Fish
X-ray tetras are tiny fish with see-through skin, so you can spot their backbone. They swim together in big groups called schools in South American rivers.
Lives in: Rivers & swamps
HomeAnimals A–ZLetter X
Animals That Start With X: List, Facts & Free Coloring Pages
X is a tricky letter, but it still has some super fun animals, like a fish you can see right through. Say the X sound together, read a fact, then print the free coloring page. Here is our list of animals that start with the letter X, perfect when a little one asks what animal starts with X.
8animals
1sounds
3free pages
Letter sound
What Sound Does the Letter X Make?
The letter X usually makes a “ks” sound, like at the end of fox and box. At the start of a word it often sounds like “z”, as in xylophone, or says its own name, as in X-ray. Tap any word to hear it.
Xx
Say it together
Say “fox” slowly and listen for the “ks” at the end. That little hiss is the X sound.
/ks/
X sound
Say a quick “k” and slide right into a hissy “s”, just like the end of fox or box.
Hunt the endFind X at the end of fox, box and six.
Cross your armsMake a big X with your arms as you say “ks”.
Play a xylophoneTap a toy xylophone and say its name.
Animal list
8 Animals That Start With the Letter X
Only a few animals have names that start with X, so each one feels like a special find. Read the names together and laugh at the tricky ones. Every one of these animals with X has a short fact you can read aloud.
Mammal
The xerus is a ground squirrel that lives in dry parts of Africa. It holds its bushy tail over its back like a little sun umbrella.
Lives in: SavannaMammal
The Xoloitzcuintli is a dog from Mexico, and many of them have no hair at all. People call it “Xolo” for short, which sounds like “SHOW-low”.
Lives in: EverywhereAmphibian
Xenopus is the name for the African clawed frog. It has no tongue, so it uses its front feet to push food into its mouth.
Lives in: LakesBird
This little hummingbird lives only in the very south of Baja California in Mexico. Like other hummingbirds, it can hover in one spot while it sips nectar.
Lives in: DesertsBird
Xenops are small brown birds that live in the rainforests of Central and South America. They hop along twigs and pick bugs out of the bark.
Lives in: RainforestsFish
The Xingu river ray is a stingray that lives in rivers in Brazil, not in the sea. It is dark with bright white spots all over its back.
Lives in: Rivers & swampsReptile
This small gecko lives in rocky deserts in Baja California, Mexico. It has wide, leaf-shaped pads on its toes that help it climb rocks.
Lives in: DesertsAnimal names that start with X (X animals list): X-ray Tetra, Xerus, Xoloitzcuintli, Xenopus, Xantus’s Hummingbird, Xenops, Xingu River Ray, Xantus’s Leaf-toed Gecko.
Facts checked with National Geographic Kids and Wikipedia.
Quick quiz
What Animal Starts With X? Quick Quiz
A tiny game to check what stuck. Read the question out loud and let your little one tap the answer.
Question 1
Score: 0
Free download
Free printable
Letter X Worksheets: Free Coloring Page
Three easy black and white pages: color a big letter X and an X-ray tetra, trace the letter X, then find and circle the X animals. A fun challenge for the trickiest letter.
1
Download the PDFOne click, no sign-up or email
2
Print at home or schoolFits US Letter and A4 paper
3
Color and traceBig letters and dotted tracing lines
Uppercase XLowercase xTracing practiceFind the X animals
Download Free PDF
3 pages, black & white
Questions
All FAQs
Animals Beginning With X: FAQ
Some fun ones for kids are the X-ray tetra, xerus, Xolo dog and Xenopus frog. X is a rare letter, so there are only a few.
The X-ray tetra is the easiest to remember. Kids love that it is a fish they can see right through.
Yes. Press the download button to get the PDF, then print as many copies as you need for home or class.
Start with the end of words, like fox, box and six, where X says “ks”. Then explain that X at the start of a word often sounds like “z”.
The Xolo dog is one of the biggest on our list. The standard size can be close to 2 feet tall at the shoulder.
The X-ray tetra is one of the smallest, only about 2 inches long. That is shorter than an adult’s finger.
Very few English words start with X at all. Many X animal names come from Greek, Latin or other languages.
Yes! The Xolo is a pet dog, and X-ray tetras are popular fish for home tanks.
The Xenopus frog has no tongue at all. It uses its front feet to shovel food into its mouth.
Move on to the letter Y page, or print the alphabet flashcards to review X with a quick matching game.