The animal kingdom presents us with hundreds of amazing, odd-looking and spectacular animals. Among these creatures include 7 spectacular animals whose names begin with the letter U. Read on to learn more about them.
Uakari
The Uakaris are four extant species of strange-looking monkeys inhabiting rain forests along the Amazon River basin. The four species are: The Bald Uakari, The Black-headed Uakari, The Neblina Uakari, and The Ayres Uakari. They are easily recognized by their bald red face and a short bushy tail measuring around 15-18 cm.
Adults measure 40-45 cm in body length and weigh between 2 to 3 kg. They have long, loose body fur that ranges from reddish brown to orange. These agile and active monkeys live in troops that may include close to a hundred animals. They forage during the day. They feed mainly on seeds, leaves, flowers and some insects. Female Uakaris give birth to one offspring every two years.
Urva
The Crab-eating Mongoose (Herpestes urva) is a species of mongoose native to Cambodia, Lao, Nepal, Myanmar. Vietnam, and southern China. They prefer living near water, in scrubby areas, in deciduous forest, in agricultural lands and near human settlements. The urva is typically grey in color, mark with white stripes running from its neck down to its chest. It has a stout body, a pointed snout, short bushy tail and hind feet sporting hairy soles. It feeds primarily on crabs, but its diet may also include birds, fish, frogs, insects, reptiles, rodents, and snails.
Uguisu
The Japanese Bush Warbler (Cettia diphone) or the Uguisu, is a small passerine bird native to Japan and is also found in China , the Philippines and Taiwan. It is commonly seen on trees and bamboo thickets during the spring. The bird is olive brown in color, darker wing and tail plumage. It has small dark eyes with pale eyebrows and a straight, tan colored beak. It is about 15.5 centimeters in length. The Uguisu’s diet includes beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths, and worms.
Uria
The Common Murre (Uria aalge) is a large seabird (auk) that ranges from low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North-Atlantic and North Pacific. A high flyer, it spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on cliffs and rocky coasts. It makes no nest, where the lone egg is incubated on bare rock. Adult males typically measure 38–46 cm long with a 61–73 cm wingspan. Weight varies from 945 g to 1044 g. The bird is recognizable by its dark head and short wings, white belly, dark head and wings, and dark pointed bill. It feeds on fishes, krill, squid, and marine worms.
Uromastyx Lizard
The Uromastyx or the Spiny-tailed lizard is a genus of lizard in the agamid family. There are about 18 extant species of Uromastyx duly recognized by taxonomists. These agamids are well-known for the rings of spiked scales covering the top side of their tail. The Uromastyx lizards are found in North Africa, the Middle East and across south-central Asia. These spectacular lizards inhabit hilly, rocky areas rich with accessible vegetation.
Depending on the species, the Uromastyx or sometimes called dabb lizard, can grow to be about 10 to 36 inches long. Color ranges from blue, brown, green, orange, tan or yellow. It has a short snout, muscular legs, and spiny tail. These spectacular lizards are primarily herbivorous, but occasionally eat insects, especially when young. It has a life span of 10 to 15 years.
Unicorn Fish
Unicorn fish (Naso unicornis) comprises 17 species of marine fishes widespread in the waters of the Indo-Pacific region. These spectacular fishes inhabit coral reefs, patch reef, and rocky tropical areas feeding mainly on leafy brown algae. Adults can grow to around 51-61 cm long. They can easily be recognized by their hornlike appendage protruding in the forehead, right between the eyes.
This bony horn can reach 13 cm in length. A non-aggressive fish, it has smooth skin and a body that comes in flattened, slender, and tubular shapes. Furthermore, this spectacular fish owns a row of sharp, small teeth and a set of sharp forward-pointing spines on either side of the tail. Unicorn fish can instantly change color depending on its environment and its mood.
Ural Owl
The Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) is any of around 15 species of medium-large nocturnal owl of the genus Strix widespread in Europe and northern Asia. It normally sports a grey-brown plumage, mark with dark brown stripes running from its head up to its belly. It has small black eyes, orange-yellow bill, and short rounded tail. It measures around 50 to 61 cm long and weighs is 500–730 g. It has a wingspan from 110 to 134 cm. Its diet includes rodents and medium-sized to large birds.
