In this article we show you 15 animals that end with the letter H, from the extinct wooly mammoth, to sea species like jellyfish, starfish, and pufferfish. Let’s discover some more animals that end with the letter H and learn about their different traits, behaviors, and survival adaptations.
1. Angelfish
Scientific Name: Pterophyllum
Angelfish, a term often used to describe several species, typically refers to the Freshwater angelfish of the genus Pterophyllum and the Marine angelfish from the family Pomacanthidae. Freshwater angelfish are native to the Amazon Basin of South America and are known for their unique shape, resembling a triangle with elongated dorsal and anal fins. They display a variety of colors and patterns, making them popular in the aquarium trade.
Marine angelfish, found in tropical reefs around the world, are admired for their vibrant colors and patterns, with each species having a distinct appearance. Angelfish are omnivores, with diets varying from algae and invertebrates to smaller fish. Both types are known for their territorial behavior, especially during breeding times when they guard their eggs and fry aggressively.
2. Cheetah
Scientific Name: Acinonyx jubatus
The Cheetah is renowned for being the fastest land animal, capable of speeds up to 75 mph in short bursts covering distances up to 1,500 feet, primarily due to its slender body, long legs, and large respiratory system. With a distinct slender frame, small rounded head, and a beautiful coat marked with black spots, the cheetah’s physical adaptations are fine-tuned for speed. Cheetahs are found in parts of Eastern and Southern Africa, with a small population in Iran, inhabiting areas with vast expanses of land where they can chase down their prey.
Unlike other big cats, cheetahs cannot roar but can purr, hiss, and produce a range of vocalizations for communication. They are diurnal, hunting mainly during the day, and their diet consists primarily of smaller antelopes. Cheetahs use high-speed chases to catch prey, relying on stealth and vision more than strength. A unique feature is their semi-retractable claws, providing extra grip during their high-speed chases.
3. Clownfish
Scientific Name: Amphiprioninae
Clownfish, famously known for their vibrant orange and white stripes, belong to the genus Amphiprion and are found in the warm waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea. These small fish typically inhabit coral reefs, specifically living in symbiosis with sea anemones, displaying a distinctive pattern. The unique relationship benefits both parties: the clownfish gains protection from predators by the anemone’s stinging tentacles, while the anemone feeds on the waste produced by the clownfish.
Remarkably, clownfish are immune to the anemone’s sting due to a mucus covering their skin. Clownfish exhibit sequential hermaphroditism: all clownfish are born male, and the dominant male of the group can change to female if the sole breeding female dies. They are known for their territorial behavior, especially when guarding their eggs.
4. Catfish
Scientific Name: Siluriformes
Catfish, belonging to the diverse group of ray-finned fish known as Siluriformes, are easily recognized by their whisker-like barbels, which resemble a cat’s whiskers and help them detect food in dark or murky waters. These bottom-dwellers can be found in freshwater environments worldwide, from rivers and lakes to ponds, with a few species adapting to coastal and brackish waters.
Catfish vary greatly in size and shape, ranging from the tiny candiru to the massive Mekong giant catfish. Many species lack scales and have unique skin that can absorb oxygen directly from water, an adaptation to low-oxygen environments. Some catfish are known for their electric capabilities, like the electric catfish of Africa, which can generate strong electric shocks for defense and prey capture.
5. co*ckroach
Scientific Name: Blattodea
co*ckroaches are one of the most resilient and adaptable insects, belonging to the order Blattodea. These creatures have flat, oval bodies, long antennae, and six legs, allowing them to run swiftly across surfaces. Widely distributed around the world, co*ckroaches prefer warm, humid environments and are commonly found in homes, buildings, and various outdoor areas. They are nocturnal, hiding during the day and emerging at night to find food, which can be anything from food scraps to paper.
co*ckroaches, widely regarded as one of the strongest insects, are known for their incredible survival skills, including the ability to live for a week without their head, due to their open circulatory system and the ability to breathe through small holes in each of their body segments. They reproduce quickly, making infestations a challenge to control.
6. Jellyfish
Scientific Name: Scyphozoa
Jellyfish are marine invertebrates belonging to the phylum Cnidaria, known for their gelatinous, umbrella-shaped bodies and trailing tentacles. These tentacles are equipped with cnidocytes, specialized cells that deliver stings to capture prey or defend against predators. Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea, and some species inhabit freshwater. Their movement is largely passive, depending on ocean currents for transportation, though they can pulsate their bodies to navigate.
Jellyfish diet primarily consists of small fish, zooplankton, and other marine invertebrates. Notably, jellyfish have a complex life cycle, including stages of free-swimming medusae and stationary polyps. Some species, like the Immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii), can revert to the polyp stage after reaching maturity, potentially giving them biologically immortal traits.
7. Ostrich
Scientific Name: Struthio
Ostrich is the world’s largest and heaviest bird, native to the African savannas and desert lands. This flightless bird is distinguished by its long neck, powerful legs, and the ability to run at speeds up to 45 mph, making it the fastest two-legged animal on land. Ostriches have a unique body structure with two toes on each foot, which aids in their remarkable speed and agility. They are primarily herbivores, feeding on plants, seeds, and occasionally insects.
Ostriches lay the largest eggs of any living land animal, with each egg weighing around 3 pounds. An interesting behavior of ostriches is their communal nesting system, where several females lay their eggs in a single large nest, cared for predominantly by a dominant male and female. Contrary to popular belief, ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand; this myth likely arose from seeing them bending down to eat or tend to their nests.
8. Sloth
Scientific Name: Folivora
Sloths are medium-sized mammals known for their slow movement and spending most of their life hanging upside down in the trees of the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. They belong to two families: Two-toed (Choloepus spp.) and Three-toed sloths (Bradypus spp.), distinguished by the number of claws on their front limbs. Sloths have adapted to an arboreal lifestyle, with long, strong limbs and hooked claws to grasp tree branches. Their slow metabolism necessitates a low-energy diet of leaves, shoots, and fruit, contributing to their leisurely pace.
Sloths’ fur hosts a unique ecosystem, including algae, which camouflages them in the trees, and various insects. An interesting fact about sloths is that they only descend to the ground to defecate about once a week, which is a risky journey due to their vulnerability to predators.
9. Lionfish
Scientific Name: Pterois
The Lionfish is a venomous fish known for its noticeable appearance, featuring vibrant stripes and long, flowing fins. They are native to the Indo-Pacific region but have been introduced to other areas, including the Caribbean and the eastern coast of the United States. Lionfish inhabit coral reefs, rocky crevices, and other marine habitats with ample hiding spots.
They are ambush predators, using their quick reflexes and camouflage to capture small fish and crustaceans. Lionfish are solitary creatures and are typically active during the day. They possess venomous spines along their dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins, which they use for defense against predators and to immobilize prey.
10. Pufferfish
Scientific Name: Tetraodontidae
Pufferfish, also known as blowfish, belong to the family Tetraodontidae and are known for their unique ability to inflate their bodies into a ball shape as a defense mechanism against predators. This inflation is possible due to their highly elastic stomachs, which can quickly fill with water or air. Pufferfish are found in tropical and subtropical ocean waters worldwide, with some species inhabiting freshwater environments.
They have a distinctive appearance, with bulky bodies, large eyes, and four teeth fused into a beak-like structure used to crack open hard-shelled prey such as mollusks and crustaceans. Many pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin that makes them lethal to eat if not prepared correctly.
11. Columbian mammoth (Extinct)
Scientific Name: Mammuthus columbi
The Columbian mammoth was a prehistoric species of elephant that lived during the Pleistocene epoch, predominantly in what is now North America. Significantly larger than modern elephants, the Columbian mammoth stood up to 13 feet tall at the shoulder, weighing as much as 10 tons. Distinguished by its long, curved tusks that could extend up to 14 feet and a less domed head compared to its Woolly mammoth relatives, this mammoth adapted to a more temperate environment, roaming the grasslands and open parklands from northern United States down through Central America.
Their diet mainly consisted of grass, which they grazed with their flat, ridged teeth, different from the Woolly mammoth’s teeth, which were adapted for a colder, tundra habitat. The Columbian mammoth’s existence overlaps with early human inhabitants, leading to speculation about human interaction, including hunting.
Despite their size and strength, Columbian mammoths eventually became extinct, likely due to a combination of climate change and human activity, around 10,000 years ago. Their fossils, including impressive tusks and bones, have been discovered in various locations, providing valuable insights into the megafauna of prehistoric America.
12. Woolly mammoth (Extinct)
Scientific Name: Mammuthus primigenius
The Woolly mammoth was a prehistoric giant that roamed the cold, tundra landscapes of the Northern Hemisphere during the last Ice Age. Recognizable by its thick, shaggy fur, enormous curved tusks that could reach lengths of up to 15 feet, and a distinctive hump of fat behind its dome-shaped head, the Woolly mammoth was well-adapted to its frigid environment.
Standing up to 11 feet tall at the shoulder, these creatures were slightly smaller than their relatives, the Columbian mammoths. Their diet consisted mostly of grasses and other vegetation, which they gathered with their long, flexible trunks.
Woolly mammoths lived in herds, a social structure that provided protection and warmth. They are one of the most well-researched prehistoric mammals, thanks to the discovery of frozen carcasses in Siberian ice, which have provided DNA samples.
These majestic creatures went extinct approximately 4,000 years ago, with their disappearance linked to a combination of climate change and hunting by early humans. Recent scientific efforts aim to understand their genetics, with some even exploring the possibility of bringing them back through cloning.
13. Cottonmouth
Scientific Name: Agkistrodon piscivorus
Cottonmouth, interchangeably referred to as the water moccasin, is a venomous snake native to the southeastern United States. It is characterized by its dark-colored body and distinctive white mouth lining, which it displays when threatened.
Cottonmouths inhabit a variety of aquatic habitats, including swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams. They are semi-aquatic snakes, often seen basking on rocks or logs near water.
Cottonmouths are primarily nocturnal hunters, feeding on fish, amphibians, and small mammals. They are known for their aggressive behavior when threatened, often standing their ground and flashing their cotton-white mouths as a warning.
14. Starfish
Scientific Name: Asteroidea
The Starfish is a marine animal characterized by its radial symmetry and typically having five arms, though some species have more. They are found in oceans all over the world, from shallow coastal waters to deep-sea habitats. Starfish have a unique ability to regenerate lost limbs, allowing them to recover from injuries.
They move using tiny tube feet located on their underside and feed on a variety of prey, including small fish, mollusks, and algae. Starfish play an important role in marine ecosystems by controlling populations of other marine animals and helping to maintain a healthy balance in underwater environments.
15. Florida cottonmouth
Scientific Name: Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti
A subspecies of the cottonmouth shown above, the Florida cottonmouth is a venomous snake native to the southeastern United States, particularly throughout Florida. Characterized by its thick, heavy body and blocky head, this snake can be identified by its dark coloration, with patterns that become less distinct as it ages, and the distinctive white interior of its mouth, from which its name derives.
Cottonmouths grow to an average length of 2 to 4 feet and are most commonly found in aquatic environments like swamps, marshes, and the edges of lakes and streams, where they feed on fish, amphibians, and small mammals.
They are primarily nocturnal hunters, feeding on fish, amphibians, and small mammals. They are known for their aggressive behavior when threatened, often standing their ground and flashing their cotton-white mouths as a warning.
About Patricia Greene
Patricia is a wildlife enthusiast that loves traveling and learning about wildlife all over North America and the world. Aside from being writer for Wildlife Informer, she's an avid bird watcher as well as the owner of several pet reptiles. She enjoys visiting national parks and seeing new sights in her free time.
