Animals

Pika — small lagomorphs of cold rocky habitats Pika Pikas are small, rabbit-like mammals (family Ochotonidae) adapted to cold, rocky environments. They collect haypiles, do not hibernate, and serve as climate-change indicators acros…

Pikachu — the electric mouse Pokémon and franchise mascot Pikachu Pikachu is the yellow, electric-type mascot of the Pokémon franchise. Known for its red cheeks and lightning abilities, Pikachu appears in games, anime, films, and wide-ranging mer…

Pikaia gracilens — early Cambrian chordate from the Burgess Shale Pikaia Small, eel‑like Middle Cambrian animal from the Burgess Shale. Pikaia shows primitive chordate features and is important to studies of early chordate and vertebrate origins.

Pill bug (Armadillidiidae): the roll-up woodlouse Pill bug Comprehensive overview of pill bugs (Armadillidiidae): anatomy, behaviour, ecology, life cycle, distribution, distinctions from sowbugs and insects, role in decomposition, and inte…

Pilosa: the order of sloths and anteaters Pilosa Pilosa is an order of xenarthran mammals that includes sloths and anteaters. Overview covers anatomy, evolution, ecology, fossil history, and conservation issues.

Pilot fish (Naucrates ductor) Pilot fish A circumtropical cleaner fish known for riding alongside sharks, rays and turtles. Describes appearance, behaviour, ecology, life stages, relationship with hosts, and human encount…

Pilot Whale (Globicephala): biology, behaviour and conservation Pilot whale Pilot whales (genus Globicephala) are two large oceanic dolphins—long‑finned and short‑finned—known for deep diving, tight social bonds, occasional mass strandings, and varied glob…

Pinacosaurus: a medium-sized ankylosaur of the Late Cretaceous Pinacosaurus Pinacosaurus is a genus of armored ankylosaur dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia and China, known for its palpebral armor, tail club, and distinctive nasal openings; li…

Pine marten (Martes martes) Pine marten The pine marten is a small, mainly arboreal mustelid of northern and western Europe. This article covers identification, behavior, diet, habitat, conservation and human interaction…

Pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) Pink fairy armadillo A small, burrowing South American armadillo notable for its pale pink shell and subterranean lifestyle. Native to central Argentina, it is little-known and faces uncertain conserva…

Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) Pink-footed goose A medium-sized migratory goose of northwest Europe and Arctic breeding areas, the pink-footed goose is known for its pink bill and feet, seasonal migrations, grazing habits, and gr…

Pinnipeds: seals, sea lions and walruses Pinniped Pinnipeds are fin-footed, mostly marine mammals—true seals, eared seals (sea lions and fur seals) and walruses—adapted with flippers, blubber and specialised senses for an amphibio…

Pinto horse: coat patterns, history, and distinctions Pinto horse A Pinto is any horse with large white patches on a darker coat; it is a color pattern, not a breed. Learn about common patterns, genetics, history, uses, and how Pintos differ from…

Pipidae — tongueless, fully aquatic frogs Pipidae Pipidae are a family of fully aquatic frogs found in tropical Africa and South America, notable for lacking tongues and for several unique reproductive and anatomical adaptations.

Pipit (genus Anthus): small ground-feeding songbirds of open habitats Pipit Pipits (genus Anthus) are slender, mainly insect-eating passerines of the family Motacillidae, found across most of the world in open habitats. They are ground-nesting, often strea…

Piranha: biology, behavior and interactions with people Piranha Piranhas are South American freshwater fishes known for sharp teeth and schooling behavior. This article summarizes their anatomy, ecology, reproduction, distribution, cultural rep…

Pisanosaurus — Early ornithischian from the Late Triassic of South America Pisanosaurus Pisanosaurus mertii is a small, Late Triassic reptile from Argentina, known from a single partial skeleton. It has been described as the earliest ornithischian but its exact relati…

Pistosaurus — a Middle Triassic marine sauropterygian linking nothosaurs and plesiosaurs Pistosaurus Pistosaurus is a genus of Middle Triassic marine sauropterygians with a mix of nothosaur and plesiosaur features, important for understanding the early evolution of plesiosaurs.

Pit bull (dog type): breeds, history, behaviour and legislation Pit bull Comprehensive overview of the term “pit bull”: commonly included breeds, historical background, physical and behavioural traits, health and care, public perception, and legal issue…

Placoderms — Armoured Devonian Jawed Fishes Placoderm Extinct class of armoured fishes (Placodermi) from mid-Silurian to Devonian, early gnathostomes notable for bony head and thoracic plates, diverse ecologies, and evidence of early…

Placodonts: Triassic marine reptiles adapted for shell‑crushing Placodont Placodonts were distinctive Triassic marine reptiles with broad, crushing teeth and often heavy armor; they occupied nearshore ecosystems and became extinct by the end of the Trias…

Placozoa: the simplest known multicellular animals Placozoa Placozoa are tiny, flattened metazoans—represented by Trichoplax-like forms—important for understanding early animal evolution, body plan simplicity, feeding and reproduction.

Plaice: species, appearance, habitat and uses Plaice Plaice are three related flatfish species of northern shelf seas, recognized by their flattened bodies, right-side eyes and commercial importance in European and North American fis…

Plains spadefoot toad (Spea bombifrons) Plains spadefoot toad A fossorial amphibian of the Great Plains and adjacent regions, Spea bombifrons is adapted to digging, explosive breeding in temporary pools, and rapid larval development to surviv…

Plateosauridae (Prosauropods): Early Sauropodomorph Dinosaurs Plateosauridae Plateosauridae were early herbivorous sauropodomorphs from the Late Triassic–Early Jurassic, known for long necks, thumb claws, facultative bipedalism and an important place in sau…

Plateosaurus — Late Triassic prosauropod dinosaur Plateosaurus Plateosaurus was a common Late Triassic prosauropod from Europe. Known from over 100 skeletons, it displays early sauropodomorph traits: long neck, herbivorous teeth, grasping hand…

Platy (Xiphophorus): small tropical livebearing aquarium fish Platy Platies are small, hardy livebearing freshwater fish from Mexico and Central America, popular in community aquaria for their bright colors, ease of care, and frequent breeding.

Platybelodon — the shovel‑tusked gomphothere Platybelodon Platybelodon was a Miocene gomphothere nicknamed the 'shovel tusker'. It had distinctive flattened lower tusks and specialized jaws; fossils occur across Africa, Europe, Asia and N…

Platypterygius: a Cretaceous ichthyosaur genus Platypterygius Platypterygius, a genus of ichthyosaur in the family Ophthalmosauridae, is known for flattened flippers, broad Cretaceous distribution and controversial taxonomy; it was among the…

Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) Platypus The platypus is a distinctive egg-laying, semi-aquatic mammal native to eastern Australia and Tasmania, notable for its bill, electroreception, and mixture of reptilian and mammali…

Plesiosaur: the long-necked and short-necked marine reptiles of the Mesozoic Plesiosaur Plesiosaurs were marine reptiles of the Mesozoic, with distinctive flippers and diverse body plans. They lived from early Mesozoic times until the end-Cretaceous extinction and are…

Plesiosaurus Plesiosaurus, an Early Jurassic marine reptile genus, is known for its long neck, four large flippers and fossil discoveries by Mary Anning on the Dorset coast; it informs studies…

Pliosaur (short-necked marine plesiosaurs) Pliosaur Pliosaurs were large, short-necked marine plesiosaurs of the Mesozoic, adapted as powerful underwater predators. This article covers their anatomy, ecology, discovery, classificati…

Plott Hound — American scent hound known for its brindle coat Plott Hound The Plott Hound is a muscular, medium-sized American scent hound prized for tracking game and its distinctive brindle coat. This article covers appearance, history, temperament, ca…

Plover: Small Shorebirds of the Subfamily Charadriinae Plover Plovers are a widespread group of small to medium shorebirds (Charadriinae) known for short bills, run-and-pause feeding, ground-nesting behaviour and distraction displays; about 4…

Pluto (Disney character) Pluto (Disney) Pluto is a classic Disney pet character: a non-anthropomorphic dog companion of Mickey Mouse, introduced in the early 1930s and known for expressive pantomime, slapstick humor, and…

Pocket gopher: burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae Pocket gopher Pocket gophers are fossorial rodents of family Geomyidae native to North and Central America, recognized for fur-lined cheek pouches, extensive burrows, and important ecological an…

Poekilopleuron — a Middle Jurassic megalosauroid dinosaur Poekilopleuron Poekilopleuron is a poorly known Middle Jurassic megalosauroid theropod from France, best known from a 19th‑century type specimen later destroyed in World War II; casts and illustr…

Poison dart frog — biology, toxicity, and conservation Poison dart frog Small, brightly coloured frogs (family Dendrobatidae) from Central and South America, diurnal, alkaloid-bearing, with diverse reproductive care and conservation challenges.

Polacanthus: Early Cretaceous armoured dinosaur from England Polacanthus Polacanthus was an armoured, herbivorous dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of England, known for a broad pelvic shield and spines. Its classification and relationship to other ank…

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) Polar bear Large Arctic bear species adapted to sea ice; overview of appearance, behavior, habitat, threats, and conservation, with links for further reading.

Polecat: overview, species, behavior, and relationship to ferrets and skunks Polecat Polecat refers to several medium-sized mustelid mammals, notably the European polecat and its domesticated form the ferret. The name applies to different species and is sometimes u…

Police dog (K-9): roles, breeds, training, and duties Police dog A police dog (K-9) is specially trained to assist law enforcement in patrol, detection, search and public-order tasks. Covers breeds, training, equipment, history, and notable prac…

Polychaete (bristle worm): marine annelid class Polychaete Polychaetes are diverse marine annelids (bristle worms) with segmented bodies bearing parapodia and chitinous bristles. Over 10,000 species live from intertidal zones to deep sea a…

Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans): overview, spread, and island impacts Polynesian rat Small Pacific rat known as kiore in Māori; native to Southeast Asia and spread across the Pacific by human voyagers, with important ecological, archaeological and cultural roles on…

Polyp (cnidarian body form) Polyp Polyp: the sessile or colonial vase-shaped body form of cnidarians, with tentacles and a gastrovascular cavity; roles in reproduction, reef building, and life cycles with medusae.

Polyphaga — the largest suborder of beetles Polyphaga Polyphaga is the largest and most diverse beetle suborder, containing the majority of described beetle species and a vast range of forms, ecologies, and economic impacts.

Polyphenism: environmentally triggered alternative phenotypes Polyphenism Polyphenism is a form of discrete phenotypic plasticity in which a single genotype produces two or more distinct, environmentally determined morphs. Causes, examples, mechanisms, a…