capturing prey.

Fun fact: They can live for a very long time, with some individuals living up to 100 years.

161. Sharp-Tailed Snake

The Sharp-Tailed Snake (Contia tenuis) is a small nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. It has an average total length (including tail) of 12 to 18 inches as an adult. It is distinguished by its sharp tail spine, which is the protruding tip of the last tail vertebra. The spine is not toxic and cannot injure humans. Rather, the tail is used to stabilize small prey, such as slugs, for consumption. The dorsal surface ranges in color from grayish brown to brown to brick red, with bubble-gum pink and peachy-orange specimens occasionally found. The ventral surface is a striking series of black and white crossbars. They are shy, secretive creatures that often hide under rocks and logs, and are rarely found in the open.

Fun fact: They use their sharp tail to steady themselves when capturing prey.

162. Slow Worm

The Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis) is a legless lizard found in Europe and western Asia. They measure 11.8 to 19.7 inches in length and weigh between 0.7 to 3.5 oz. Their body is covered with smooth scales which assist them with burrowing. They are often confused for snakes but can be distinguished due to their moveable eyelid. They are carnivores, feeding on invertebrates.

Fun fact: They can eat up to 20 slugs in just about 20 minutes.

163. Speckled Kingsnake

The Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki) is found in the United States, from southern Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico. They inhabit wet habitats, like swamps and rivers, but they do commonly venture to dry areas like woodlands and grassy fields. The Speckled kingsnake usually grows up to 48 in (120 cm) in total length (including tail), but the record total length is 72 in (180 cm).

Fun fact: They use constriction to kill their prey.

164. Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

The Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus helleri) is found in the United States in southern California, and Mexico in northern Baja California, west of the desert. They inhabit mountain forests, rocky areas, hillsides, canyons, chaparral, shrubby coastal dunes, grasslands, and agricultural areas. Their length is 24 to 54.7 inches. The color pattern of this snake consists of a pale brown, gray-brown, or yellowish brown ground color overlaid with a series of large, dark brown dorsal blotches.

Fun fact: They hunt by night using their heat-sensing organs to locate prey.

165. Sand Viper

The Sand Viper (Cerastes vipera) is a venomous snake found in the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula. They have stout bodies, broad triangular heads, with eyes with elliptical pupils and a pair of small horns above each eye. It has a tan skin type with scales and measures between 7.9 to 19.7 inches in length. The Sand Viper is a solitary creature, primarily preying on lizards, geckos, and small mammals. It’s known for its ability to burrow into the sand and strike directly from its hiding place.

Fun fact: They are known to employ active hunting methods leading up to periods of brumation.

166. Southern Hognose Snake

The Southern Hognose Snake (Heterodon simus) is a harmless snake species endemic to the southeastern United States. It is small but stout with a wide neck and a sharply upturned snout. The dorsal color pattern consists of a light brown, yellowish, grayish, or reddish ground color, overlaid with a distinct row of dark blotches that alternate with smaller blotches on the flanks. Their length 14 to 24 inches. The belly is distinctly darker in color than the underside of the tail in juveniles. They inhabit dry and open sandy areas, dry river floodplains, fields, and wire grass flatwoods. They lead a solitary life and spend much of their time burrowed in the soil. Their main food is frogs, tadpoles and insects.

Fun fact: They use their sharp tail to stabilize small prey, such as slugs, for consumption.

167. Snouted Cobra

The Snouted Cobra (Naja annulifera) is a highly venomous species found in Southern Africa. They have a slender, elongated body, with scale colors that vary depending on the area, usually yellowish brown to dark brown, with a neck that expands when excited. Adult specimens average between 3.3 and 5.9 feet in length. They inhabit arid and moist savanna, particularly in bushveld and lowveld areas. They are nocturnal, foraging for food from dusk onwards. Their main food is small mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Fun fact: They can lift as much as 0.5 m of their body off the ground while spreading a wide, impressive hood.

168. Stephens’s Banded Snake

The Stephens’s Banded Snake (Hoplocephalus stephensii) is endemic to the east coast of Australia. This species grows up to 3.3 feet in length, with some specimens being recorded at over 3.9 feet long. They weigh up to 8.8 oz as an adult. They are found in high-rainfall remnant forest regions, secluded from human intervention. It is also a strong climber, often found in forested areas, and is mostly nocturnal, spending its time in large hollow trees. Their main food is small mammals, birds, frogs and lizards.

Fun fact: They have a body plan that reduces metabolic costs, allowing them to retain energy for longer periods of time.

169. Sunbeam Snake

The Sunbeam Snake (Xenopeltis unicolor) is found in Southeast Asia and some regions of Indonesia. They have slender, elongated bodies, usually measuring between 15.7 to 31.5 inches. They have small heads, blunt snouts and small eyes. The color of their scales can vary depending on the region, usually brown, pale yellow or gray, with a characteristic metallic sparkle. This snake is known for its highly iridescent scales. They prefer to live in open areas such as forest clearings, shrubland, marshes, gardens, and parks and often frequent rice paddies. They are fossorial snakes that spend most of their time below ground. Their main food is small arthropods such as worms, earthworms and baby frogs.

Fun fact: They are known  for their ability to reproduce quickly, laying up to 10 eggs at a time.

170. Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko

The Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus) is indigenous to the island of Madagascar. It is the smallest in body of the Uroplatus geckos, measuring up to 3.5 inches in length and weighing between 0.4 to 1 oz. It has a leaf-like tail and an eyelash-like projection above each eye. These adaptations help the gecko blend into its surroundings and hunt for prey by providing camouflage.

Fun fact: They can shed their tail to trick predators.

171. Spiny Hill Turtle

The Spiny Hill Turtle (Heosemys spinosa) is a species native to Southeast Asia. They inhabit lowland and hill rainforests, often near small streams. They are about 7 to 21 inches long. Their body and shell vary from brown to olive, marked by red or yellow splotches on their heads and neck. As they age, the black stripes and yellow underside of their shell fade. They are known for their shy and reclusive behavior. Their diet includes carrion, insects, fruits, and plants.

Fun fact: They bury themselves in leaf litter for camouflage.

172. Saint Lucia Whiptail

The Saint Lucia Whiptail (Cnemidophorus vanzoi) is a species of lizard that resides in the Caribbean. This creature is native to Saint Lucia, specifically the small islets of Maria Major and Maria Minor. The lizard’s habitat is primarily forest and shrubland. MMales grow to about 4.8 inches and females to about 3.7 inches. They are mainly terrestrial, but occasionally climb trees. As for their behavior, they are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. Their main food is small insects, spiders, worms and fallen fruit.

Fun fact: They rely on running to move around.

173. Sulcata Tortoise

The Sulcata Tortoise (African Spurred Tortoise) is the largest mainland species of tortoise in Africa. They inhabit deserts and semiarid regions in northern Africa. They can be up to 32.7 inches long and weigh up to 231 lbs. Their shells are large and domed, and their skin is thick and leathery. The Sulcata Tortoise is known for its burrowing behavior, often creating burrows that can span up to 10 feet long.

Fun fact: They can drink up to 15 percent of their body weight when they find a water source.

174. San Esteban Island Chuckwalla

The San Esteban Island Chuckwalla (Sauromalus varius) inhabit the San Esteban Island in the Gulf of California. This creature is the largest among the five species of chuckwallas. They can grow up to 2 feet long. Its body is tan to yellow, adorned with gray splotches, and it has a gray face. It thrives in rocky areas with interspersed open flats in semi-desert areas. These lizards are herbivores, feeding on the foliage, flowers, and fruit of selected plants. When threatened, they run into a rocky crevice where they inflate themselves by swallowing air, making it extremely difficult for a predator to extricate them.

Fun fact: They have an interesting way of expelling excess salt by sneezing it out.

175. San Francisco Garter Snake

The San Francisco Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) is a slender, multi-colored subspecies of the common garter snake. It is endemic to San Mateo County and the extreme northern part of coastal Santa Cruz County in California. Adults can grow to a total length of 18 – 51 inches (46 – 140 cm). They have keeled dorsal scales of blue-green, bordered by stripes of black, red (sometimes orange), and blue-green.

Fun fact: They are one of the few animals able to eat the toxic California newt.

176. Sand Lizard

The Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) is a creature that can adapt to various habitats, including forests, shrublands, meadows, and dunes. They can grow up to 7.9 inches in length and are recognized by their distinctive eye-shaped markings. During the mating season, male Sand Lizards undergo a remarkable change, with their flanks turning bright green. Their diet is primarily carnivorous, consisting mainly of insects.

Fun fact: They can detach their tails to escape predators.

177. Spotted Turtle

The Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) is a small, semi-aquatic species native to southern Canada and the eastern United States. They reach an adult carapace length of 3.1 to 4.7 inches and have a dark-colored upper shell, or carapace, adorned with tiny yellow round spots. Males have a concave plastron and a long, thick tail, while females have a flat plastron and a shorter, thinner tail. They inhabit a variety of shallow, fresh-water areas such as flooded forests, marshes, wet meadows, bogs, and woodland streams. Spotted Turtles are shy, semi-aquatic creatures that spend much of their time hiding under aquatic vegetation and are quick to flee if disturbed.

Fun fact: They can live up to 50 years.

178. Sea Turtle

The Sea Turtle (Cheloniidae) is a marine reptile that lives in almost every ocean basin worldwide, nesting on tropical and subtropical beaches. They migrate long distances to feed, often crossing entire oceans. Sea turtles have a hard shell called a carapace, flipper-like limbs, and a streamlined body shape.

Fun fact: They can stay underwater for long periods of time.
After exploring the fascinating reptiles that start with S, let’s dive into the aquatic world and discover some intriguing fish species that also begin with this letter.
Fish that start with S
Let’s dive into the underwater world and explore the fascinating fish species that start with the letter S.

 

C

 

 

Sailfish	Sea Bass	Stingrays
Skipjack Tuna	Spotted Bass	Salmon Shark
Stonefish	Saddle Butterflyfish	Sand Darter
Seahorse Pipefish	Scorpion Fish	Silver Dollar Fish
Shiner	Scad	Speckled Trout
Sea Star	Snook Fish	Sargassum Fish
Spotted Gar	Stargazer	Sawshark
Suckerfish	Sailfin Molly	Siamese Fighting Fish
Sabah Damsel	Sea Trout	Sheepshead Fish
Scarus	Sablefish	Sockeye Salmon
Spangled Perch	Striped Bass	Sailfin Tang
Sand Goby	Sculpin Fish	Surgeonfish
Sardines	Sleeper Shark	Seagrass Dragon
Steelhead Salmon	Spinner Shark	Sacramento Perch
Skate Fish	Seahorse	Sand Tiger Shark
Spoonbill Catfish	Spiny Dogfish	Silky Shark
Shortfin Mako Shark	Sawfish	Sturgeon

 

179. Sailfish

The Sailfish (Atlantic Sailfish) widely distributed in the world’s oceans, including the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Oceans and Mediterranean. They are often found in offshore waters, far from continents and archipelagos. They are predominantly blue to gray and have a characteristically large dorsal fin known as the sail, which often stretches the entire length of the back. Another notable characteristic is the elongated rostrum (bill) consistent with that of other marlins and swordfish. Sailfish live in colder pelagic waters of all Earth’s oceans and hold the record for the highest speed of any marine animal. Generally, sailfish do not grow to more than 11 ft in length and rarely weigh 220 lbs.

Fun fact: Sailfish are one of the fastest fish in the sea, swimming over 60 MPH.

180. Sea Bass

The Sea Bass (Black Sea Bass) is a marine creature found in the shallower regions of warm and tropical seas. They vary widely in size, from a few centimeters to a maximum of 6 feet (2 meters) and 500 pounds (225 kg) in such species as the goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) and 9 feet (2.7 meters) and 900 pounds (400 kg) in the giant grouper (E. lanceolatus). Sea basses are carnivorous, feeding on fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and other invertebrates.

Fun fact: They are known for their rapid growth rate and long lifespans, live up to 50 years in the wild.

181. Stingrays

Stingrays, members of the order Myliobatiformes, include various species, many of which belong to the family Dasyatidae. They vary greatly in size, with weights ranging from 10–800 lbs (4.5–363 kg) and widths spanning 1–6.5 feet (0.3–2 m) or more for species like the Giant Freshwater Stingray. Found in coastal waters, oceans, and freshwater rivers worldwide, they thrive in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates. Some species migrate seasonally in search of food or breeding grounds.
Stingrays are solitary and carnivorous, preying on crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. Using their flat bodies, they ambush prey or dig into sand to uncover food. Females give birth to 2–6 live young that are fully independent at birth, with no parental care.

Fun fact: They swim by undulating their bodies like a wave.

182. Skipjack Tuna

The Skipjack Tuna (Arctic Bonito) is a medium-sized predatory marine fish found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. It has a streamlined and muscular body with a cone-shaped head and its color transitions from silver on the ventral side to dark-grey on the dorsal side. The average length of a Skipjack Tuna is up to 3 feet (1 meter), and it can weigh between 20-75 pounds (9-35 kg). They are known to be schooling predators, feeding on a variety of small bony fishes and cephalopods.

Fun fact: They can dive up to 900 feet in search of prey.

183. Spotted Bass

The Spotted Bass (Kentucky Bass) is a black bass endemic to North America, particularly the eastern part of the United States. It has a robust body with beautiful spots, making it a popular game fish. The Spotted Bass likes warm, moving waters, such as streams, rivers, and reservoirs.

Fun fact: Unlike other species of bass, spotted bass form large schools of fish and are more social.

184. Salmon Shark

The Salmon Shark (Pacific Salmon Shark) is a species that resides in the northern Pacific Ocean, particularly near Japan. They have a grey-black skin coloring with dark blotches and a white underside. Salmon Sharks have a total length between 6.5’-10’ (2-3 m) and overall weight in the range of 485-1000 lb (220-454 kg). They are known for their speed and agility in the water.

Fun fact: They can maintain a body temperature higher than the surrounding water, which is unusual for sharks.

185. Stonefish

The Stonefish (Synanceia) is a marine creature that primarily inhabits the coastal regions of the Indo-Pacific. They are known for their ability to blend seamlessly with their surroundings, thanks to their grey and mottled camouflage. This camouflage, along with their habit of resting unmoving on the bottom, makes them almost indistinguishable from rocks or coral. Their diet mainly consists of small fish and crustaceans. When hunting, they remain still, waiting for their prey to pass by, and then strike with lightning speed.

Fun fact: They can catch and consume prey in as little as 0.015 seconds.

186. Saddle Butterflyfish

The Saddle Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ephippium) is a marine tropical fish that can be recognized by the large white-bordered black area on the upper side below the dorsal fin. It is found in the Western and Central Pacific. The Saddle Butterflyfish is found in coral reefs at depths between 0 and 98.4 feet (30 meters), feeding on filamentous algae, small invertebrates, coral polyps, and fish eggs

Fun fact: They can suck up food from as far as 3cm away.

187. Sand Darter

The Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida), part of the Percidae (Perch) family, is a tiny freshwater fish weighing up to 0.01 lbs (5 g) and measuring 1.5–2.5 inches (4–6 cm) in length. They inhabit temperate rivers and streams with sandy or gravelly bottoms, where their semi-transparent, pale bodies help them camouflage. Non-migratory, they thrive in clean, well-oxygenated waters.
These small carnivores forage along the riverbed, using quick, darting movements to capture insect larvae, crustaceans, and tiny worms. Sand Darters are solitary or form small groups, with minimal interaction beyond breeding. They lay eggs in sandy substrates, leaving the young to develop independently after hatching.

Fun fact: They are named for their equine appearance, with bent necks and long-snouted heads, and a distinctive trunk and tail.

188. Seahorse Pipefish

The Seahorse Pipefish (Syngnathidae) looks like a straight-bodied seahorse with tiny mouth. They are mainly found in shallow tropical and temperate saltwater throughout the world, from about 45°S to 45°N. Seahorses range in size from 0.6 to 13.8 in (1.5 to 35 cm). The Seahorse Pipefish is a slow-moving creature that often rests and feeds on small crustaceans, shrimp, and plankton.

Fun fact: Seahorses use their tube-shaped snouts like powerful vacuums to scoop up hundreds of tiny meals in a single day.

189. Scorpion Fish

The Scorpion Fish (Scorpaenidae) is a large family of fishes that are venomous and can sting predators to defend themselves. They usually exist at a depth of around 2,625 feet (800 meters) in the littoral zone and are often known to be motionless around rocks and algae. They are found in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Indonesia. The sting from this fish can cause intense pain and can also cause swelling. Scorpion Fish are generally sedentary and carnivorous, often lying quietly at the bottom of the sea and blending closely with their surroundings to ambush their prey.

Fun fact: They are some of the most poisonous sea creatures because of their sharp venomous spines.

190. Silver Dollar Fish

The Silver Dollar Fish (Metynnis) is a popular freshwater fish species among aquarists due to their unique appearance and calm attitude. They are between 6 inches (15 cm) in length and weigh between 35 to 130 kg. They are native to South America, specifically the Amazon River basin and other river systems in Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. They are omnivorous, feeding on algae, plants, small invertebrates, and flake/pellet foods.

Fun fact: They are one of the best choices for topwater schooling fish.

191. Shiner

Shiner (Notropis) is a cyprinid fish native to eastern North America. It is the sole member of its genus and is often used as a bait fish. The golden shiner is usually between 2.95 and 4.92 inches (7.5 and 12.5 cm) long. The body is laterally compressed (deep-bodied). The back is dark green or olive, and the belly is silvery white. The sides are silver in smaller individuals, but golden in larger ones. Shiners are active swimmers, often seen near the surface of the water, and are known for their schooling behavior and omnivorous diet, feeding on aquatic and terrestrial insects, bottom ooze, and diatoms.

Fun fact: They contain a special chemical in their skin cells that alerts other nearby shiners of potential danger.

192. Scad

Scad (Decapterus) are marine creatures that inhabit the Atlantic coast of the Americas. They are characterized by their deeply forked tails and mackerel-shaped bodies. Their bodies are streamlined, with the top half being bluish or blue-gray and the bottom half silvery. Scads, which generally reach lengths of about 9.84 to 11.81 inches (25-30 cm), are known to consume other fishes and invertebrates.

Fun fact: They can reach speeds that make them nearly invisible to the naked eye.

193. Speckled Trout

Speckled Trout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is a common estuarine fish found in the southern United States along the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and the coastal Atlantic Ocean from Maryland to Florida. Adults reach 19-37 inches in length and 3-17 pounds in weight. The back has distinct spots scattered on it, including on the dorsal and caudal fins. Speckled Trout are active swimmers that often move towards shallow waters during low-light conditions and retreat to deeper waters during the daytime, feeding on baitfish, mullet, shrimp, and crabs.

Fun fact: Speckled trout are not a species of trout.

194. Sea Star

Sea Star (Asteroidea) is a marine invertebrate found in all the world’s oceans, from warm, tropical zones to cold seafloor. They typically have a central disc and usually five arms, though some species have a larger number of arms. The average size of a sea star is between 4.7 to 9.4 inches. Sea Stars are carnivorous and prey on mollusks, including clams, mussels, and oysters, which they pry open with their suction-cupped feet.

Fun fact: They can consume prey outside their bodies.

195. Snook Fish

Snook Fish (Centropomus undecimalis) is commonly found off the Florida coast. They range from 0.46 to 4.59 feet (14 to 140 cm) in length (average 1.64 feet or 50 cm) and can weigh as much as 51.3 lbs (23.3 kg). The Snook has a relatively dull appearance, with light gray scales. One standout feature is the black lateral line spanning the body length. Snook Fish often using mangroves, dock pilings, rock jetties, seawalls, and other submerged cover as ambush points to attack prey.

Fun fact: Males change into females after the spawning season.

196. Sargassum Fish

The Sargassum Fish (Histrio histrio) is a species that resides among the Sargassum seaweed floating in subtropical oceans. This fish is laterally compressed and can reach a length of up to 7.87 inches (20 cm). Its body and fins are covered with many weed-like protrusions, giving it a distinctive appearance. The color of the body and the large oral cavity is usually mottled and spotted yellow, green, and brown on a paler background. The Sargassum Fish is a voracious ambush predator.

Fun fact: They can change their color rapidly, from light to dark, and back again.

197. Squirrelfish

The Squirrelfish (Holocentridae) are found in both deeper offshore waters and over shallow coral reefs. It is a large-eyed, colorful, tropical reef fish. It has spiny fins and rough, prickly scales. Most Squirrelfish are red, and many are marked with yellow, white, or black. The largest species can grow about 23.6 inches (60 cm) long. They are carnivorous and nocturnal, hiding by day among the reefs.

Fun fact: They produce a distinct ‘clicking’ noise by vibrating their swim bladders as a defense mechanism against potential predators.

198. Silverfish

The Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) is a small, primitive, wingless insect. They are usually 0.39 to 0.47 inches (10-12 mm) in length, but have been found up to 0.98 inches (25 mm) long. They have a distinct teardrop or carrot-shaped body, wide at the head and tapered at the end. Their bodies are covered in scales, which gives them a metallic sheen. They inhabit cool, damp places, feeding on starchy materials such as food scraps and paper.

Fun fact: They can survive for long periods without food.

199. Sea Raven

The Sea Raven (Hemitripterus americanus) is a species of marine ray-finned fish found along the Atlantic coast of North America. They are bottom-dwelling fish that feed on small invertebrates. They are covered in small spines (modified scales). They have large heads and a robust, tapering body. Their scales are large and brown on the sides and top of the fish and create a metallic greenish-purple shine. The Sea Raven feeds on small invertebrates.

Fun fact: They can change their color to blend with their environment.

200. Spotted Gar

The Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) is a freshwater fish native to North America that has an abundance of dark spots on its head, fins, and dart-like body. Spotted gar has an elongated mouth with many needle-like teeth to catch other fish and crustaceans. This species of gar rarely exceeds 35.8 inches (91 cm), and the average length is 29.9 inches (76 cm). The Spotted Gar is a nocturnal predator that primarily feeds on other fish, using its sharp teeth to snag prey and swallow them whole.

Fun fact: Its body is cylindrical and often mistaken for a log lying in shallow waters.

201. Stargazer

The Stargazer (Uranoscopidae) is a family of perciform fish that have eyes on top of their heads. They are found worldwide in shallow and deep saltwaters. In addition to the top-mounted eyes, a stargazer also has a large, upward-facing mouth in a large head. Their usual habit is to bury themselves in sand, and leap upwards to ambush prey that pass overhead. Some species have a worm-shaped lure growing out of the floors of their mouths, which they can wiggle to attract prey’s attention. Lengths range from 18 up to 90 cm, for the giant stargazer Kathetostoma giganteum.

Fun fact: They are capable of delivering both venom and electric shocks.

202. Sawshark

The Sawshark (Pristiophoridae), is a marine shark with a unique long, saw-like rostrum edged with sharp teeth. They are found in many areas around the world, most commonly in waters from the Indian Ocean to the southern Pacific Ocean. Sawsharks are usually found at depths around 131 to 328 feet (40–100 m), but can be found much lower in tropical regions. They have a pair of long barbels about halfway along the snout. Sawsharks reach a length of up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) and a weight of 18.7 pounds (8.5 kg). They typically feed on small fish, squid, and crustaceans.

Fun fact: Special organs on their saws called Ampullae of Lorenzini help them detect the electromagnetic fields of their prey.

203. Suckerfish

The Suckerfish (Remora) are freshwater fish found mostly in North America. They get their name from their suction-cup-like mouths, which they use to attach themselves to rocks and other surfaces in the water. Suckerfish are brown or grey, and they have small scales that are barely visible to the naked eye. Suckerfish are peaceful and social creatures, often found in groups in the wild.

Fun fact: A suckerfish named the bigmouth buffalo is believed to be the longest-living freshwater fish on Earth.

204. Sailfin Molly

The Sailfin Molly (Mollies) is a fish native to the East Coast of the United States, from North Carolina south to Florida, and around the Gulf of Mexico to Texas, and south to the Yucatán Peninsula of México. It is typically found in both freshwater and brackish waterways. This species has an upturned mouth with between five and seven rows of dark brown spots, and iridescent yellow flecks on the side. The body size for adults is typically less than 0.4 inches (1 cm) long, but some reach lengths of 19.7 inches (50 cm) or more.

Fun fact: They are one of the most popular feeder fish due to high growth rate, birth size, reproduction, and brood number.

205. Siamese Fighting Fish

The Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens) is a freshwater fish native to Southeast Asia, particularly in regions like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. This fish is known for its vibrant colors and long, flowing fins. Adult Siamese Fighting Fish typically measure between 2.4 to 3.1 inches (6 to 8 cm) in length. They are highly territorial, especially the males, and are known to engage in aggressive displays when encountering another of their kind.

Fun fact: They were initially bred for aggression and subject to gambling matches akin to cockfighting.

206. Sabah Damsel

The Sabah Damsel (Neoglyphidodon nigroris) is a species of marine fish that is part of the Pomacentridae family. It is found in the Western Central Pacific, specifically in Indonesia and Malaysia. The Sabah Damsel is observed to occur solitarily or in small groups that remain close to shelter. It is a diurnal species, meaning it is active during the day. The Sabah Damsel can grow up to 3.15 inches (8.0 cm) in length.

Fun fact: It is observed to occur solitarily or in small groups.

207. Sea Trout

The Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) is a fish species that changes colors in freshwater and saltwater. It lives in cold streams and rivers when young and spawning. The average Sea Trout measures between 1.1 and 5.3 pounds, but they can grow upwards of 44 pounds given the right conditions. Sea Trout migrate from the ocean back into rivers and freshwater sources to spawn.

Fun fact: During their spawning migrations, they may travel nearly 25 miles in a single day.

208. Sheepshead Fish

The Sheepshead Fish (Archosargus probatocephalus) is a saltwater fish found along the Atlantic Coastline of North and South America. It is known for its teeth that look almost human-like. They use their teeth to crush the shells of hard-shelled sea creatures, their main diet. The Sheepshead Fish commonly reaches 10-20 inches, but can grow to be as large as 35 inches.

Fun fact: They have strange human-like teeth. Their front teeth look like incisors and their rear teeth look like molars.

209. Scarus

Scarus (Parrotfish) are found at reefs in the Indo-Pacific, but a small number of species are found in the warmer parts of the eastern Pacific and the western Atlantic, with a single species, Scarus hoefleri in the eastern Atlantic. Most are very colourful, and have strikingly different initial (males and females) and terminal (males only) phases. Adults of most species reach maximum lengths of between 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm), but the rainbow parrotfish (Scarus guacamaia) can grow to lengths of 3.9 feet (1.2 m). Scarus are generally solitary creatures, but while feeding, they may join schools of mixed species.

Fun fact: They create a mucus cocoon to sleep in at night to masks their scent and protects them from predators.

210. Sablefish

The Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), also known as the Pacific black cod, is a deep-sea fish that is native to the Pacific Ocean. The Sablefish is common to the North Pacific Ocean. They can grow to lengths of up to 45.3 inches (114 cm) and weights up to 55.1 lbs (25 kg). Sablefish are opportunistic piscivores, preying on various species such as Alaskan pollock, eulachon, capelin, herring, sandlance, and Pacific cod, as well as squid, euphausiids, and jellyfish.

Fun fact: They have a remarkably long lifespan, with some individuals living up to 90 years.

211. Sockeye Salmon

The Sockeye Salmon (Blueback Salmon) is native to the North Pacific Ocean and its tributaries, including freshwater rivers and lakes from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to Hokkaido, Japan. They are one of the smaller species of Pacific salmon, measuring 1.5 to 2.5 feet in length and weighing 4 to 15 pounds. Their bodies are iridescent silver with a metallic green-blue top, giving them their “blueback” name. Sockeye Salmon live in groups called binds or runs. They stay in their natal habitat for up to three years, more than any other salmon.

Fun fact: They require a lake nearby to rear in.

212. Spangled Perch

The Spangled Perch (Leiopotherapon unicolor), also known as the Spangled Grunter, is actually native to Australia. t is found in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, primarily in northern and eastern regions of Australia. As for the size, adults typically grow to a length of about 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm), although they can occasionally reach slightly larger sizes. This species is not endangered, but its population can be impacted by habitat changes, water quality, and invasive species.

Fun fact: They are the oldest surviving animal species in North America.

213. Striped Bass

The Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) inhabit various aquatic habitats, including tidal estuaries, coastal waters, and large inland reservoirs. Their life cycle involves transitioning from freshwater spawning grounds to saltwater environments for their adult lives. Their bodies are stout with seven to eight continuous horizontal stripes on each side, from their gills to their tail. They exhibit a light green, olive, steel blue, black, or brown color on top, with a white or silver iridescent underside. Striped Bass can grow up to 6.6 feet (2 m) in length. They feed on a wide variety of prey, including small fish and several invertebrates, particularly crabs and squid.

Fun fact: They have no eyelids, which may explain their preference for feeding at dawn and dusk

214. Sailfin Tang

The Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum) is a marine fish found in the western Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, from Indonesia, Micronesia, Hawai’i to French Polynesia. It has a deep body with a slightly protruding snout, and its body and head are mostly dark grey-brown with vertical yellow lines. The species tends to be dully colored, but are capable of rapidly changing color. Sailfin Tangs are known for their peaceful nature, they easily acclimate to most tank conditions, and have simple needs.

Fun fact: They can lighten the pale bars or darken them until they merge with remaining body color.

215. Sand Goby

The Sand Goby (Pomatoschistus minutus) is a small goby, reaching a maximum of 3.9 inches (10 cm) in length. It has a slender body, with the head being about a quarter of the total length. The Sand Goby is pale brown or grey with darker markings on the sides. It is found on sandy or muddy bottoms, usually to a depth of about 65.6 feet (20 m), but sometimes occurring at depths of up to 196.9-229.7 feet (60-70 m).

Fun fact: It can tolerate a wide range of temperatures and salinities.

216. Sculpin Fish

The Sculpin Fish (Cottidae) is generally found in gravel or rocky rubble substrates in swift waters of headwaters, creeks, and small rivers. They are benthic ambush predators, consuming primarily aquatic insect larvae. Generally, sculpins are bottom-dwelling small fish, under 5–6 in (13–15 cm) long, with large heads and sizable fanlike pectoral fins.

Fun fact: Some sculpins can compress their skull bones to fit inside small spaces.

217. Surgeonfish

The Surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus) is a common sight in coral reefs. These fish are named for their sharp spines at the base of their tail, resembling a scalpel used by surgeons. They feed on algae, helping to balance the growth of algae and coral on the reef. Their grazing habits prevent algae from growing out of control and blocking sunlight from reaching the coral.

Fun fact: They attach at their bases to form clumped communities of genetically identical clones.

218. Sardines

Sardines (Clupeidae) are small, oily fish that inhabit oceans across the globe. They are recognized for their coastal migration in large schools. The average length of adult Sardines is about 5.9 to 7.9 inches (15-20 cm), with a weight of about 1.8 to 3.5 ounces (50-100 grams). They possess a streamlined, cylindrical body with pointed snouts and a collection of spiny fins. Their skin is adorned with glistening silver scales, with a hint of blue-green on their dorsal side. They serve as crucial prey for larger marine species. As omnivores, sardines consume both zooplankton and phytoplankton.

Fun fact: They swim in massive groups to decrease the likelihood of becoming prey.

219. Sleeper Shark

The Sleeper Shark (Somniosus) is a deepwater shark, relatively common in the North Pacific Ocean. The species attains a maximum length of at least 14.4 feet (440 cm) with unconfirmed records of up to 22.9 feet (700 cm) total length. Adult females measure from 12.1 to 14.1 feet (370 to 430 cm). They are slow swimmers, with low activity levels, and a perceived non-aggressive nature.

Fun fact: They are opportunistic predators with a slow metabolism and can go for long periods without food.

220. Seagrass Dragon

The Seagrass Dragon (Phycodurus eques) is found in the waters around southern and western Australia, at depths of up to 164 feet (50 meters). This fish has a slender, elongated body with leaf-like appendages that resemble seaweed. It typically grows to be 5.9 to 7.9 inches (15-20 cm) long and 1.2 to 1.6 inches (3-4 cm) wide, and weighs around 0.7 to 1.1 ounces (20-30 grams). Seagrass Dragon has a pale green or yellow coloration with brown or black markings. These fish are well-camouflaged and slow-moving, preferring to drift in the currents or cling to seaweed. They are carnivores and feed on small crustaceans and other invertebrates.

Fun fact: They can change their color to blend in with their surroundings.

221. Steelhead Salmon

The Steelhead Salmon (Rainbow Trout) is a species of salmonid that is native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. Steelhead Salmon have a streamlined, silvery body with hints of blue or green on their backs, and they sport small black spots on their tails and upper body. Steelhead and rainbow trout are the same species, but rainbow are freshwater only, and steelhead are anadromous, or go to sea. Unlike most salmon, steelhead can survive spawning and can spawn in multiple years.

Fun fact: They are currently listed as Endangered.

222. Spinner Shark

The Spinner Shark (Small Blacktip Shark) is a type of requiem shark known for its spinning leaps as part of its feeding strategy. It is found in warm ocean waters and can grow up to 9.8 feet (3 meters) in length and weigh up to 200 lbs. Spinner sharks are swift and gregarious predators that feed on a wide variety of small bony fishes and cephalopods.

Weight | 50–200 lbs (23–91 kg)
Lifespan | 10–20 years
Habitat | Coastal and offshore waters in tropical and subtropical regions
Diet | Carnivorous; eats fish, squid, and crustaceans
Social Structure | Solitary or small groups
Conservation | Near Threatened

Spinner Shark

Fun fact: They are known for leaping out of the water and rotating up to 3 times in the air before falling back into the water.

223. Sacramento Perch

The Sacramento Perch (Archoplites interruptus) is an endangered sunfish native to the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, Pajaro, and Salinas River areas in California. It has a laterally-compressed body shape, similar to other sunfishes. It is generally brown or olive-colored and can have a purple or green iridescent sheen. The maximum published total length is 24.8 inches (62 cm) and the maximum published weight is 7.05 lbs (3.2 kg). The Sacramento Perch scatter eggs over the territory during spawning, with some observed to guard the eggs from potential predators.

Weight | 0.5–2 lbs (0.2–0.9 kg)
Lifespan | 7–10 years
Habitat | Freshwater lakes and streams in California
Diet | Carnivorous; eats insects, small fish, and crustaceans
Social Structure | Schooling
Conservation | Near Threatened

 

Fun fact: It can withstand wide ranges of water clarity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and alkalinity.

224. Skate Fish

The Skate Fish (Rajidae) are found in most parts of the world, from tropical to near-Arctic waters and from the shallows to depths of more than 8,858 feet (2,700 meters). Skates vary in size from less than 1.64 feet (50 cm) to 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) long. They are innocuous bottom dwellers, often found lying partly buried.

Fun fact: They have large pectoral fins extending from or nearly from the snout to the base of the slender tail.

225. Seahorse

Seahorses (Hippocampus) are marine creatures that inhabit a variety of environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and estuaries. Seahorses are found in shallow coastal waters in latitudes from about 52° N to 45° S. Their bodies are covered with consecutive rings of bony plates. They have a horse-like head, a prehensile tail, and independently moving eyes. They are rather immobile, swimming more slowly than other fishes. When swimming, they maintain a vertical position and propel themselves forward using a soft-rayed dorsal fin. They use pectoral fins located on the side of the head to maneuver.

Fun fact: They can consume up to 3,000 brine shrimp in a day.

226. Sand Tiger Shark

The Sand Tiger Shark (Carcharias taurus), also known as the gray nurse shark, spotted ragged-tooth shark, or blue-nurse sand tiger, is a species of shark that inhabits subtropical and temperate waters worldwide. It inhabits the continental shelf, from sandy shorelines and submerged reefs to a depth of around 627 feet (191 m). The Sand Tiger Shark is a large, grey, and fierce-looking shark known for its unique, needle-like teeth and low reproductive rate. Despite its fearsome appearance, Sand Tiger Sharks are known to be docile and non-aggressive, often attacking only when provoked.

Fun fact: Sand Tigers gulp air at the ocean’s surface, turning their stomachs into air pockets.

227. Spoonbill Catfish

The Spoonbill Catfish (American Paddlefish) is native to North America, particularly in the Southern region where the waters are warm year-round. It is found in long rivers with a slow current. The body size for adults is 43.3 to 62.9 inches (1,100-1,600 mm) in total length. This species is considered endangered due to overfishing and habitat loss.

Fun fact: They are the oldest surviving animal species in North America.

228. Spiny Dogfish

The Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) is found in both cold and warm temperate oceans. It is also one of the largest sharks that feed on prey other than plankton. This shark gets its name from the fact that it has 6 gill slits, unlike most other sharks which have only five. The Spiny Dogfish has dorsal fins, no anal fin, and white spots along its back. This shark is known to hunt in packs.

Fun fact: They can form schools of over a thousand individuals.

229. Silky Shark

The Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) is a species that thrives in tropical and warm temperate seas worldwide. They are often found near the edges of continental shelves and over deepwater reefs. This species has a slender, streamlined body, typically growing to a length of 8.2 feet (2.5 m). Their skin is smooth to the touch, with a deep, metallic bronze-gray color above and white below. Silky Sharks are highly mobile and migratory. They are swift, inquisitive, and persistent hunters. Their diet mainly consists of bony fishes and cephalopods. They are known for their quick and aggressive behavior.

Fun fact: They have an extremely strong sense of hearing.

230. Shortfin Mako Shark

The Shortfin Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is one of the fastest sharks in the ocean, and at top speed, they can swim 43 mph (69 km/h). They are streamlined and relatively slender and have pointed snouts, crescent-shaped tails, and long slender teeth. The Shortfin Mako Shark can reach a size of 13.1 feet (4 m) in length and weigh 1,257 lbs (570 kg). Shortfin Mako Sharks are known for their aggressive behavior, high-speed swimming, unique hunting techniques, and diverse diet.

Fun fact: Shortfin Mako sharks can jump 20 feet above the water.

231. Sawfish

The Sawfish (Pristidae) are part of the Rajiformes order and are closely related to sharks. They are found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the borders of southern states. They have a long snout edged with special teeth. The largetooth sawfish can grow up to 23 feet (7 meters) and a smalltooth sawfish averages 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length. Sawfish are carnivorous and use their saw-like rostrum to detect and capture prey, including fish and invertebrates, often by slashing their saw back and forth.

Fun fact: They can replace their teeth if they are worn down or lost.

232. Sturgeon

Sturgeon (Alantic Sturgeon) are primarily freshwater fish. They have large, stout bodies and skin protected with several rows of bony plates. Most species grow to impressive lengths, with some reaching lengths of 20 ft. or more and weighing over 3,000 pounds. Sturgeon have short life spans and usually die soon after mating, at around one year old.

Fun fact: They are sometimes referred to as “living fossils” because they have not changed over millions of years of evolution.

After exploring the diverse fish species, let’s hop onto land and discover the intriguing amphibians that start with the letter S.
Amphibians that start with S
Now, let’s dive into the intriguing world of amphibians, highlighting those species whose names begin with the letter S.

Surinam Toad
Southern Leopard Frog
Spring Peeper
Striped Rocket Frog
Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander
Scrotum Frog

233. Surinam Toad

The Surinam Toad (Pipa pipa) is a flat-bodied amphibian with a triangle-shaped head and tiny eyes. It is known for its unique birth method where babies erupt from a cluster of tiny holes in their mother’s back. This species is found in slow-moving water sources, such as rainforest pools and moist leaf litter throughout eastern Trinidad and Tobago and much of the Amazon Basin.

Fun fact: Their babies erupt from holes in their mother’s back.

234. Southern Leopard Frog

The Southern Leopard Frog (Meadow Frog) is a medium-sized anuran native to eastern North America. They inhabit shallow freshwater bodies like bottomland swamps, floodplains, and brackish ponds in hardwood forests. They are also urbanized and can live in man-made ponds, canals, and ditches. They are relatively slender-bodied and long-legged, with pointed snouts, and range from about 2 to 4 inches (6 to 10 cm) in head-body length. They are primarily nocturnal, often found near water.

Fun fact: They can evade predators by diving into water and making a sharp turn before surfacing amid vegetation.

235. Spring Peeper

The Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) is a small tree frog known for its distinctive “peeping” call that marks the beginning of spring. Adults measure 0.78-1 in (2–2.5 cm) in length and weigh 0.1-0.2 oz (3–5 g). They can be tan, grey, olive, or brown in color, with a darker X-shaped marking on their back and dark crossbands on their hind legs. Spring Peepers are found throughout the eastern United States and Canada. They are nocturnal and feed on insects.

Fun fact: They are known for their ability to survive freezing temperatures.

236. Striped Rocket Frog

The Striped Rocket Frog (Litoria nasuta) is a species that thrives in the tropical forests of Australia. It is a ground-dwelling creature that is known to be widely dispersed during the wet season. The Striped Rocket Frog has a long body and a pointed nose with only a little webbing on its feet. Its coloration ranges from brown to black with stripes and other markings. Females are known to lay from 50-100 eggs per clutch.

Fun fact: They can leap approximately 6.5 feet into the air, almost 40 times their body length.

237. Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander

The Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum) is a species that can be found in a few isolated ponds in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties in California. This salamander has a black body with irregular patches of dull orange or metallic yellow markings on its dorsal side. It spends most of its life underground in animal burrows or chambers dug along the root systems of shrubs and woody plants. The salamander is omnivorous, feeding on insects, eggs, larvae, plant matter, and sometimes smaller salamanders.

Fun fact: They migrate to breeding ponds only during periods of sustained nighttime rainfall.

238. Scrotum Frog

The Scrotum Frog (Telmatobius culeus) is a large, entirely aquatic frog that resides in the Lake Titicaca basin, including rivers that flow into it and smaller connected lakes, in the Andean highlands of Bolivia and Peru. This frog has a distinctive appearance due to its many folds of wrinkly skin, which serve a crucial purpose. These folds are adaptations that allow the frog to absorb oxygen without having to surface. The frog’s color varies from brown to grey to green. It can grow up to 8 inches in length, with hind legs twice as long. The Scrotum Frog is solitary and primarily nocturnal. Its diet consists of aquatic animals such as water fleas and insect larvae.

Fun fact: They don’t need to come up for air due to their skin folds that function as gills.
Having explored the diverse amphibians that start with S, let’s now shift our focus to the fascinating world of insects beginning with the same letter.
Insects that start with S
Next, we explore the fascinating realm of insects, featuring those with names that begin with the letter S.

Silkworm	Squash Bee	Salamis Parhassus Butterfly
Saturn Butterfly	Scarab Beetle	Stinkbug
Stonefly	Spider Beetle	Squash Beetle
Soldier Beetle	Smokybrown Cockroach	Saturniidae Moth
Scotch Argus Butterfly	Schaus Swallowtail	Seven-spotted Ladybug
Snowberry Clearwing Moth	Sahara Desert Ant	Saber-winged Grasshopper
Stingless Bee	Scorpionfly	Scrimshaw Beetle
Silk-weaving Wasp	Southeastern Blueberry Bee	Sandhill Skipper
Spongy Moth	Spider Wasp	Stick Insect
Six-Eyed Sand Spiders	Stag Beetle	San Joaquin Valley Giant Flower-loving Fly

 

239. Silkworm

The Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a small creature measuring only a few millimeters when they first hatch. Despite their name, they are not worms but the larval stage of the silk moth. They are native to northern China and are entirely dependent on humans. Silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberry tree or can exist on an artificial diet. After spending time in a cocoon, the silkworm morphs into a scaly, four-winged moth.

Fun fact: They are entirely dependent on humans for survival.

240. Squash Bee

The Squash Bee (Peponapis) is a species of solitary bee native to North America. It measures 0.43-0.55 in (11 to 14 millimeters) long and 0.15-0.21 in (4 to 5.5 millimeters) wide at the abdomen. This bee is black with whitish bands on the abdomen and is coated in yellowish hairs. It specializes in a few host plants, the squashes, and gourds of genus Cucurbita. Females dig a nest in the ground near their host plants. They are specialized pollinators, meaning they only focus on collecting pollen from plants in the Pumpkin family such as pumpkins, gourds, and luffa.

Fun fact: They have evolved a matinal daily activity cycle, flying before sunrise.

241. Salamis Parhassus Butterfly

The Salamis Parhassus Butterfly (Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly) is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa. They have an average wingspan of 3.14-4.3 in (80-110 mm). Males are usually smaller in size than females. The base color of the upper surface of the wings is greenish white with a violet sheen in the wet-season form, and pearly white in the dry-season form. These butterflies roost under leaves at night, and the males sometimes mud-puddle.

Fun fact: Despite its vibrant colors, they are good at camouflage in its forest habitat.

242. Saturn Butterfly

The Saturn Butterfly (Saturniid Moth) is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, commonly found in Southeast Asia. This medium-sized butterfly usually has a wingspan of 4.3-5.11 (110-130mm). The males are black above, with a broad iridescent blue discal band on the forewing with a large tornal patch of the same color on the hindwing. The Saturn Butterfly is commonly found along jungle paths, usually feeding on fallen fruits on the forest floor. The cryptic undersides camouflage it very well, amongst the dead leaves and twigs.

Fun fact: They spring up from the ground when disturbed.

243. Scarab Beetle

The Scarab Beetle (Dung Beetle) is a diverse family of beetle found in every part of the world except in the oceans and on Antarctica. The smallest grow to about 0.08 inches while the Hercules beetle can reach a palm-covering 6.7 inches in length. They can weigh up to 3.5 ounces. Some consume live plants and are considered agricultural pests. Some eat fruit, fungi, carrion, or insects. The most well-known diet item is consumed by the scarabs called dung beetles.

Fun fact: They can roll dung balls with their hind legs, often over large distances.

244. Stinkbug

The Stinkbug (Brown Marmorated Stink Bug) is named for the foul-smelling secretions they produce. They generally range between 0.2 and 0.5 inch (5 and 12 mm) in length. As nymphs, stinkbugs inhabit cold, fast-flowing streams in pristine condition. Adult stinkbugs are terrestrial but tend to stay close to the streams from which they emerge.

Fun fact: They release a pungent substance when threatened, repelling nearly any predator that has a sense of smell.

245. Stonefly

The Stonefly (Plecoptera) is a group of aquatic insects well known to fishermen and biologists worldwide. They have long, threadlike antennae, and a pair of cerci extends from the abdomen. As nymphs, stoneflies inhabit cold, fast-flowing streams in pristine condition. Adult stoneflies are terrestrial but tend to stay close to the streams from which they emerge.

Fun fact: Stonefly nymphs develop slowly, taking 1 to 3 years to molt repeatedly before emerging as adults.

246. Spider Beetle

The Spider Beetle (Ptinidae) has round bodies with long, slender legs. They are typically a few milimet long. Spider beetles are insects in the family Ptinidae. They are scavengers usually found indoors, living in pantries, warehouses, museums, and food processing facilities.

Fun fact: Spider beetles have globular bodies, which makes them look like spiders.

247. Squash Beetle

The Squash Beetle (Cucumber Beetle) is a common vegetable pest in the eastern US, with a strong preference for cucurbits. It has a beautiful orange and yellow shell, featuring a specific arrangement of spots along its back. The average lifespan of these insects is just 2-6 months. They are about 3/8 inch in length. Squash Beetles are herbivorous insects that feed on cucurbit plants like zucchini.

Fun fact: They carry a bacterium in their saliva that can damage gardens.

248. Soldier Beetle

The Soldier Beetle (Leatherwing) is an outdoor insect that may be found indoors occasionally as accidental invaders. They have soft, clothlike wings, which are often brightly colored. Soldier beetles are harmless and beneficial insects because they predate on small insect pests and may also help pollinate flowers because they feed on nectar and pollen.

Fun fact: They can detect the pheromone “calls” emitted by females up to a mile away using their feather-like antennae.

249. Smokybrown Cockroach

The Smokybrown Cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa) is a large species of cockroach, winged, and growing to a length of 1.3–1.4 in (32–35 millimetres). It is uniformly light to dark brown–mahogany coloration. The smokybrown cockroach is very common in Japan, as well as the southern United States and tropical climates. The Smokybrown Cockroach is a nocturnal insect that often comes indoors during daylight hours to look for food and even to live

Fun fact: They are extremely dependent on humidity, and will die if they can’t get enough moisture.

250. Saturniidae Moth

The Saturniidae Moth (Saturniid Moth) is among the largest insects in the world. Most Saturniidae moths have eyespots on their broad wings and large, heavy bodies covered in hair-like scales. They are a family of Lepidoptera, with an estimated 2,300 described species worldwide.

Fun fact: Some of the most well-known Saturniids include emperor, royal, and giant silk moths.

251. Scotch Argus Butterfly

The Scotch Argus Butterfly (Erebia aethiops) is predominantly found in Scotland, where it thrives in tall, damp grassland. It has a medium size with a wingspan range of 1.37-1.57 in (35-40mm). Males are active flyers, especially in sunshine, weaving low through the grass in search of a mate. Females, on the other hand, are less conspicuous and spend most of their time basking.

Fun fact: They are known to perch on grass clumps during poorer weather, flying out only to investigate passing butterflies.

252. Schaus Swallowtail

The Schaus Swallowtail (Papilio aristodemus) is a large brown and yellow butterfly endemic to Florida. It is restricted to intact tropical hardwood hammocks and their associated margins. The butterfly has black-brown wings with yellow markings. The wingspan of Schaus’ swallowtail is 7.75 by 8.25 inches. Adults have a slow, leisurely flight and adeptly maneuver through the dense hardwood hammock vegetation. Females lay the green eggs singly on the new growth of wild lime.

Fun fact: They are one of the rarest butterflies in the U.S.

253. Seven-spotted Ladybug

The Seven-spotted Ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) is a species of medium-sized beetles found in a very limited area in the United States. They have an abdomen that is colored bright red with black spots patterning it. An average seven-spot ladybug will measure 8mm (0.5in) long. They feed almost exclusively on aphids. These animals make their home in woods, marshes, grasslands, parks, and gardens.

Fun fact: They can eat up to 5,000 insects in their lifetime.

254. Snowberry Clearwing Moth

The Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis) is a large moth from the Sphinx family. They have a broad, furry, yellow thorax and a black body with reddish-brown wings covered in scales. They often lose these scales, which gives their wings a transparent appearance. They can be found in a variety of habitats, including gardens, meadows, and forests. The Snowberry Clearwing Moth is a day and night flyer that hovers over plants and flowers to feed on nectar.
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Fun fact: These moths mimic bumblebees and even love to “buzz” around the same flowers and plants.

255. Sahara Desert Ant

The Sahara Desert Ant (Cataglyphis bicolor) is a desert-dwelling ant primarily found in the Sahara Desert. This ant species is one of the most heat-tolerant animals known to date. They can tolerate surface temperatures of 60 °C (140 °F) or higher for short periods. Their long legs allow them to move rapidly and elevate their bodies above the scorched sand and salt-pan terrain as they forage for dead insects. The high temperatures of the Sahara preclude navigation through the use of the pheromone trails that aid many ant species in returning to their nests. Instead, they use visual landmarks to plot their courses.

Fun fact: They can travel 108 times their body length per second, equivalent to a human running 400 miles an hour.

256. Saber-winged Grasshopper

Saber-winged Grasshopper (Phymateus morbillosus) is native to South Africa, where it inhabits grasslands and savannas. This grasshopper is a large insect, with a body length of 1.57-2.36 in (40-60 mm) and a wingspan of 70-100 mm. It is brightly colored, with a green body and yellow or orange wings. The male has a distinctive sword-like projection on its head, which is used for fighting other males. Saber-winged Grasshoppers are herbivores, and their diet consists of grasses, leaves, and flowers. They are active during the day, and they spend most of their time hopping around on the ground.

Fun fact: They can change their color to blend in with their surroundings.

257. Stingless Bee

The Stingless Bee (Meliponini) is a tropical species found in regions such as Central and South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australia. They are small in size, approximately 0.15 in (4mm) long, and have a distinct black coloring. Despite their name, these bees defend their nests by biting rather than stinging. They are known for their large colonies, which can be formidable due to the number of defenders.

Fun fact: They are active all year round, but are less active in cooler weather.

258. Scorpionfly

The Scorpionfly (Mecoptera) is an insect that typically measures between 1 to 2 inches long. They have thin, elongated bodies, an enlarged rostrum, membranous wings, and slender appendages. Their head points down in a beak-like fashion with chewing mouthparts located at the tip. They are found in various habitats including grasslands, healthy land, moorland, fresh water, farmland, wetlands, woodland, towns, and gardens. They feed on dead insects and frequently steal the contents of spiders’ webs.

Fun fact: The male’s genital segment has an enlarged, rounded appearance.

259. Scrimshaw Beetle

Scrimshaw Beetles (Dermestid Beetles) found worldwide, these beetles prefer warm, dry environments. They are often found in museums, where they feed on animal products such as fur, feathers, and leather. Dermestid beetles are small, oval-shaped insects. They are typically brown or black in color and have a hard, hairy exoskeleton. Adults are 1/8 to 1/2 inch long, 1/16 to 1/4 inch wide, and weigh 1/100 to 1/10 ounce. Dermestid beetles are scavengers and feed on dead animal matter. They are attracted to light and heat. The larvae are more active than the adults and can cause significant damage to museum specimens.
Weight | 0.01–0.02 oz (0.3–0.6 g)
Lifespan | 3–4 months
Habitat | Forested areas and woodlands
Diet | Herbivorous; feeds on tree bark and leaves
Social Structure | Solitary
Conservation | Least Concern

Fun fact: They can chew through lead

260. Silk-weaving Wasp

Silk-weaving Wasp (Mason Wasp) is a species of wasp found in North America, Europe, and Asia. They are small to medium-sized wasps, measuring 0.39-0.62 inch (10-16 mm) in length and 0.08-0.11 inch (2-3 mm) in width. They have a slender body with black and yellow markings. Silk-weaving Wasp are known for their distinctive behavior of building nests out of mud. These nests are often attached to the sides of buildings or other structures. They are solitary wasps, and females do not interact with males after mating. Each female will construct her own nest and provision it with prey, which consists of spiders. Once the nest is complete, the female will lay an egg in each cell and then seal it up. The larvae will hatch and develop within the cells, and eventually emerge as adults.

Fun fact: They are able to paralyze their prey with a single sting.

261. Southeastern Blueberry Bee

The Southeastern Blueberry Bee (Habropoda laboriosa) is a native bee found in much of the eastern regions of the U.S. Their size ranges anywhere from 0.5 inches – 0.62 inches with females landing on the larger side. They weigh less than 1 ounce. These bees are solitary species that are active during the blueberry blooming season, typically from March to May. They are considered efficient and effective pollinators of blueberry plants, which rely on buzz pollination to release their pollen.

Fun fact: Their emergence has shifted 44 days, with the bees emerging much earlier than in the past.

262. Sandhill Skipper

The Sandhill Skipper (Polites sabuleti) is a large butterfly found from southern British Columbia and eastern Washington, south through California and northern Arizona to Baja California; east to southeastern Wyoming, central Colorado, and northeastern New Mexico. They are common and quite variable. The upperside of male is yellow-orange with dark toothed borders and a sinuous stigma on the forewing. The upperside of female has heavier dark markings and almost transparent light spots. Their wingspan ranges from 7/8 – 1 1/4 inches (2.2 – 3.2 cm). Their caterpillars feed on leaves and take shelter in nests of tied leaves.

Fun fact: To watch for females, males perch all day in low grassy areas.

263. Spongy Moth

The Spongy Moth (Lymantria dispar) is a species native to Asia, Japan, central and southern Asia, southern Europe, and northern Africa. It has a wingspan of 1.18-2.75 inch (3-7 cm) and a lifespan of approximately 2 weeks. The moth is usually brown, yellow, white, dark brown, or cream in color. It is known for its feathery antennae and its ability to lay between 600 to 1,000 eggs.

Fun fact: They can travel less than 200 yards from their hatch site.

264. Spider Wasp

The Spider Wasp (Pompilidae) is a carnivorous insect that lives in tropical and temperate forests all over the world. It is related to grasshoppers, crickets, and mantises. The wasp is usually brown, black, or yellow, with a weight of 0.01–0.03 oz (0.3–0.9 g). It preys on spiders to feed its larvae or parasitizes other spider wasps.

Fun fact: They have four distinct life stages: the egg, the larva, the pupa, and the adult.

265. Stick Insect

The Stick Insect (Phasmatodea) is a herbivore that lives in tropical and temperate forests worldwide. It is usually brown, green, or black, and can grow from 0.46 to 12.9 inches in size. The insect spends much of its time in trees, munching on leaves. When predators such as birds approach, the insect tries to remain completely still to blend with the branches.

Fun fact: The females from these species lay eggs that look like plant seeds.

266. Six-Eyed Sand Spiders

The Six-Eyed Sand Spiders (Sicariidae) are native to deserts and hot, dry climates throughout Southern Africa. They have a light or reddish-brown color, with a body that grows to about 0.59 inch (15 mm). These spiders are skilled hunters who ambush their prey and use their large, powerful fangs to inject their venom and subdue them.

Fun fact: They can survive up to 1 year without food or water.

267. Stag Beetle

The Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus) is a large insect found in southern and central Europe. It measures between 1.37-2.95 in (3.5-7.5cm) in length and is known for its massive, antler-like jaws. These beetles are usually very docile and start life as larvae, living in old trees and rotting wood.

Fun fact: Adult males use their jaws to fight rivals and impress potential mates.

268. San Joaquin Valley Giant Flower-loving Fly

Fun fact: Studies of their high-speed flight led to advances in missile tracking systems.

Moving on from the world of insects, let’s now take a look at some incredible bird species beginning with the letter S.
Birds that start with S
Explore a fascinating list of birds that begin with the letter ‘S’, showcasing unique species from around the world.

 

 

Silkie Chicken	Sultan Chicken	Snow Goose
Snowy Owl	Sandpiper	Screech Owl
Scarlet Macaw	Summer Tanager	Swallow
Seagull Bird	Shoveler	Saffron Finch
Seriema Bird	Senegal Dove	Sword-billed Hummingbird
Snowy Egret	Southern White-faced Owl	Spectacled Owl
Scottish Crossbill	Samoan Whistler	Striated Pardalote
Scale-Crested Pygmy Tyrant	Sedge Warbler	Stonechat
Scaly-breasted Munia	Sand Martin	Seagull Chick
Snipe	Sarus Crane	Shoebill Stork
Sussex Chicken	Shama Bird	Scarlet Ibis
Spot-backed Puffbird	Smew	Starling
Snail Kite	Sage Grouse	Spangled Drongo
Short-tailed Shearwater	Sardinian Warbler	Serendib Scops Owl
Straw-necked Ibis	Scarlet Minivet	Shrike
Spurfowl	Spiny Puffbird	Spangled Trogon
Spoon-billed Sandpiper	Sandhill Crane	Scarlet Tanager
Seychelles Blue Pigeon	Sharp-Shinned Hawk	Scott’s Oriole
Satin Bowerbird	Sandwich Tern	Striated Heron
Sand Grouse	Sparrowhawk	Senegal Parrot
Swainson’s Hawk	Skua	Storm’s Stork
Saker Falcon	Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher

269. Silkie Chicken

The Silkie Chicken (Silky Fowl) is a chicken breed known for its unique genetic twist which gives them an additional 1 or 2 toes per foot. They are between 8 – 10 inches (20 – 25cm) in height and weigh between 2–3 lbs (0.9–1.4 kg). They are native to China or India; somewhere in Asia. They are known for their calm, docile personalities and make good pets.

Fun fact: They have black skin, black muscles, and even black bones.

270. Sultan Chicken

Sultan Chicken (White Sultan) is a breed of chicken that was bred for royalty. They originates from Türkiye, was bred in the 14th century and is known as Serai Tavuk, meaning “palace chicken”. They are pure white in color and have slate blue shanks and toes. Males weigh 6 lbs. and females weigh 4 lbs. Sultan chickens lay 50+ small white eggs a year. They are non-sitters and once had a reputation of being a good table fowl. They known as a gentle, friendly and easy-to-raise chicken breed.

Fun fact: They are one of the few breeds that have 5 toes on each foot.

271. Snow Goose

The Snow Goose (Blue Goose) are native to the Arctic. They are believed to have evolved from white geese (Anser albifrons) about 2 million years ago. It is a medium-sized goose, known for its white and black plumage. Its length is 27.2-32.7 in. It has two color forms, one all-white with black wing feathers, which are obvious in flight, and the other white-headed with a blue-grey body and wings. The Snow Goose inhabits coasts and shorelines, fields, meadows, grasslands, freshwater wetlands, lakes, ponds, rivers, saltwater wetlands, tundra, and boreal habitats. They are diurnal and tend to eat and be active during the day. They use vocalizations to communicate about territory issues, to establish hierarchy, and with offspring and mates.

Fun fact: They are very vocal and can often be heard from more than a mile away.

272. Snowy Owl

The Snowy Owl (Arctic Owl) is a large, white owl of the true owl family. They are well adapted to cold climates and are commonly found in habitats such as tundra, taiga, mountainous areas, and the Arctic. They often build nests on the ground, in tree hollows, or on cliffs. It has a wingspan of 4.1-4.9 feet (125-150 cm) and weighs between 3.5-6.6 pounds (1.6-3 kg). The Snowy owl is often active during the day, especially in the summertime. It is a nomadic bird, rarely breeding at the same locations or with the same mates on an annual basis.

Fun fact: They can fly at speeds up to 80 km/h.

273. Sandpiper

The Sandpiper (Common Sandpiper) is a small wader that measures around 7-9.4 inches (18-24 cm) in length with a wingspan of 13.8 inches (35 cm) and weighs about 1.4 ounces (40 g). They have a brown upper body and a white underside. Sandpipers are found across most of temperate and subtropical Europe and Asia, and migrate to Africa, southern Asia, and Australia in winter. They are ground feeders that dine on crustaceans, insects, worms, and other coastal creatures.

Fun fact: They display a remarkable coordination of movement when seen running in groups.

274. Screech Owl

The Screech Owl (Eastern Screech Owl) has a large, round head with prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a yellowish beak. They are medium-sized, about 7.9-9.8 inches (20-25 cm) tall, and have a wingspan of about 2-2.2 feet (60-68 cm). Screech owls are found throughout much of eastern North America, from Mexico to Canada. They adapt to many different types of habitats, including forests, parks, countryside, and even urban areas. They are excellent hunters, primarily feeding on small mammals such as mice, voles, and shrews.

Fun fact: They possess large eyes relative to their body size, which helps them see in low light conditions.

275. Scarlet Macaw

The Scarlet Macaw is a large parrot that lives in the tropical humid environments of the Amazon Rainforest. It is about 31.9 to 37.8 inches long, of which more than half is the pointed, graduated tail typical of macaws, and weighs about 2.2 pounds. Their plumage is mostly scarlet, but the rump and tail-covert feathers are light blue. Scarlet Macaws are found throughout much of eastern North America, from Mexico to Canada. They are excellent hunters, primarily feeding on small mammals such as mice, voles, and shrews.

Fun fact: These birds can fly at speeds up to 35 miles per hour.

276. Summer Tanager

The Summer Tanager (Summer Redbird) is a medium-sized American songbird. Adults stand about 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) tall and have a wingspan of 20-22 inches (52-56 centimeters) wide. They weigh about 2 pounds (0.90 kilograms). Summer Tanagers are diurnal birds. When not breeding they usually spend time singly or sometimes join mixed-species flocks of fruit-eating birds.

Fun fact: They have an American robin-like song.

277. Swallow

The Swallow (Barn Swallow) is a small bird known for its agile flight. They have short bills, but strong jaws and a wide gape, which are adapted for their insectivorous diet. They are found across the globe, but their highest diversity is in Africa, which is also believed to be where they evolved as a group. They inhabit a wide range of habitats and show a preference for open areas which allow for catching insects. They use man-made structures to breed and consequently are common in human habitation.

Fun fact: They are known for their long-distance seasonal migration.

278. Seagull Bird

The Seagull Bird (Herring Gull) is a common sight in heavily vegetated swamps. They are most abundant as breeders in the Northern Hemisphere, which has about 30 species in temperate to Arctic regions. They are mostly colonial ground nesters, and those that breed inland usually go to coasts in winter. Adaptable opportunists, gulls feed on insects, mollusks, and crustaceans on beaches; worms and grubs in plowed fields; fish along shores; and garbage from ships.

Fun fact: They are capable of using tools and bait fish with bread.

279. Shoveler

The Shoveler is a species of dabbling duck that lives in heavily vegetated swamps. It ranges from 18.1 to 20.9 inches in size. The Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) weighs around 600 grams. These birds are typically nesting in cavities and are tolerant of human proximity, appearing at suburban areas and frequenting bird tables. Males are polygamous, mating with two females during the nesting season, and territorial.

Fun fact: They are one of the few birds that can carry larger seeds to new locations.

280. Saffron Finch

The Saffron Finch (Yellow Finch) is a tanager from South America that is common in open and semi-open areas in lowlands outside the Amazon Basin. The male is bright yellow with an orange crown. Typically nesting in cavities, the saffron finch makes use of sites such as abandoned rufous hornero nests, bamboo branches, and under house roofs. They have a pleasant but repetitious song which, combined with their appearance, has led to them being kept as caged birds in many areas. Males are polygamous, mating with two females during the nesting season, and territorial.

Fun fact: They are one of the few birds that can carry larger seeds to new locations.

281. Seriema Bird

The Seriema Bird (Red-legged Seriema) is a large, long-legged bird that inhabits grasslands, savannas, dry woodlands, and open forests of South America. It stands about 2 feet (60 cm) tall and has a unique appearance with long legs and neck. The beak and legs are red, and the plumage is brownish above and dull white beneath. They are known to feed on insects, snails, reptiles, and berries.

Fun fact: They often associate with grazing livestock, probably to take insects from the animals.

282. Senegal Dove

The Senegal Dove is a common bird found in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. It has a slim, long-tailed body, with a pinkish-brown underside and a lilac-tinged head and neck. The upper parts are brownish with a bluish-grey band along the wing. The bird’s weight ranges from 4.4 to 6.9 ounces (125 to 196 grams), and it has a length of 9.8 inches (25 cm) and a wingspan of 15.7-17.7 inches (40-45 cm). It inhabits dry scrub, wooded savannas, grasslands, dry farmlands, and areas of human habitation.

Fun fact: They are usually seen in pairs or small parties, rarely in larger groups.

283. Sword-billed Hummingbird

The Sword-billed Hummingbird is a neotropical species from the Andean regions of South America. It is among the largest species of hummingbirds, with adults measuring 5.1-5.5 inches long excluding the bill, and weighing 0.35-0.53 ounces (10-15 g). The most distinctive feature of this species is its enormous bill, which is 3.1-4.7 inches long (8-12 cm). This bird inhabits humid and wet montane forests, forest edges, shrubland, gardens, and patches of páramo at elevations of 5,577–11,483 feet (1,700–3,500 m).

Fun fact: It’s the only bird to have a beak longer than the rest of its body, excluding the tail.

284. Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret is a small white heron native to the Americas. It has a length of 22-26 inches (56-66 cm) and weighs around 13.1 ounces (370 g). The bird is entirely white, with yellow lores between the long black bill and the eye, black legs, and bright yellow feet. The nape and neck bear long, shaggy plumes known as aigrettes. They are highly social and often forage in groups. They are active at dawn and dusk and rest during the day. They stalk prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling their feet.

Fun fact: They can hover, or “dip-fish” by flying with their feet just above the water surface.

285. Southern White-faced Owl

The Southern White-faced Owl, also known as the African Scops Owl, is a small nocturnal bird native to sub-Saharan Africa. It measures 7.9–9.4 inches (20–24 cm) in length and weighs 6.5–8.5 ounces (185–240 g). With its distinctive white face and dark facial disks, this owl blends seamlessly into wooded habitats, including savannas and forests. Primarily arboreal, it hunts small mammals, insects, and birds at night, using its exceptional hearing and vision. It nests in tree hollows or on ledges and is known for its soft, whistling call. Though not currently threatened, it faces pressures from habitat loss.

Fun fact: They can swiftly move through dense forests with greater ease than their larger cousins.

286. Spectacled Owl

The Spectacled Owl (Tropical Owl) is a large tropical owl native to the neotropics. It’s found in forests from southern Mexico and Trinidad, through Central America, south to southern Brazil, Paraguay, and northwestern Argentina. It has a dark face, bright yellow eyes with spectacle-like markings. The Spectacled Owl is a solitary and primarily nocturnal bird, known for its unique hunting style of perching and scanning the area for prey, and is most vocal on calm, moonlit nights.

Fun fact: This owl is known to make a number of different vocalizations.

287. Scottish Crossbill

The Scottish Crossbill (Loxia scotica) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is endemic to the Caledonian Forests of Scotland. The males have blacker upperparts, yellow or white to the forehead, a dull black throat that is strongly mottled with yellow or white. The females resemble a duller version of the male with a pale grey throat. The Scottish Crossbill is a partly nomadic bird that moves to different woods in different years, mating and spending the winter in coniferous woodlands, predominantly pine.

Fun fact: They are specialist feeders on conifer cones.

288. Samoan Whistler

The Samoan Whistler (Mao) is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae. It is endemic to Samoa, where it is found in forest, plantations, and gardens. The males have blacker upperparts, yellow or white to the forehead, a dull black throat that is strongly mottled with yellow or white. The females resemble a duller version of the male with a pale grey throat. It may have solitary or social behaviors depending on the species.

Fun fact: They are often heard than seen, foraging noisily for lerps and other small creatures in the treetops.

289. Striated Pardalote

The Striated Pardalote (Yellow-rumped Pardalote) is the least colourful and most common of the 4 pardalote species. They are found in almost any habitat with trees or shrubs, but favour eucalypt forests and woodlands. It is a very small, short-tailed bird. The males are entirely glossy black with a deep blue sheen. The females, including wings and tail, are reddish brown. The Striated Pardalote feeds in the foliage in the tops of trees, often in small groups, and is known for its complex movements, including regular seasonal migrations across the Bass Strait.

Fun fact: They often nest in human-made objects

290. Scale-Crested Pygmy Tyrant

The Scale-Crested Pygmy Tyrant (Lophotriccus pileatus) is a tiny South American tyrant flycatcher with a distinct shaggy crest. It has an overall olive-brownish color, a whitish belly with blurry streaking, and subtly paler wingbars. This species is significantly understudied due to its remote tropical forest habitat. They live in tropical forest lowlands and mountains, where they spend their days flying about the lower canopy, searching for food.

Fun fact: They raise their crests to appear larger.

291. Sedge Warbler

The Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It is a medium-sized warbler with a brown, streaked back and wings, and a distinct pale supercilium. Sedge warblers are migratory, crossing the Sahara to get from their European and Asian breeding grounds to spend winter in Africa.

Fun fact: Males never sing the same song twice.

292. Stonechat

The Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus) is a small passerine bird with an enormous range spanning 3 continents. Most species are nonmigratory or short-distance migrants, but many prefer to live in their habitats year-round. Males have dark brown heads, wings, and throats, with white patches on the sides of its neck, a small white scapular patch on the wings, and a very small white patch on the rump often streaked with black.

Fun fact: Their songs sound like two rocks hitting together.

293. Scaly-breasted munia

The Scaly-breasted munia (Lonchura punctulata) is a small bird native to tropical Asia. They are found in diverse habitats such as grasslands, wetlands, and even urban areas. Their appearance is distinctive with a dark, rich brown color on the upperparts, head, and chest. The lower breast and belly are marked with scaly black feather edges on a white background. They are highly social creatures that forage in flocks. They communicate with soft calls and whistles. Their diet consists mainly of grass seeds, but they also consume berries and small insects.

Fun fact: They can form flocks of up to 100 birds.

294. Sand Martin

The Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) is a small, agile bird with a brown back and a white belly, separated by a narrow brown band. They are social creatures, living in colonies and spending their days foraging and preening. Their habitat spans across Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Palearctic, reaching the Pacific Ocean. They are commonly found near bodies of water such as rivers and lakes.

Fun fact: They can cover distances over 4,000 km between their summer and winter locations.

295. Seagull Chick

The Seagull Chick (Larus) is a coastal bird with a soft, downy, mottled brown color. It takes up to four years for them to attain their classic white and gray color. These birds are found in nearly every corner of the world, most associated with coastal areas but can also be found inland near large bodies of water. They are known for their scavenging habits, eating small invertebrates, such as worms, insects, and crustaceans. They also consume human food scraps and garbage.

Fun fact: They can drink both fresh and salt water.

296. Snipe

The Snipe (Scolopacidae) is a group of wading birds. There are 26 different species, which researchers divide into 3 different genuses. They are similar in appearance to the woodcocks, with stout bodies and long, straight beaks. Most Snipes have well camouflaged plumage, known as cryptic coloring. The smallest species, the Jack Snipe, grows to just 8 inches long. The largest species, the Great Snipe, grows to a foot long. They inhabit various types of wet marshy settings including bogs, swamps, wet meadows, and along rivers, coast lines, and ponds.

Fun fact: They can fly up to 60 miles per hour.

297. Sarus Crane

The Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) with a height reaching up to 5.9 feet (1.8 meters), they are as tall as an average human. Their bodies are covered in grey feathers, while their heads are a striking red, contrasted by a greenish-grey bill. They inhabit wetlands, marshes, and canals, often found near human settlements. These birds are known for their monogamous nature, forming long-lasting pair bonds. They are also territorial, especially during the breeding season.

Fun fact: They pine the loss of their mates, even to the point of starving to death.

298. Shoebill Stork

The Shoebill Stork (Whalehead) is a large, long-legged wading bird found in tropical East Africa, primarily in large swamps from South Sudan to Zambia. It has a body length of over 4 feet (1.2 meters) and weighs between 8.8-15.4 pounds (4-7 kg). Known for its enormous, shoe-shaped bill, the Shoebill Stork is a solitary and highly territorial bird, aggressively defending its nesting and feeding areas, even against other Shoebill Storks.

Fun fact: Despite its daunting appearance, shoebills aren’t dangerous and avoid contact with other animals and members of their species.

299. Sussex Chicken

The Sussex Chicken (Sussex Fowl) is a robust bird, known for its rectangular shape, broad back, and long, straight breastbone. Its tail is held at a 45-degree angle, giving it a distinctive silhouette. The eyes of this breed vary in color, with darker varieties having red eyes and lighter ones showcasing orange eyes. They are not prone to flying and are excellent foragers. This breed is appreciated for its ability to adapt to various climates. Originating from Sussex, UK, these chickens have a rich history and are now found worldwide.

Fun fact: They start laying eggs at around 16-20 weeks of age.

300. Shama Bird

The Shama Bird (White-rumped Shama) is a small passerine bird that calls the densely vegetated habitats of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia home. Males are glossy black with a chestnut belly and white feathers on the rump and outer tail, while females are more greyish-brown. They are shy, somewhat crepuscular, and very territorial. Their diet consists of insects and fruit.

Fun fact: They are known for their melodious song, making them popular as cage birds.

301. Scarlet Ibis

The Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) is a small wading bird residing in northern South America. They have a wingspan of about 36 to 38 inches. Its plumage is bright pink, a result of its diet of red crustaceans. With long, narrow, slightly curved beaks and long legs, they forage in shallow waters. Habitats range from marshes, swamps, to mangroves. They are social creatures, forming large colonies for feeding and protection.

Fun fact: They are the only shorebirds with red coloring.

302. Spot-backed Puffbird

The Spot-backed Puffbird (Nystalus maculatus) is a bird species that is part of the Bucconidae family. It is dark brown overall with heavy streaking on the crown, back, and breast. This bird has a piercing yellow eye and a strong orangish bill and collar. It is found in light woodlands, savanna, plantations, and scrubby areas. The song of the Spot-backed Puffbird is an undulating and far carrying “tewre-tewtewretewtewre”.

Fun fact: They are one of the most common bird species in their habitat.

303. Smew

The Smew (Mergus Albellus) s a species of duck that breeds in the northern taiga of Europe and the Palearctic. The male is white with a black mask and a black back, the female is grey with a reddish-brown head and white cheek. In flight, it shows black and white wings. The Smew is a small sawbill, a group of ducks named for their serrated bills. They’re diving ducks, which spend a lot of time under the water hunting for food – mostly aquatic insects in summer and small fish in winter.

Fun fact: They are known to nest in colonies and roost communally.

304. Starling

The Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a moderately sized bird with a wingspan of 12-17 inches. They have iridescent plumage, which shines green or purple in the light, and their white speckles are much more drastic in winter. Starlings are highly gregarious birds, especially in autumn and winter when large, noisy flocks may form near roosts. They are known to be quite noisy, and you can commonly identify them without actually seeing them.

Fun fact: They can fly in enormous flocks, often posing dangers to air travel.

305. Snail Kite

The Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Snail kites measure 14 to 19 inches (36 to 48 cm) in length with a wingspan of 39 to 47 inches (99–120 cm). They weigh between 11 to 20 ounces (300 to 570 g). Adult males have dark blue-gray plumage with darker flight feathers, while adult females have dark brown upperparts and heavily streaked pale underparts. These kites fly slowly with their heads facing downward, searching for their primary food: large apple snails.

Fun fact: They can eat while they fly.

306. Sage Grouse

The Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), also known as the sagehen, is the largest in North America. Its range is sagebrush country in the western United States and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. The Sage Grouse is a large bird with a chunky, round body, small head, and long tail. Males change shape dramatically when they display, becoming almost spherical as they puff up their chests, droop their wings.

Fun fact: They are known for their elaborate courtship rituals.

307. Spangled Drongo

The Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus) is a bird of the family Dicruridae, and it is the only drongo to be found in Australia. Recognizable by its black, iridescent plumage and characteristic forked tail, it feeds on insects and small vertebrates. This bird displays uninhibited and sometimes comical behavior as it swoops and perches in search of food. It is also known for its complex and varied calls, and it is a mimic of the sounds it hears.

Fun fact: They are amazing mimics, taking most of their vocabulary from the sounds heard in the vicinity and weaving them into a song.

308. Short-tailed Shearwater

The Short-tailed Shearwater (Slender-billed shearwater) is the most abundant seabird species in Australian waters. It is a migratory species that breeds mainly on small islands in Bass Strait and Tasmania and migrates to the Northern Hemisphere for the boreal summer. This bird has a short tail with blackish-brown feathers and is often seen skimming along the ocean’s surface at high speeds. With their long wingspan and narrow wings, they can fly as fast as 85 km an hour.

Fun fact: They are one of the few migratory birds that come to Australia to breed.

309. Sardinian Warbler

The Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) is a common bird found throughout the Mediterranean region. The adult male has a grey back, whitish underparts, a black head, a white throat, and red eyes. The female is mainly brown above and buff below, with a grey head. The Sardinian Warbler’s song is fast and rattling, characteristic of the Mediterranean areas where this bird breeds.

Fun fact: They are known for their distinct male and female plumages.

310. Serendib Scops Owl

The Serendib Scops Owl (Otus thilohoffmanni) is a nearly flightless rail endemic to the Samoan island of Savai’i. It is considered Critically Endangered, and possibly extinct. This small gallinule had a length of about 9.8 inches (25 cm). It was known for its large eyes and probably nocturnal habits. It lived in primary montane forests and its diet consisted of insects and other small invertebrates.

Fun fact: It was the most recently discovered bird of Sri Lanka.
311. Straw-necked Ibis
The Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) is found throughout Australia, New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. Adults are large birds, measuring around 23–30 inches (59–76 cm) in length, with a wingspan of about 39–47 inches (100–120 cm) and weighing between 2.4–3.3 pounds (1.1–1.5 kg). They are easily recognized by the distinctive straw-like feathers on their necks, a bare black head, and a long, downcurved black bill.

Fun fact: They are partly migratory, making seasonal or erratic movements when water conditions vary.
312. Scarlet Minivet
The Scarlet Minivet (Pericrocotus speciosus) is a small passerine bird found in tropical southern Asia from Northeast India to southern China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They are 7.9–8.7 in (20–22 cm) long. They are common resident breeding birds in forests and other well-wooded habitats including gardens, especially in hilly country. While the males of most subspecies are scarlet to orange with black upper parts, the females are usually yellow with greyish-olive upper parts.

Fun fact: They are often seen in mixed-species foraging flocks.
313. Shrike
The Shrike (Butcherbird) is a medium-sized bird that can be found in various habitats throughout Eurasia, Africa, and North America. They are typically between 6.3 to 9.8 inches (16 to 25 cm) in size, with a bold black mask and a stout, hooked bill. Their plumage varies among different species, ranging from shades of gray, brown, and black, often adorned with white markings. Shrikes are known for their predatory behavior. They hunt for prey during the day, perching on high branches with clear, open views so they can spot prey. Once they spot a potential meal, they swoop down, grab it, and carry it to their favorite impaling location.

Fun fact: They use sharp thorns or barbed wire to impale their prey.
314. Spurfowl
The Spurfowl (Cape Francolin) is a gamebird endemic to southern Africa, measuring 16-17 inches (40-42 cm) in length. The male is larger, weighing between 1.3-2.0 pounds (600-915 g), while the female weighs between 0.96-1.45 pounds (435-659 g). These birds inhabit scrubby open areas, typically near running water. Their diet consists of dead organic matter and microscopic organisms.

Fun fact: They can become very tame if disturbance is limited.
315. Spiny Puffbird
The Spiny Puffbird (Bucconidae) is a tropical American bird found from Mexico to southern Brazil. It has a large head, short wings, and a strong bill, with short legs and small feet. The moustached puffbird, a species of Spiny Puffbird, measures 7.9 to 9.1 inches (20 to 23 cm) in length and weighs 1.7 to 1.8 ounces (47 to 50 g). Known for its bristles around the base of its large bill and white “whiskers” (tufts of feathers), this bird is often seen perching tamely in the open, with its feathers puffed out around its head and short neck.

Fun fact: They have the interesting habit of plugging the entrance to their nest burrow with green leaves at night.
316. Spangled Trogon
The Spangled Trogon (Trogoniformes) is a near passerine bird native to Central America. It measures about 9.8 to 11.4 inches (25 to 29 cm) long and weighs between 1.4 to 2.3 ounces (41 to 64 g). Both sexes have a black face and throat, with males often displaying bright metallic green on their crown, nape, back, and rump. Known for their gnawing habit, these birds prepare their nests by excavating cavities in trees.

Fun fact: They are the only type of animal with a heterodactyl toe arrangement.
317. Spoon-billed Sandpiper
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea) is native to the coasts of the Bering Sea and migrates to Southeast Asia for the winter. This small wader, measuring 5.5 to 6.3 inches (14-16 cm) in body length, is known for its unique black spatulate bill. During the breeding season, it has a rich reddish-brown plumage, particularly on the head, breast, and back, while the underparts, throat, and forehead are white, often with a white streak over the eye. Critically endangered, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper has an estimated population of only 661-718 individuals.

Fun fact: They are the most distinctive species among shorebirds due to their unique spatulate bill.
318. Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) is a mid-sized bird that stands tall with a height ranging from 3.2 to 3.9 ft and a wingspan of 5.9 to 6.5 ft. Males are slightly bigger than females, weighing an average of 8.3 lbs compared to the female’s average of 7.2 lbs. These birds are gray with crowns of red and live in a variety of habitats, mainly in freshwater wetlands like bogs, fens, and sedge meadows, as well as pine savanna, grasslands, and cultivated areas. Sandhill Cranes are forming pairs during the breeding season, engaging in synchronized dances, and vocalizations, and they are also known to defend their territory from predators.

Fun fact: Some migrating Sandhill Cranes accidentally end up in Europe, which is called vagrancy.
319. Scarlet Tanager
The Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) is a medium-sized American songbird. Adult males are vivid crimson-red with black wings and tail, while females have yellowish underparts and olive-colored tops, with yellow-olive-toned wings and tail. They weigh between 0.83 and 1.34 ounces (23.5 to 38 g), measure 6.3 to 7.5 inches (16 to 19 cm) in length, and have a wingspan of 9.8 to 11.8 inches (25 to 30 cm). Scarlet Tanagers breed across eastern North America and migrate to northwestern South America for the winter, passing through Central America along the way.

Fun fact: Males molt into an olive-yellow color during the fall and winter.
320. Seychelles Blue Pigeon
The Seychelles Blue Pigeon (Alectroenas pulcherrimus) is a medium-sized bird that resides in the woodland areas of the granitic Seychelles archipelago. It is about 10 inches in length, with a silver-grey head and breast. When excited, it can raise these feathers, giving it a ruffled appearance. Its wings, under-body, and tail are dark blue. This bird can be found either singly, in pairs, or in small groups. During courtship, these birds fly high above the tree canopy, before plummeting downward at a steep angle, wings held rigidly forward and downward.

Fun fact: Unlike other pigeons, their droppings contain no viable seeds.
321. Sharp-Shinned Hawk
The Sharp-Shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a small bird of prey native to North America. It has a length of 10 to 14 inches and a wingspan of 20 to 28 inches. The weight of this bird ranges from 3 to 8 ounces. The Sharp-Shinned Hawk is known for its blue-gray crown and nape, which are the same color as its back, creating a “hooded” effect against its buffy cheeks. This bird is a common sight in backyard bird feeders in winter, where it bursts from nearby bushes to snatch a small bird off a branch.

Fun fact: They are known for their quick, choppy wingbeats interspersed with short glides.
322. Scott’s Oriole
The Scott’s Oriole (Icterus parisorum) is a medium-sized bird from the icterid family, which includes blackbirds, meadowlarks, cowbirds, grackles, and others. Native to North America, it is found in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. This bird is known for its striking appearance, with a body length of approximately 7.9 to 9.1 inches (20-23 cm) and a wingspan of 11.8 to 13.8 inches (30-35 cm). It has a black body with bright yellow markings on the chest and shoulders. The Scott’s Oriole is migratory, moving seasonally for breeding and feeding, and primarily feeds on insects and nectar.

Fun fact: They are known for their melodious song, which is often heard before the bird is seen.
323. Satin Bowerbird
The Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) is a unique bird endemic to eastern Australia. It measures between 12.6 and 13 inches (32-33 cm) in length and weighs between 6.0 and 10.2 ounces (170-290 g). The adult male has glossy purple-blue feathers with a black body, while the female is olive-green above, with off-white and dark scalloping on her lower parts. Known for its complex courtship behavior, the male builds specialized stick structures called bowers and decorates them with blue, yellow, and shiny objects to attract mates.

Fun fact: As the males mature, they use more blue objects than other colors in their bowers.
324. Sandwich Tern
The Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) is a medium-large tern with grey upperparts, white underparts, a yellow-tipped black bill, and a shaggy black crest. It measures 14.6–16.9 inches (37–43 cm) in length, has a wingspan of 33.5–38.2 inches (85–97 cm), and weighs between 6.3–10.6 ounces (180–300 g). Found along the Atlantic coasts of North America, northern, and eastern South America, this bird feeds by plunge-diving for fish, primarily in marine environments.

Fun fact: The offering of fish by the male to the female is part of the courtship display.
325. Striated Heron
The Striated Heron (Butorides striata), also known as the mangrove heron, little heron, or green-backed heron, is a small heron about 17.3 inches (44 cm) tall. It has a blue-grey back and wings, white underparts, a black cap, and short yellow legs. This bird is found in small wetlands across the Old World tropics, from West Africa to Japan and Australia, and in South America. Known for its interesting behavior, the Striated Heron often stands still at the water’s edge, waiting to ambush prey.

Fun fact: They are mostly non-migratory.
326. Sand Grouse
The Sand Grouse (Pterocletidae) is a bird species ranging from 8.7 to 15.7 inches (22 to 40 cm) in length. It has a compact body, a small, pigeon-like head and neck, and gray or brown plumage. With pointed wings, short legs, and pinlike central tail feathers, it is well adapted to its environment. The Sand Grouse is typically found in treeless open areas, such as plains and semi-deserts.

Fun fact: They mate for life, just like pigeons.
327. Sparrowhawk
The Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) is a small bird of prey found in various habitats, often visiting gardens to hunt. It measures 11 to 15 inches (28 to 38 cm) in length, with a wingspan of 21.7 to 27.6 inches (55 to 70 cm), and weighs between 3.9 to 12.1 ounces (110 to 342 grams). Adapted for hunting birds in confined spaces like dense woodlands, gardens provide ideal hunting grounds for this agile predator.

Fun fact: Sparrowhawks are the bird of prey you’re most likely to see in your garden.
328. Senegal Parrot
The Senegal Parrot (Poicephalus senegalus) is a small bird of prey native to the woodlands of central western Africa. It has a length of 10 inches and weighs from 4 to 6 ounces. The Senegal Parrot is known for its dark green and brownish-gray color with an iridescent green throat, orange thighs, and a yellow chest. This bird is very self-assured, charming, highly intelligent, playful, and social.

Fun fact: They are known for their ability to mimic human speech and household noises.
329. Swainson’s Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) is a large bird of prey found in North America during the spring and summer, and migrating to South America for the winter. They typically inhabit grasslands, fields, shrublands, and forest edges. This raptor has two main color variations: light morph and dark morph. Light-morph adults have white underparts with a dark reddish “bib” on the chest, a noticeable white throat, and face patch. Their tail is gray-brown with narrow dark bands and a wider subterminal band, while the upperparts are brown. The bird measures 17 to 22 inches (43-56 cm) in length, with a wingspan of 3.9 to 4.6 feet (1.2-1.4 m), and weighs between 1.1 to 3.7 pounds (0.5-1.7 kg). Swainson’s Hawks primarily feed on gophers, voles, rabbits, lizards, snakes, and large insects.

Fun fact: They are also known as the Grasshopper hawk due to their diet.
330. Skua
The Skua (Stercorarius) is a large, fast predator, often labeled as a bully due to its tendency to steal. It is found on the sea coasts of all continents. Skuas are brown in color and have a wingspan of 48 inches. They can reach up to 150 kph (93 mph) in horizontal flight. They feed on fish, carrion, eggs, chicks, and even other birds. They often use “harassment” tactics to steal prey from other birds. They can also help the ecosystem by consuming animal carcasses and controlling the numbers of weak or injured seabirds.

Fun fact: They are long-distance migrants, some species may even visit the South Pole.
331. Storm’s Stork
The Storm’s Stork (Ciconia stormi) is a medium-sized stork species that occurs primarily in lowland tropical forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and southern Thailand. It is considered to be the rarest of all storks, and is estimated to number less than 500 wild individuals throughout its geographic range. It has orange facial skin with a yellow ring surrounding the eye, a red iris, and a pinkish-red bill. On some but not all male individuals, the culmen of the bill is slightly concave with a basal knob.

Fun fact: It feeds primarily on small fish, frogs, aquatic insect larvae, and sometimes earthworms.
332. Saker Falcon
The Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) is a large species of falcon found across North Africa, Asia, and Southern and Eastern Europe. They inhabit open lands, semi-deserts, steppes, and mountains. Known for being the national bird of Hungary, the United Arab Emirates, and Mongolia, Saker Falcons are powerful birds of prey with an exceptionally broad wingspan. Their plumage is variable, ranging from chocolate brown to pale sandy with brown bars or streaks, and can sometimes be almost pure white. The bird’s length is about 22 inches (57 cm), with a wingspan of 50 inches (126 cm), and it can weigh up to 46 ounces (1.3 kg). Their primary diet consists of small birds, rodents, and other small mammals.

Fun fact: They are one of the fastest birds in the world, reaching up to 160 km/h (100 mph) during hunting dives.
333. Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher
The Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher (Veuve) is a rare bird from the genus of paradise flycatchers (Terpsiphone) within the family Monarchidae. It is a forest-dwelling bird endemic to the Seychelles where it is native to the island of La Digue. Males have glossy black plumage with elongated tail feathers, while females are reddish-brown with pale underparts and no long tail feathers. The Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher preys on insects in flight or from a perch, and is known for building nests on branches using twigs, palm fibre, and spider webs

Fun fact: It is common to see it outside in the trees or even in the garden of the Seychellois people.

After exploring the diverse and fascinating birds that start with the letter S, there are other kinds of animals starting with the letter S.
Other animals that start with S
Finally, here are the uncategorized animals starting with the letter S:

Snow Crab	Sea Anemone	Sea Urchins
Sea Slug	Sargassum Swimming Crab	Sand Dollar
Stone Crab	Sea Lamprey	Sea Angel
Sea Sponge	Sea Cucumber	Seagrass Hermit Crab
Sea Nettle	Seahorse Spider	Sand Crab
Seahorse Spider Crab	Seahorse Shrimp	Sea Spiders
Spiny Lobster	Spider Crab	Spoonworm
Scolopendra	Samoan Crab	Sea Swallow
Scallops	Skeleton Tarantula	Sequined Spider
Sea Wasp	Sea Roach

 

334. Snow Crab
The Snow Crab (Queen Crab) is a marine creature found in the northern parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It has a carapace length between 3.1”-5.4” (8-13.6 cm), carapace width of 3.7”-6.5” (9.4-16.5 cm), body height of 1.5”-2.5” (3.7-6.4 cm), and weight between 1.1-3 lb (.5-1.35 kg). Adult snow crabs typically range from 12-24 ounces (340-680 grams). They are carnivorous, feeding on fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and other invertebrates.

Fun fact: They communicate with each other by waving or drumming their pincers.
335. Sea Anemone
The Sea Anemone (Actiniaria) is a marine creature that can be found in nearly every marine habitat, with the greatest numbers occurring in the tropics. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from a few millimeters to about 5 feet (about 1.5 meters) in diameter. Sea anemones use their stinging tentacles to capture prey.

Fun fact: They form a symbiotic alliance with clownfish, which are immune to the anemone’s sting.
336. Sea Urchins
Sea Urchins (Echinoidea) are marine invertebrates that inhabit the ocean floors, usually on hard surfaces. They have a globular body with a radial arrangement of organs, shown by 5 bands of pores running from mouth to anus over the test (internal skeleton). Their coloration commonly reflects the seafloor’s shading, camouflaging them from predatory sharks and larger rays. They spend the majority of their time inactive, partially buried in sand.

Fun fact: They can live up to a depth of 5 kilometers.
337. Sea Slug
The Sea Slug (Nudibranchia) is a fascinating marine creature found in both shallow and deep areas of oceans. They can be anywhere from a quarter of an inch to 12 inches long and can weigh up to 3.3 pounds. These sea slugs spend their time sliding on their bellies around their habitat in search of snacks.

Fun fact: They absorb and display their prey’s pigment, giving them their vibrant colors.
338. Sargassum Swimming Crab
The Sargassum Swimming Crab (Portunus sayi) has a smooth and shiny carapace that is nearly twice as broad as it is long. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea where it makes its home among floating mats of Sargassum seaweed. They can grow to a length of about 2-3 in (5-7.5 cm).

Fun fact: They are camouflaged to look just like their home.
339. Sand Dollar
The Sand Dollar (Clypeasteroida) is a marine animal found in sandy or muddy sea beds. They are particularly well adapted for burrowing in sandy substrates. The body of a Sand Dollar is flat and disk-shaped, covered in very small spines used for digging and crawling. Most Sand Dollars measure from 2 to 4 inches ( 5 to 10 cm ) in diameter.

Fun fact: They are close relatives of sea urchins and heart urchins.
340. Stone Crab
The Stone Crab (Menippe mercenaria) is a species that can be found in coastal and offshore waters ranging from North Carolina to Belize. They inhabit sandy/muddy bottoms, rocky outcrops, and seagrass beds ranging from the shallow shoreline to offshore depths of up to 200 ft. The body of a stone crab is covered in a tough exoskeleton which ranges from dark greenish-brown to yellowish-orange with white spots. The carapace (shell) is 3 to 3.5 inches (7.6 to 8.9 cm) long and about 4 inches (10 cm) wide. They have large, asymmetrical claws used for crushing prey or defending against predators.

Fun fact: They can only re-grow a claw if the diaphragm at the body/claw joint is left intact.
341. Sea Lamprey
The Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a parasitic fish native to the Northern Hemisphere. They inhabit the Atlantic Ocean, the western Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea, and have invaded the Great Lakes. Their bodies, similar to eels, lack paired fins. Their mouths are jawless, round, and sucker-like, with sharp teeth arranged in many concentric circular rows. They are olive or brown-yellow on the dorsal and lateral part of the body, with lighter coloration on the belly. Sea lampreys are anadromous, migrating up rivers to spawn. After spawning, the adults die.

Fun fact: They can destroy an average of 18 kilograms of fish during their parasitic phase.
342. Sea Angel
Sea Angels, scientifically known as Clione limacina, are fascinating creatures found in the icy waters of the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans. These tiny marine animals weigh only 2–3 grams and have soft, transparent bodies, often glowing faintly with blue or orange hues. Unlike many sea snails, they lack a hard shell and swim freely in cold ocean waters using their wing-like fins. Sea Angels are predators, feasting mainly on plankton and other small sea creatures, capturing their prey with specialized mouths.

Fun fact: They are found in fossils dating back as far as 400 million years.
343. Sea Sponge
Sea Sponges (Porifera) inhabit a wide variety of ecosystems. The vast majority live in saltwater habitats, though some inhabit brackish water and freshwater. They avoid areas where strong currents or crashing waves would disturb them. These creatures vary drastically in appearance. Some have many branches or odd shapes, while others have a simple cylindrical shape. The smallest sea sponge has a length of 1.1 in (3 cm), while the largest can be over 9.8 ft (3 meters) wide. As sessile creatures, they remain in one place their entire lives. They intake water through many pores across their bodies, and filter food particles out of it.

Fun fact: They can filter roughly 20,000 times their own volume of water every day.
344. Sea Cucumber
The Sea Cucumber (Holothuroidea) is a marine creature found in oceans worldwide. They dwell on the sea floor, with some species inhabiting the shallows and others in the deep ocean. Their bodies are oblong, resembling a cucumber or sausage, covered in a leathery skin that can range from smooth to spiky. They are slow-moving, often covering no more than 39 ft (12 meters) a day. When threatened, some species can expel their internal organs as a defense mechanism.

Fun fact: They communicate with each other by sending hormone signals through the water.
345. Seagrass Hermit Crab
The Seagrass Hermit Crab (Pagurus pollicaris) is a creature that inhabits various environments. It thrives in seagrass meadows, sandy or muddy bottoms, and even on rock jetties. This crab is known for its reddish-brown color and thin white stripes running down its legs. It has an asymmetric abdomen that it conceals within a snug-fitting shell. This crab is nocturnal and often burrows and digs. It’s also known to be social, preferring to live near others of its species. When it grows, it undergoes a process called ‘molting’, shedding its exoskeleton and growing a new one.

Fun fact: They can switch homes swiftly when they outgrow their shells.
346. Sea Nettle
The Sea Nettle (Chrysaora), or West Coast sea nettle, is a widespread planktonic scyphozoan cnidarian that lives in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, in temperate to cooler waters off of British Columbia and the West Coast of the United States, ranging south to México. The Sea Nettle has a bell that can grow up to 3.2 ft (1 meter) in diameter and is often golden-brown with an element of red. Its tentacles can reach up to 15 feet in length. The Sea Nettle hunts tiny drifting animals by trailing long tentacles and frilly mouth-arms covered in stinging cells.

Fun fact: They can detect light using simple eyes called ocelli.
347. Seahorse Spider
The Seahorse Spider (Pycnogonida), also known as sea spiders or Pantopoda, are marine arthropods found in all oceans, from shallow water to depths of 19,685 ft (6,000 meters). They have a distinctive body shape with a long, slender trunk and four pairs of legs. The average sea spider is 0.25-2.5 in (1–10 centimeters) long, but some species can grow up to 27.5 in (70 centimeters) in length. They are mostly filter feeders, using their legs to catch small food particles from the water. Some species are also known to be predators, catching small invertebrates with their sharp claws. Sea spiders are an important part of the marine ecosystem, and they play a role in the food chain as prey for fish and other marine animals.

Fun fact: They have no heart and instead use a system of blood vessels to circulate oxygen throughout their bodies.
348. Sand Crab
The Sand Crab (Ghost Crab), a small crustacean, is a common sight along sandy shorelines, burrowing into the sand where the waves crash. Their bodies, ranging from 0.7 -2 in (2 to 5 cm) in length, are covered in a hard exoskeleton that varies in color from brown to grey. These creatures are solitary, spending most of their time hidden beneath the sand, surfacing only to feed on plankton and dinoflagellates.

Fun fact: They can bury themselves in the sand in just 1.5 seconds.

349. Seahorse Spider Crab

The Seahorse Spider Crab (Liagore rubromaculata), also known as the decorator crab, is a small, brightly colored crustacean found in the Indo-Pacific region. It has a flattened, oval carapace that is typically 0.39–0.79 in (1–2 centimeters) long and 0.20–0.39 in (0.5–1 centimeters) wide. The crab’s legs are long and slender, and they are covered in spines. The Seahorse Spider Crab is a master of disguise, and it can use its camouflage to blend in with its surroundings. It is also an excellent swimmer, and it can use its long legs to propel itself through the water.

Fun fact: They can change its color to match its surroundings.

350. Seahorse shrimp

Seahorse shrimp (Camel Shrimp) are found in the Indo-Pacific region, specifically in the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. They prefer shallow, sandy or muddy bottoms near seagrass beds and coral reefs. These shrimp are small, reaching an average length of 0.6 to 1 inch (1.5 to 2.5 centimeters) and a width of 0.2 to 0.4 inch (0.5 to 1 centimeter). They weigh approximately 0.004 to 0.007 ounces (0.1 to 0.2 grams).

Their bodies are elongated and slightly flattened, with a long, curved rostrum (beak) and a pair of large, stalked eyes. They have a transparent carapace (shell) that allows their internal organs to be visible. Seahorse shrimp are typically pale in color, with reddish or brownish markings. Seahorse shrimp are mostly nocturnal, spending the day hiding in the sand or among seagrass. At night, they emerge to feed on small invertebrates, such as plankton and worms. They are solitary animals and do not form groups.

Fun fact: They can change their color to camouflage themselves from predators.

351. Sea Spiders

Sea Spiders (Pycnogonida) are marine arthropods found in oceans around the world. There are about 1,300 species of sea spiders, which are found around the world. Sea spiders are found in all oceans, including the Mediterranean Sea, Caribbean Sea, and the Arctic Ocean. The traditional appearance of the sea spider is that of long legs and a small body. Across the many species of sea spider, the leg count varies from 4 – 6 pairs. Sea Spiders, despite their solitary nature, are known to crawl around anemones and coral, with some species even exhibiting swimming behavior using leg motions similar to walking.

Fun fact: Despite their name, sea spiders are not true spiders.

352. Spiny Lobster

The Spiny Lobster (Rock Lobster) is a crustacean found in tropical oceans worldwide, most commonly in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, Australia, and South Africa. They are known for their hard, bumpy exoskeleton, which can vary in color from nearly white to dark red-orange. They have long, spiny antennae and lack large claws, distinguishing them from true lobsters. The average size of a mature Spiny Lobster depends on its species, but they may exceed 60 centimeters or 2 feet in length. They are nocturnal animals, spending the day hiding in crevices and rocks, and venturing out at night to feed.

Fun fact: They make a rasping sound using friction at the base of their antennae.

353. Spider Crab

The Spider Crab (Rock Lobster) is a crustacean that primarily inhabits the temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean near Japan. They are known for their long, spindly legs and a circular to oval carapace, which is broad at the back and narrow at the front. The body is often covered in small spikes, known as tubercles. They are generally slow-moving and sluggish, preferring to scavenge for dead animal or plant matter. The Spider Crab can grow up to 12 feet (3.7m) in length.

Fun fact: They are part of a group known as decorator crabs which adorn their shells with sponges or anemones for camouflage.

354. Spoonworm

The Spoonworm (Green Spoon Worms) is a marine species that belongs to the family Bonelliidae. They inhabit burrows along the seabed or among coarse sand and rocks. The female can grow up to 5.9 inches (15 cm) in length. The male, which lives inside the female, is significantly smaller. The female has a long proboscis that produces a toxic green chemical. They are found across the waters of the Northeast Atlantic, the Arctic, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, Malta, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean. The female feeds on dead organic matter and microscopic organisms, while the male lives inside the female like a parasite.

Fun fact: It’s the female’s green chemical that determines if a spoon worm is male or female.

355. Scolopendra

The Scolopendra (Centipede) is a carnivorous insect that feeds primarily on insects and other invertebrates. The venom of most species is not medically significant; however, bites from several species can cause intense and long-lasting pain and swelling. Scolopendra is characterized by a depressed body, a pair of antennae, and between 21 and 23 pairs of legs, with the first pair modified as fangs to inject venom; they are generally small in size, but can exceed 11.8 in (30 cm), and are found across the world’s tropics and warmer temperate areas, often hiding in bushes, rocks, logs, leaves, and rock crevices during the day.

Fun fact: They cannot completely regenerate its venom within the first 48 hours, limiting its defense activity.

356. Samoan Crab

The Samoan Crab (Cardisoma carnifex) is a large crab, reaching an impressive width of 18 cm. It has a robust body and is known for its massive claws, which can span up to 15 inches from tip to tip. This crab is part of the Hawaiian swimming crabs family, often referred to as kuhonu. It has the unique ability to live in both fresh and salt water. The Samoan Crab is usually found in muddy river waters.

Fun fact: They can grow to an amazing 15-inches wide from the tip of one massive claw to the other.

357. Sea Swallow

The Sea Swallow (Glaucus atlanticus) is a brightly colored nudibranch, commonly known as sea slugs. It grows up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long. The Sea Swallow is found throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans in tropical and subtropical waters.

Fun fact: Despite its small size, it preys on the venomous Portuguese man o’ war.

358. Scallops

Scallops (Pectinidae) are marine bivalve mollusks found in all the world’s oceans. They inhabit environments ranging from shallow seagrass beds to deep sea, with a preference for sandy bottoms. Their shells, thin and lightweight, aid in their unique ability among bivalves to swim. This is achieved by rapidly opening and closing their shells, propelling them through the water. Scallops possess 2 hinged shells, 1 side slightly flatter than the other. They can have up to 200 eyes lining their mantle, which may be a brilliant blue color. These eyes allow them to detect light, dark, and motion.

Fun fact: They are one of the very few groups of bivalves that can swim short distances.

359. Skeleton Tarantula

The Skeleton Tarantula (Ephebopus murinus) is a medium-sized tarantula that has markings on its legs that look like skeleton bones. Their abdomen is dark brown with a lighter brown carapace; both are covered in spikey hairs called setae. They are native to the northeastern countries in South America. Unlike most tarantulas that are docile and easy going, this species is feisty and aggressive.

Fun fact: They can change the size of its scales when it feels threatened.

360. Sequined Spider

The Sequined Spider (Thwaitesia argentiopunctata) is known for its reflective abdomen that plays a crucial role in their camouflage to protect them from predators in the forest canopy. They are very tiny creatures, only about 1/5 the size of an aspirin. They are found in all states of Australia.
Weight | 0.01–0.1 oz (0.3–3 g)
Lifespan | 1–2 years
Habitat | Forests and grasslands in tropical and subtropical regions
Diet | Carnivorous; preys on insects
Social Structure | Solitary
Conservation | Least Concern

 

Fun fact: They can change the size of its scales when it feels threatened.

361.Sea Wasp

The Sea Wasp (Chironex fleckeri) is a species of extremely venomous box jellyfish found in coastal waters from northern Australia and New Guinea to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Its bell usually reaches about 16 cm in diameter but can grow up to 13.7 in (35 cm). It has tentacles up to 10 ft (3 m) long covered with millions of cnidocytes which, on contact, release microscopic darts delivering a potent venom.

Fun fact: The amount of venom in one animal is said to be enough to kill 60 adult humans.

362. Sea Roach

The Sea Roach (Ligia oceanica), a deep-sea creature, is known for its unique ability to withstand crushing pressure and total darkness. It has a pink, slimy appearance and looks a bit like an oversized tadpole, up to a foot long. The Sea Roach makes a living in the Mariana Trench, 23,000 ft (7,000 meters) below the ocean’s surface, where pressures can reach 1,000 times more than at sea level. Despite these harsh conditions, it is not only abundant in this area but also the region’s top predator.

Fun fact: They can withstand more water pressure than 1,600 elephants standing on their heads.

FAQs

What sea animals start with S?

Sea animals that start with S include Squid, Shrimp, and Swordfish. Squid inhabit both coastal and oceanic waters, using their tentacles to catch prey. Shrimp, found in oceans and freshwater, have flexible bodies and fan-like tails, feeding on small plants and animals. Swordfish, thriving in tropical waters, are fast swimmers that prey on bony fish and cephalopods.

What cute animals start with S?

Cute animals that start with S are Sheep, Shiba Inu, and Swan. Sheep, found in pastures, have woolly coats and prefer grazing in flocks. Shiba Inu, a Japanese dog breed, is small, muscular, and known for its playful nature. Swans are graceful birds with long necks, swimming elegantly in lakes and forming monogamous pairs.

What is a slow animal that starts with S?

Slow animals that start with S include Snails, Snapping Turtles, and Spiny Hill Turtles. Snails are herbivores with coiled shells, moving at a very slow pace. Snapping Turtles live in freshwater habitats, recognized for their strong jaws and defensive behavior. Spiny Hill Turtles are slow-moving reptiles with spiky shells, feeding on plants and small animals.

What are jungle animals that start with S?

Jungle animals that start with S include Squirrel Monkeys, Sika Deer, and Siberian Tigers. Squirrel Monkeys, agile and diurnal, live in the rainforests of Central and South America. Sika Deer, native to East Asia, inhabit forested areas and graze on grasses and leaves. Siberian Tigers are solitary predators found in cold forests, hunting deer and wild boars.

What monkeys start with S?

Monkeys that start with S are Spider Monkeys, Squirrel Monkeys, and Saki Monkeys. Spider Monkeys are arboreal creatures with long limbs and tails, primarily eating fruits. Squirrel Monkeys live high in rainforest canopies and are active during the day. Saki Monkeys, found in South America, have bushy tails and a fruit-based diet.

What are extinct animals that start with S?

Extinct animals that start with S include Scutosaurus, Shunosaurus, and Spinosaurus. Scutosaurus was a herbivorous reptile with armor, living in the late Permian period. Shunosaurus, a Middle Jurassic dinosaur, had a blunt snout and lived in herds. Spinosaurus, a massive predator, was semi-aquatic and fed on fish during the Cretaceous period.

What are big animals that start with S?

Big animals that start with S include Sumatran Elephants, Sri Lankan Elephants, and Scottish Deerhounds. Sumatran Elephants, found in Indonesia, are herbivores known for their strong familial bonds. Sri Lankan Elephants, native to Sri Lanka, are among the largest elephant subspecies. Scottish Deerhounds are tall hunting dogs, known for their speed and loyalty.

What is the fastest animal that starts with S?

The fastest animals that start with S are Sailfish, Short-faced Bears, and Shortfin Mako Sharks. Sailfish, with their pointed bills, are swift swimmers in warm oceans. The Short-faced Bear, now extinct, was a powerful predator during the Pleistocene. Shortfin Mako Sharks are known for their speed and hunt fish in temperate and tropical seas.
In conclusion, this article has illustrated the remarkable variety of animals starting with the letter S, showcasing their unique adaptations and habitats. From lush rainforests to arid deserts and deep waters, these creatures thrive in an array of ecosystems. To uncover more amazing animals and marvel at the diversity of life on Earth, please visit Animal Pedia for further exploration.

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