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Cosmopolitan animals

178 species

Animals with cosmopolitan distribution are those whose range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Another aspect of cosmopolitanism is that of ecological limitations. A species that is apparently cosmopolitan because it occurs in all oceans might in fact occupy only littoral zones, only particular ranges of depths, or only estuaries, for example. Analogously, terrestrial species might be present only in forests, mountainous regions, sandy arid regions, or the like.

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Animals with cosmopolitan distribution are those whose range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Another aspect of cosmopolitanism is that of ecological limitations. A species that is apparently cosmopolitan because it occurs in all oceans might in fact occupy only littoral zones, only particular ranges of depths, or only estuaries, for example. Analogously, terrestrial species might be present only in forests, mountainous regions, sandy arid regions, or the like.

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Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

The Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal and a baleen whale. It is the largest animal known to have ever existed. The Blue whale was once abundant in nearly all the Earth's oceans until the end of the 19th century. It was hunted...

Killer Whale

Orcinus orca

The Killer whale (Orcinus orca) is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. It is the largest member of this family. The sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviors of Killer whales have been described as manifestations of...

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

The Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a large cosmopolitan raptor in the family Falconidae. It is renowned for its speed during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world, as well as the fastest...

Sperm Whale

Physeter macrocephalus

The Sperm whale or cachalot (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus Physeter and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the...

Wild Boar

Sus scrofa

The Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa. The species is now one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world, as well as the most widespread suiform. It has been assessed as the least concern on the IUCN Red...

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all...

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

The Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is a noisy bird, especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations, with an unmusical but varied song. Its gift for mimicry has...

Barn Owl

Tyto alba

The Barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds. It is found almost everywhere in the world except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the...

House Mouse

Mus musculus

One of the most abundant and widespread mammals around the globe, the House mouse (Mus musculus) is found in almost any part of the world (except Antarctica) due to human travel. This rodent originated in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern...

Brown Rat

Rattus norvegicus

The Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a widespread species of common rat. One of the largest muroids, it weighs between 140 and 500 g (5 and 17+3⁄4 oz). Thought to have originated in northern China and neighboring areas, this rodent has now spread to...

Common House Gecko

Hemidactylus frenatus

The Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is a small lizard native to Southeast Asia. They are named so because they are often seen climbing walls of houses and other buildings in search of insects attracted to porch lights and are immediately...

Green Sea Turtle

Chelonia mydas

The Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. The common name of this species refers to the usually green fat found beneath its carapace, not to the color of its carapace, which is olive to black....

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Bubo bubo

The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) is also called the Uhu and it is occasionally abbreviated to just the eagle-owl in Europe. These birds are found in many habitats where they hunt a majority of their prey. Eurasian eagle-owls are one of the most...

Rock Dove

Columba livia

The Rock dove (Columba livia) is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons). It is often simply referred to as the "pigeon". The domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica, which includes about 1,000 different breeds) descended from...

False Killer Whale

Pseudorca crassidens

The False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is a species of oceanic dolphin that is the only extant representative of the genus Pseudorca. It is found in oceans worldwide but mainly frequents tropical regions. The name "false killer whale" comes...

Black Rat

Rattus rattus

The Black rat (Rattus rattus) has an extremely long tail that is longer than its head and body. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent but is now found worldwide. Romans were the ones who introduced this species to Britain. Black rats are...

Fin Whale

Balaenoptera physalus

The Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is a cetacean belonging to the parvorder of baleen whales. It is the second-longest species of cetacean on Earth after the Blue whale. American naturalist Roy Chapman Andrews called the fin whale "the greyhound...

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a small mammal native to southwestern Europe and northwest Africa. It is known as an invasive species because it has been introduced to countries on all continents with the exception of Antarctica, and...

Highland Cattle

Bos primigenius taurus

The Highland is a Scottish breed of rustic cattle. It originated in the Scottish Highlands and the Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland and has long horns and a long shaggy coat. It is a hardy breed, able to withstand the intemperate conditions in the...

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

The Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron named for its association with cattle. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western cattle...

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

The Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds. Many fishermen see in the Great cormorant a competitor for fish. Because of this, it was hunted nearly to extinction in the past but luckily due to...

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

The Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is a wide-ranging marine mammal of the family Delphinidae. The common bottlenose dolphin is a very familiar dolphin species due to the wide exposure it receives in captivity in marine parks and...

Short-Eared Owl

Asio flammeus

The Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) is one of the world's most widely distributed owls. Eared owls have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may not be visible. The Short-eared owl will display its tufts when in a...

Risso's Dolphin

Grampus griseus

Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) is one of the most mysterious and little known-species of dolphin with a rather unusual appearance. It is named after Antoine Risso, whose study of the animal formed the basis of the recognized description by...

Demoiselle Crane

Grus virgo

The Demoiselle crane (Grus virgo) is the smallest of crane species. Its graceful appearance has led to numerous comparisons with beautiful women. This bird is symbolically significant in the culture of India, where it is known as Koonj or Kurjaa.

Long-Finned Pilot Whale

Globicephala melas

Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) are large oceanic dolphins. Pilot whales get their name from the original belief that there was a "pilot" or lead individual in their groups. They have also earned the nickname of "pothead whale" in some...

Dwarf Sperm Whale

Kogia sima

A small whale (smaller than some dolphins), the Dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) is a rare and insufficiently explored species. Most of the available information about this animal is taken from occasional strandings. The Dwarf sperm whale is quite...

Black-Winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Black-winged stilts (Himantopus himantopus) are very long-legged wading birds. They are found in both warm and hot climates, feed on small aquatic creatures, and nest on the ground surface in small colonies.

Pygmy killer whale

Feresa attenuata

The pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata ) is a poorly known and rarely seen oceanic dolphin. It derives its common name from sharing some physical characteristics with the orca also known as the killer whale. It is the smallest cetacean species...

Sand Martin

Riparia riparia

The sand martin (Riparia riparia ), also known as the bank swallow (in the Americas), collared sand martin, or common sand martin, is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family. It has a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole of...

Short-Finned Pilot Whale

Globicephala macrorhynchus

The short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus ) is one of the two species of cetaceans in the genus Globicephala, which it shares with the long-finned pilot whale (G. melas ). It is part of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae).It has...

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

The ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres ) is a small wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria.It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae. It...

Caspian tern

Hydroprogne caspia

The Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia ) is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek hudros,...

Wood sandpiper

Tringa glareola

The wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola ) is a small wader. This Eurasian species is the smallest of the shanks, which are mid-sized long-legged waders of the family Scolopacidae. The genus name Tringa is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper...

Blainville's Beaked Whale

Mesoplodon densirostris

Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris ), or the dense-beaked whale, is believed to be the widest ranging mesoplodont whale. The French zoologist Henri de Blainville first described the species in 1817 from a small piece of jaw — the...

Spearfish remora

Remora brachyptera

The spearfish remora (Remora brachyptera) is a species of remora with a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical seas. Remoras attach themselves to other fish with a sucker on the head and this fish is almost exclusively found living on...

Clathrina coriacea

Clathrina coriacea is a species of calcareous sponge belonging to the class Calcarea and family Clathrinidae. Species in the genus Clathrina are composed of calcium carbonate tube-like skeletons containing spicules. The sponge can be located in...

Bigeye scad

Selar crumenophthalmus

The bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus) is a species of oceanic fish found in tropical regions around the globe. Other common names include purse-eyed scad, goggle-eyed scad, akule, chicharro, charrito ojón, jacks, matang baka, mushimas and...

Ocean sunfish

Mola mola

The ocean sunfish or common mola (Mola mola) is one of the largest bony fish in the world. It was misidentified as the heaviest bony fish, which was actually a different species, Mola alexandrini. Adults typically weigh between 247 and 1,000 kg (545...

Synanthedon tipuliformis

Synanthedon tipuliformis, known as the currant clearwing, is a moth of the family Sesiidae. It is endemic to the Palearctic realm, but is an invasive species in the Nearctic realm and the Australasian realm.

Argyropelecus hemigymnus

Argyropelecus hemigymnus, the half-naked hatchetfish, short silver hatchetfish or spurred hatchetfish, is a deep-sea hatchetfish of the genus Argyropelecus found mesopelagically in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans as well as in the...

American cockroach

Periplaneta americana

The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is the largest species of common cockroach, and often considered a pest. In certain regions of the U.S. it is colloquially known as the waterbug, though it is not a true waterbug since it is not...

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