Freshwater Animals | List of Freshwater Animals With Description

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Freshwater Animals: We live in with a group of a miracle in a place called earth, filled with wonders; there are various types of species found all over the earth, like animals who can walk, crawl, fly, and more. There are classifications based on the species habitat and more. Animals live inland, in water, or the air with specific specialties.

Animals can live in water permanently or temporarily, and they can live in muddy water, salty water, or freshwater. We have made a list of freshwater animals found throughout the world. Let’s proceed with the variety of freshwater animals.

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List of Freshwater Animals

Name of freshwater animals

Fascinating facts on the freshwater animals on the list

Alligators

Alligators are like crocodiles of different species. They are comparatively small, have dark skin colors like darl green or black with spots all over their body. Having strong jaws, they are very aggressive and are always in search of meat.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class reptilia
order crocodilia
family aligatoridae
subfamily alligatoring
scientific name Alligator mississippiensis

Crayfish

Crayfish are like lobster; they are smaller in size and are freshwater habitats. Crayfish is edible and considered a select food type after lobster. The strong claws are the function of protection from enemies and catching food.

kingdom animalia
phylum arthropoda
class malacostraca
order decapoda
genus cambarus
family Astacoidae, parastacoidea
scientific name Cambarus sp

Freshwater Animals 2

Otters

Otter is a carnivorous mammal that is in marine habitat. Otters are believed to be very outgoing and lively, which makes them mix with every other organism. However, they do not attack unless they are with their babies; they tend to attack with their set of sharp canines and molars.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order carnivora
family mustelidae
genus lutra
scientific name lutrinae

Crocodiles

A crocodile is a kind of reptile that lives both in water and land, and its origins are believed to be in freshwater. Crocodiles are very attacking their prey; they have jaws with conical teeth to attack. A unique feature allows them to float in the water with their eyes and nostrils at the surface. Above all, it is a widely known man-eater animal.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class reptilia
order crocodilia
family Crocodylidae cuvier
genus crocodylus
scientific name crocodylinae

Beluga

Beluga is a sturgeon fish found mostly in the freshwater of the sea. It is a bony fish and occupies the third-largest position for its massive size. The beluga, which lives in saltwater seas but travels to freshwater during a particular time of year, is known for no threat to humans.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinopterygli
order acipenseriformes
family acipenseridea
genus huso
scientific name Huso huso

African dwarf frog

It is an aquatic frog that is smaller and dwarfs in size than the other frogs and is found mostly in Africa. Frogs generally survive inland, but this type can live only in water; even if they come out of it to catch food, they have to land back in the water again.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class amphibia
order anura
family pipidae
genus Hymenochirus beulenger
scientific name hymenochirus

European eel

The European eel is a type of fish that has a snake-like body structure. It can reach up to one meter long and is specifically found in Europe, and harvesting the same in other areas is illegal.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinopterygii
order anguilliformes
family anguillidae
genus anguilla
scientific name Anguilla anguilla

Watersnake

Watersnake has many varieties which only habitat n water surface. They can be of grey, tan, brown-colored with spots or different texture skin. They also have a rudder-shaped tail which allows them to stay in the water and support their marine habitat.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class reptilia
order squamata
family colubridae
genus nerodia
scientific name nerodia

Freshwater Animals 1

Glyphis(river shark)

River shark is extremely rare to find nowadays and is believed to have been extinct. It has a sharp body mostly grey or light tin colour,they also have a slightly different eyesight than regular man eating sharks

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class chondrichthyes
order carcharhiniformes
family carcharhinidae
genus glyphis
scientific name glyphis

Medicinal leech

Medicinal leeches I found in water bodies and have qualities to heal nerve problems, skin disease, plastic surgery, and more. These leeches are particularly used for medicinal quality, and I found in abundant seasonally.

kingdom animalia
phylum annelida
class citellata
order arhynchobdellida
family hirudinidae
genus hirudo
scientific name Hirudo medicinals

Palmate newt

Palmate newt is a relatively new species of newt, and they have a smooth structure to it. They can be 5-10 cm long and orange, olive, brown, or hazel color.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class amphibia
order urodela
family salamandridae
genus lissotriton
scientific name Lissotriton helveticus

Duck

That is one of the most common freshwaters but found in almost all places throughout the world. They are very short-sighted, smaller, and short in size but have the same family as geese or swans. Ducks do not have any defending physical features other than their strong beak.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order anseriformes
family anatidae
genus Anas linnaeus
scientific name anas

Carp

Carp is an oily freshwater fish widely consumed in most parts like Africa or the United States. It is very high in fat content and destroys our natural ecosystem and fruit water plants to find larva to eat.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinopterygii
order cypriniformes
family cyprinidae
genus cyprinus
scientific name Cyprinus carpio

Catfish

Catfish is named for a type of fish with a face like a cat Asda containing various sizes. Catfish mostly feed on animals or evenly vegetable matters; they can be around 1-5 meters long. Large catfishes are mostly edible, or small ones are also used as actuarial fish or stored in water tanks.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinopterygii
order siluriformes
family ictaluridae
genus Ictalurus rafinesque
scientific name siluriformes

Piranha

Piranha is a small type of fish that is considered to be deadly as its attacks on humans and causes injuries, and feet or hands do it very rarely cause death in humans. Piranhas are mostly found in the Amazon basin and are avoided by any diver who goes near them.

There are many varieties of Piranha, but almost all have the same characteristics.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actoinopterygii
order characiformes
family serrasalmidae
genus pygocentrus
scientific name Pygocentrus nattereri

Beetle

Beetles are a form of insect with very hardened wings; unlike other insects, they are mostly small in size, but beetle-like rhinoceros beetles can be much larger than the other. Ground beetles or water bottles are not harmful to humans but can be fatal if attacked by the largest beetle group to any insect or human.

kingdom animalia
phylum arthropoda
class insecta
order coleoptera
family coleoptera
genus beetle
scientific name coleoptera

Coot

Coot is medium-sized water but which survives most clean water and occasionally gets out to catch food. It is found in open water as they do not stay underwater. They are mostly of dark colors like dark brown nut or pitch black.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order gruiformes
family rallidae
genus fulica
scientific name fulicaamericana

Gar

Gar is a fish with a long elongated body that is protected with heavy gills. They have many species of their type, but none is fatal for humans as they do not attack humans. They can only swallow fish that is smaller in size.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinopterygii
order lepisosteiformes
family lepisosteidae
genus lepisosteus
scientific name lepisosteidae

Seal

Seals are of many types, but mostly all are water habitats. They have fin shape feet which makes them swim very fast in the water beneath ice also. Seals generally survive by eating octopus, shrimp, sculpin, or salmon.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order carnivora
family phocidae
genus pinnipeds
scientific name pinnipedia

Shrimp

Shrimp is an animal that is often referred to as a fish; it has an elongated, curved body without any bone structure to protect them. Shrimp is of many varieties and is abundantly found in many parts of the world.

Snail

Snails are found inland laws in water freshwater snails are comparatively more harmful than lands snails as they have a parasitic disease inside them. What is needed and not consumed but water snails can live in freshwater or muddy water as they eat all the algae and dirt in the pond to keep it fresh.

kingdom animalia
phylum mollusca
class gastropoda
order achatinoidea
family subulinidae
genus Rumina risso
scientific name gastrpoda

Crab

Crabs are phylum anthropods covered with a hard exoskeleton high in protein and protect the delicate body. Different types of crabs are found in different water habitats; they are mostly found in freshwater.

Crabs have a tail hidden entirely under the thorax, and it protects them from an impending danger that claws are also very sharp and act to defend themselves.

kingdom animalia
phylum arthropoda
class malacostraca
order decapoda
family brachyura
genus Marine crab
scientific name brachyura

Spoonbill

Spoonbills is a bird with a large beak and long legs. Spoonbills are of various types and a globally found in many parts of the world. They are medium-sized, not like flamingos, so they fly with their long neck outstretched and can often curve them when they pick food from river banks.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order pelecaniformes
family threskiornithidae
genus Platalea linnaeus
scientific name platalea

Sealion

Sealion can sometimes be mistaken as it looks like a scene; they have long ears and flats and can work for hours by leaning on the big chest and belly filled with fat. Sealion does not have visible ear flats; they have very tiny holes that allow them to hear, situated around your head; this is why sea lions are mostly noisy but do not cause much harm to humans.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order carnivora
family otariidae
genus zalophus
scientific name otariinae

Beaver

Beavers are a type of rodent which is habitat it inland as well as the water they are the second-largest rodent alive in the world. Beavers are generally not fatal for human life, but if attacked or trapped somewhere, they can be dangerous as they have sharp teeth, which can cause serious injuries and also infections.

In addition, as they live in water, they can easily transfer body fluids or parasites with a small bite in your body.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order rodentia
family castoridae
genus Castor linnaeus
scientific name castor

Bittern

Bittern is a thick-necked, shirt-leg botaurinae bird found in grassy and water areas. Bittern eats fish, insects, or small amphibians and is exploding in population with its varied species. It is also known as Britain’s loudest bird of heron category for its sharp, loud voice.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order pelecaniformes
family ardeidae
genus Ixobrychus, botaurus
scientific name botaurinae

Electric eel

Eel, which mostly lives in freshwaters, has an enormous electric charge that they can produce if they contact creditors or any foreign bodies around them. It can charge anybody around them and give a mild electric charge not to be attacked by others.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinoptreygii
order gymnotiformes
family gymnotidae
genus electrophorus
scientific name Electrophorus electricus

Hippopotamus

A hippopotamus is an aquatic and land mammal abundantly found in Africa and parts of Asia. They are famously also called river horses, originated from Greek. They stay in the water for 16 hours a day to keep their bodies cool, and you read from 6000 to 9000 pounds.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order artiodactyla
family hippopotamidae
genus hippopotamus
scientific name Hippopotamus amphibius

Tetra

Tetra is a type of small freshwater fish that can stream to Africa and Central America. Tetra, the most variety of fish stored in a tank on aquarium do they not aggressive but their behavior pattern mein change depending on their tank fishes. However, they are very friendly fish that can live with others without facing any water-sensitive conditions and are easy to take care of.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinoterygii
order chariformes
family Alestiidae, characidae, lebiasinidae
genus tetragonopterus
scientific name Paracheirodon innesi

Wigeon

There are mostly referred to as a group of ducks or dabbling ducks. They are compact ducks with medium-size growth and short neck with a round head and not elongated duck. They sit on the water with their heads above but do not submerge the body underwater; rather, they float on it.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order anseriformes
family anatidae
genus mareca
scientific name mareca

Cichlid

it is the most popular water tank or aquarium fishes worldwide; they are affordable and have different colors and unique patterns. This type of fish is generally not aggressive if kept well, but unfortunately, it is difficult to maintain as few species like catfish can mix with them.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinopterygii
order cichiliformes
family Cichlidae bonapate
genus cichilidae
scientific name cichlidae

Newt

It is an aquatic salamander, which has a lizard-shaped body with legs and a long tail. Newt has chemicals in their skin that can be fatal for humans if in contact; it also prevents snakes from eating them because of the poison content.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class amphibia
order urodela
family salamandridae
genus Cynops, euproctus, taricha
scientific name pleurodelinae

Osprey

It is more commonly also called seahawk or fish hawk. It is a fish-eating bird; they have a unique ability to dive into the water and catch live fish from there and eat. They have long and slender bodies with narrow and long wings, which are very around 65cm.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order accipitriformes
family pandionidae
genus pandion
scientific name Pandion haliaetus

Dipper

Dipper is a bird known for its ability to dive and swim underwater because of its unique features. For example, getting across rivers, diving into the water, swinging, eating food from underwater, and then coming out and flying again. It is one of the rarest birds that can survive in water and swim and dive underwater.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order passeriformes
family cinclidae
genus cinclus
scientific name Cinclus cinclus

Pelican

Pelican is a large water Bird that mostly lives in Antarctica around warm regions. They have a special character of a long beak with a pouch-like structure which day used to catch and store their food and drink water before swallowing the food. Few species of them can be very noisy and aggressive towards humans.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order pelecaniformes
family pelecanidae
genus pelecanus
scientific name pelecanus

Coati

Coati is a member of the common raccoon family believed to have originated around South America or Mexico. They are very friendly as this species acts as a cross between raccoons and monkeys, so they blend very well with humans. Coati has a long fluffy tail with a movable nose to snap food and skin color, which is black, dark brown, or black.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order carnivora
family procyonidae
genus Nasua and nesuella
scientific name nasua

Gull

Gull is a pelagic seabird from the Laridae family which stays in water and air. They have long wings, webbed foot, and are mostly black, white, grey, or steel. They have white plumage and black or dark-colored mantle.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class aves
order charadriiformes
family laridae
genus Larus linnaeus
scientific name Larus canus

Arowana

Arowana is a fish found in freshwater; they have a Bony texture to their lungs, and head and a large elongated body covered with large hearts killed all over it. Arowana is the world’s most expensive aquarium aur water tank fish; it is expensive as it is believed by many to bring you good luck and life and can grow up to 3 feet in length.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinopterugii
order osteoglossiformes
family Osteoglossidae bonaparte
genus osteoglossum
scientific name oateoglossidae

Dugong

It is a type of water mammal, one of the four living species of that type. The dugong is said to be the queen of this sea mostly because its body parts are used as food, and medicine in parts of the world was also served as a source of food and their task as a sword handle.

It can also be referred to as a sea cow found throughout the warm places of water and has very tender meat.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order sirenia
family dugongidae
genus dugong
scientific name Dugong dugong

Capybara

Capybara is a type of rodent and holes this place of the largest audience in the world there as big as a medium-sized dog. Capybara has sharp teeth, and they eat their feces as it is high in protein.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order rodentia
family caviidea
genus hydrochoerus
scientific name Hydrochoerus hydrochloric

Xenopoecilus

Xenopoecilus is a small fish that is very endangered and rare to find now. The main reason for not existing now is the evolution of other fishes and pollution; being very small and delicate, the climatic changes and pollution have destroyed the species.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class actinopterygli
order beloniformes
family adrianichthyidae
genus xenopoecilus
scientific name xenopoecilus

Axolotl

Axolotls have a wonderful way to have larval; like qualities even till adult life, and they live only in water. They feed on worms, small fish, specifically anything which is smaller in size. This is an endangered special which is very rare to find even after cultivation.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class amphibia
order urdela
family ambystomatidae
genus ambystoma
scientific name Ambystoma mexicanum

Raccoon

Raccoons live in trees or land closely associated with water bodies near them. They don’t live in dryland but prefer freshwater. The reason to hop continues on in water and land is because of their food intake and requirement.

kingdom animalia
phylum chordata
class mammalia
order carnivora
family procyonidae
genus procon
scientific name Procyn lotor

 

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