Animals are a diverse section of organisms that constitute the kingdom called Animalia. They are one of the most familiar organisms and they are a part of the kingdom of life where human beings belong. The first animals are believed to have evolved over 550 million years ago and since then they have been incredibly successful in inhabiting Earth.
As there are numerous animals in the whole world, it is never possible to remember the names of all of them. Here we are going to tell you about the names and characteristics of animals that start with ‘P’. Keep reading to know more.
Animals That Starts With The Letter P
PYTHON
Type: Reptile
Diet: Carnivore
Weight: up to 200lbs or 90 kg
Size: 16 to 23ft or 5-7cm
Average Lifespan: 20-25 years
If you consider the Burmese pythons, they have nicely patterned skin, docile disposition, fast growth rate and they can be the best known among the large snakes of choice among other reptile owners. However, it is quite sad to note that these huge animals are not properly taken care of and hence they are often released into the wild. If they attack humans, it can often get deadly and fatal for the person.
PUFFIN
Type: Bird
Diet: Carnivore
Weight: 17.5 oz
Size: 10in
Group Name: Colony
Lifespan: 20 years
Atlantic puffins have a body color that is pretty similar to that of a penguin but their beaks are usually colorful. Due to their colorful beaks, there are many who have given the name of ‘Sea Parrot’ to this bird called puffins. During the winter season, this orange color beak fades into a gray color and again blooms into fresh orange during the spring season. This is one of the ways in which they attract their possible mates.
PROBOSCIS MONKEY
Scientific Name: Nasalis Larvatus
Type: Mammal
Diet: Omnivore
Weight: 12-24kg
Size: 50-70 cm
Lifespan: 15-20 years
Conservation Status: Endangered
The difference between a normal monkey and a proboscis monkey is that the latter has a protruding belly that sticks out in a notable manner. This happens due to the diet and complicated digestion system of the proboscis monkeys. The males have a long nose and this gives them distinct yet strange characteristics. The males are larger than the females and the males are double the weight of the female monkeys. The size difference is greater than any other primate in the world.
PRAIRIE DOG
Type: Mammal
Diet: Herbivore
Weight: Up to 2-4lbs
Size: Head and body up to 15in and tail up to 4in
Group Name: Prairie Dog town
The prairie dog is said to be a variant of a ground squirrel. There is a total of 5 species of prairie dog, the white-tailed prairie dog, the black-tailed prairie dog, the Utah prairie dog, the Gunnison’s prairie dog, and the Mexican prairie dog.
PORCUPINE
Scientific Name: Crested porcupine
Type: Mammal
Diet: Herbivore
Weight: 44 pounds
Size: 30 inches long
Lifespan: 20 years
Group Name: Family
A porcupine is noticed easily by its quills – the most noteworthy body feature. The length of quills on various parts of the body ranges from 1inch to 12 inches at the back. The quills usually lie flat against the body but in case it senses danger, the porcupine raises its quills and spreads them. Scales lie on the tips of quills and they anchor on to the skin like fishhooks and are tough to pull out. When a quill falls off, it gets replaced by new ones. The head is doomed and roundish and it is said to be the heaviest among African rodents.
POLAR BEAR
Scientific Name: Ursus Maritimus
Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivore
Weight: 300-450kg
Size: 2.1m -3.3m
Lifespan: 20-30 years
Polar bears usually have a stout and strong body with muscular legs and perfectly developed leg muscles. Their ears are covered with short hair and their tail is short. The front paws are larger and have a web in between their toes. The diameter of the forepaw of the bears can reach up to 12 inches. The fur of the polar bear is not white, despite that is the color that you apparently see. The hair looks white as the fur has a hollow core that reflects and scatters light like ice and snow. The hollow hair of the polar bear helps it in floating.
POISON DART FROG
Scientific Name: Dendrobatidae
Type: Amphibian
Diet: Carnivore
Weight: 2-7g
Size: 1in
Lifespan: 2-4 years
Protection Status: Threatened
Poison art frogs are said to be members of the Dendrobatidae family and though they have some of the brightest colors on their body, they are venomous frogs. Their individual habitats range from the tropical forests of Brazil’s Costa Rico and their color can be copper, gold, yellow, green red, black and blue. Their hues and designs are particularly ostentatious to keep predators away.
PLATYPUS
Scientific Name: Ornithorhynchus Anatinus
Type: Mammal
Weight: 0.7-2.4kg
Size: 40-60cm
Lifespan: 15-20 years
The platypus is always held responsible for the sailors who believe in the existence of half-fish and half-woman creatures, which is better known as a mermaid. You just a glance at this creature and you’ll find its duck-shaped mouth, webbed feet, beavertail, and fur all over its body like a mole. The combination that this animal is hard to believe.
PIG
Scientific Name: Sus Scrofa Scrofa
Type: Mammal
Diet: Omnivore
Weight: 30-350kg
Size: 50-120cm
Lifespan: 8-15 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
A pig has a snout in place of a nose, a small tail (which can be kinked, curly or straight) and small eyes. Pigs have a thick body with short legs and coarse hair. They have 4 toes on each foot and the two larger front toes are used for walking. It is said that pigs are even-toes ungulates which means that their body weight is spread evenly in more than one toe. They are popular for their swine and hogs.
PENGUIN
Type: Bird
Diet: Carnivore
Weight: Up to 88lbs
Size: 45 in
Lifespan: 15-20 years
Group Name: Colony
The white and black suit of a penguin is extremely cute. It lets them hide away from predators whenever they’re swimming inside the ocean. Whenever a penguin is swimming near the surface of the ocean, it is pretty tough for the leopard seals, sea lions, and predators to spot the penguin.