The Complete List of Common Animals That Start With L

Here you’ll find 46 Common Animals that start with L that begin with L, organized from “Ladybug” to “Lynx”. They include insects, mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish found in many regions worldwide.

Common Animals that start with L are familiar species whose common names begin with the letter L. Many have cultural significance, like the lion, which appears in myths, flags, and family crests.

Below you’ll find the table with common name, scientific name, order, and habitat/distribution.

Common name: The everyday name you expect to recognize; use it to find species quickly in guides or classroom lists.

Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise species identification so you can distinguish similar common names across regions.

Order: The higher taxonomic group shows broader relationships and helps you compare similar animals at a glance.

Habitat/Distribution: Brief notes on where the animal lives and where it is commonly found, aiding field or classroom identification.

Methodology: The list prioritizes widely used common names and verified scientific names, avoiding obscure taxa unless widely recognized.

A–Z index: Find links to other letters in the A–Z index so you can jump between pages.

Common Animals that start with L

Descriptions

Lion

Social large cat, males 150–250 kg, lives in prides and hunts ungulates.

Leopard

Solitary spotted big cat, excellent climber and ambush predator.

Lynx

Medium wild cat with tufted ears and short tail, solitary carnivore.

Llama

Domesticated South American camelid used as pack animal and for wool, 100–200 kg.

Lemur

Primate group endemic to Madagascar, diverse species, many arboreal and vocal.

Loris

Slow-moving nocturnal primate with big eyes; omnivorous and sometimes a toxic bite.

Lobster

Large clawed marine crustacean, important seafood, scavenger and predator.

Ladybug

Small colorful beetle that eats aphids; beneficial to gardeners and farmers.

Loon

Large diving bird with haunting calls, fish-eating and strong swimmer.

Lark

Small songbird famous for aerial singing, streaked brown plumage, eats seeds and insects.

Lapwing

Distinctive crested wader that nests on ground and feeds on invertebrates.

Lemming

Small herbivorous rodent known for population cycles and short migrations.

Lamprey

Jawless eel-like fish; many species are parasitic, using suction mouths on hosts.

Leafcutter ant

Ants that cut leaves to cultivate fungus gardens; highly organized colonies.

Leatherback

Largest sea turtle with leathery shell, up to 700 kg; feeds chiefly on jellyfish.

Leech

Segmented, flattened annelid; some species suck blood and have medicinal uses.

Long-eared owl

Owl with prominent ear tufts, nocturnal hunter of small mammals.

Longhorn beetle

Beetles with very long antennae; many larvae bore into dead or living wood.

Lammergeier

Large vulture that feeds on bone fragments and drops bones to break them.

Lionfish

Venomous-spined, striped reef fish; voracious predator and invasive threat.

Longnose gar

Elongated predatory fish with armored scales, ambushes prey near surface.

Loggerhead

Hard-shelled sea turtle with large head; feeds on crustaceans and mollusks.

Ling

Long-bodied cod-like fish, commercially important, can reach 1–1.5 m.

Limpet

Cone-shaped marine snail that clamps to rocks and grazes algae with a radula.

Locust

Swarming grasshopper species capable of devastating crops during outbreaks.

Louse

Tiny parasitic insect living on hair and clothing; bites cause irritation and can spread disease.

Leafcutter bee

Solitary bee that cuts leaves to line nests; efficient pollinator of crops and flowers.

Leaf-tailed gecko

Flat, camouflaged arboreal geckos with leaf-shaped tails; nocturnal insectivores.

Ladyfish

Slender, silvery inshore fish; acrobatic and feeds on small schooling fish.

Long-tailed tit

Tiny sociable songbird with very long tail; lives in flocks and eats insects.

Little penguin

Smallest penguin species (~30–40 cm), blue-grey plumage, dives for small fish.

Laughing kookaburra

Large kingfisher with loud laughing call; opportunistic carnivore feeding on reptiles and invertebrates.

Lappet-faced vulture

Large vulture with bare head and powerful bill, scavenges carcasses.

Leopard seal

Large Antarctic seal with powerful jaws; top predator eating penguins and other seals.

Laysan albatross

Large seabird with long wings, long-lived, feeds on fish and squid.

Leaf-nosed bat

Bat with a leaf-like nose used for echolocation; diets range from insects to fruit.

Laughing gull

Medium gull with raucous call; opportunistic feeder on fish and refuse.

Loggerhead shrike

Predatory songbird known for impaling prey on thorns or barbed wire.

Little brown bat

Common small bat that eats insects, important for pest control.

Little auk

Tiny black-and-white seabird that dives for zooplankton in cold waters.

Lined seahorse

Small upright-swimming fish with prehensile tail; males carry the eggs.

Long-beaked echidna

Rare egg-laying mammal with long snout and spines; insectivorous and solitary.

Langur

Leaf-eating Old World monkey with long tail; often lives in troops near humans.

Leaf warbler

Small active songbirds foraging foliage for insects; many similar-looking species.

Lion’s mane jellyfish

Large jellyfish with long trailing tentacles and painful stings; can reach several meters across.

Lorikeet

Colorful nectar-feeding parrot with brush-tipped tongue; acrobatic and social.