5-syllable Animals

List of 5-syllable Animals

1

Clouded Leopard

Neofelis nebulosa

A secretive mid-sized cat of Southeast Asian forests with extraordinarily large canine teeth relative to its skull and the ability to descend trees headfirst — its cloud-like coat pattern gives it its name.

2

Colobus Monkey

Colobus guereza (black-and-white colobus)

The striking leaf-eating monkey of African forest — the black-and-white colobus is one of Africa's most visually dramatic primates, with jet-black fur contrasting with white facial frame, a long white mantle over the shoulders, and a white-tipped tail; colobus monkeys eat mainly mature leaves that other primates avoid, relying on a specialised sacculated stomach to ferment and detoxify the leaf material.

3

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

A massive, semiaquatic African mammal — the third-largest land animal after elephants and rhinos, with surprisingly close evolutionary ties to whales and a reputation as one of Africa's most dangerous animals.

4

Komodo Dragon

Varanus komodoensis

The world's largest living lizard — a monitor lizard of the Indonesian islands that can reach 3 metres and 70 kg, kills large prey including deer and water buffalo with venom-laced saliva and a bacteria-laden bite, and can reproduce by parthenogenesis; its ancient lineage and isolated island habitat make it genuinely prehistoric in character.

5

Proboscis Monkey

Nasalis larvatus

The monkey with the most extraordinary nose in the animal kingdom — the male's enormous, pendulous nose can grow longer than 10 cm, acts as a resonating chamber to amplify calls, and appears to be a signal of genetic fitness to females; found only in the rainforests and mangroves of Borneo.