Animals with no legs include Anemone, Clams, Dolphins, Earthworms, and Slugs.
In the animal kingdom, there are many creatures that have evolved to thrive without legs. Some of these animals have adapted to life in the water, while others have found success living in trees.
From slugs to snakes, these animals have adapted to life without legs in some very unique ways
Examples of Animals With No Legs
1. Anemone
| Scientific Name | Actiniaria |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
The anemone is a sea creature that doesn’t have any legs. It uses its tentacles to move around and capture prey. The anemone has a unique adaptation that allows it to thrive without legs; it can attach itself to rocks or other surfaces using its tentacles. This allows the anemone to stay in one place and wait for prey to come by.
2. Clams
| Scientific Name | Bivalvia |
| Type of Animal | Mollusca |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
The clam is a sea creature that doesn’t have any legs. It uses its two shells to move around and capture prey. The clam has a unique adaptation that allows it to thrive without legs; it can clamp its shells together to create a suction cup. This allows the clam to stay in one place and wait for prey to come by.
Read Also: What Eats Clams?
3. Dolphins
| Scientific Name | Delphinus delphis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | China, South America, India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Dolphins are a type of marine mammal that doesn’t have any legs. They use their tail flukes to move around and capture prey. Dolphins have a unique adaptation that allows them to thrive without legs; they can swim very fast. This allows the dolphins to chase down prey in the water.
4. Earthworms
| Scientific Name | Lumbricina |
| Type of Animal | Annelida |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
The earthworm is a land creature that doesn’t have any legs. It uses its body to move around and capture prey. The earthworm has a unique adaptation that allows it to thrive without legs; it can use its tail as an anchor while burrowing underground.
5. Eel
| Scientific Name | Anguilliformes |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | North America |
| Diet | Carnivore |
The eel is a sea creature that doesn’t have any legs. It uses its body to move around and capture prey. The eel has a unique adaptation that allows it to thrive without legs; it can bury itself in the sand to camouflage itself. This allows the eel to stay in one place and wait for prey to come by.
6. Fish
| Scientific Name | Fish |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore and Omnivore |
Fish are water-dwelling creature that doesn’t have any legs. They use their fins to move around and capture prey. Fish have a unique adaptation that allows them to thrive without legs; they can swim in any direction using their fins. This allows the fish to stay in one place or move quickly to catch prey.
7. Helminths
| Scientific Name | Platyhelminthes |
| Type of Animal | Invertebrate |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
One of the most interesting creatures without legs is helminths. Helminths are a type of parasitic worm that can be found in many different environments all over the world.
They get their name from the Greek word for “worm” and range in size from less than one millimeter to several meters long. Despite their lack of legs, helminths are able to move around quite easily by using their muscles to twist and curl their bodies.
8. Legless Lizards
| Scientific Name | Ophisaurus attenuatus |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | south-eastern Australia |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Another creature that doesn’t have any legs is the legless lizard. As their name suggests, these lizards lack hind limbs and look very different from other lizards. They are usually a light brown or green color and have a long, slender body.
Legless lizards live in warm, dry environments all over the world and survive by burrowing into loose soil or sand. They can be found anywhere from Australia to Africa, and they’re not just one species – there are many different types of legless lizards.
9. Mollusks
| Scientific Name | Mollusca |
| Type of Animal | Mollusk |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Another group of animals that don’t have any legs is mollusks. Mollusks are a diverse group of invertebrates that include snails, clams, and octopuses. Unlike helminths, most mollusks have a hard shell to protect their delicate bodies.
While they can’t move around very easily, mollusks are able to use their tentacles to grasp food and pull it towards their mouths.
10. Pinnipeds
| Scientific Name | Pinnipedia |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Pinnipeds are a group of mammals that include seals, sea lions, and walruses. These animals have adapted to life in the water and rely on their flippers for movement. While they can’t move around on land very well, they are incredibly agile in the water and can travel long distances swimming.
11. Portuguese Man of War
| Scientific Name | Physalia physalis |
| Type of Animal | Siphonophore |
| Range | the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Another interesting creature that doesn’t have any legs is the Portuguese man of war. This marine invertebrate is actually a type of jellyfish and can be found in tropical and subtropical waters all over the world.
Unlike most other jellyfish, the Portuguese man of war has a gas-filled sac that allows it to float on the surface of the water. It also has long tentacles that can reach up to 165 feet in length.
Read More: What Eats Jellyfish?
12. Sea Urchins
| Scientific Name | Echinoidea |
| Type of Animal | Echinodermata |
| Range | North America |
| Diet | Herbivore |
Sea urchins are a type of echinoderm that lives in the ocean and lacks legs. They have spines on their bodies which they use to protect themselves from predators and help them move through water without needing any limbs. Sea urchins can be found in many different habitats around the world, but most commonly live near coral reefs.
13. Seals
| Scientific Name | Pinnipedia |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Northern Pacific between Asia and North America |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Seals are another marine animal that doesn’t have any legs. They use their flippers to propel themselves through the water and can swim at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour. Seals can be found in oceans all over the world, but the most common species are the harbor seal, gray seal, and elephant seal.
14. Sharks
| Scientific Name | Selachimorpha |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Sharks are another creature that can be found in the ocean without legs. They have a number of adaptations that allow them to move and hunt effectively in water, including powerful tails and sharp teeth. Sharks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but all share the same common trait of lacking limbs.
15. Sirenians
| Scientific Name | Sirenia |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Herbivore |
The sirenians are a group of aquatic mammals that include manatees and dugongs. They lack legs and use their powerful tails to swim through the water. Sirenians can be found in coastal areas all over the world, but they prefer to live in warm tropical waters.
16. Slugs
| Scientific Name | Gastropoda |
| Type of Animal | Gastropod |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous, and detritivorous |
Slugs are a type of gastropod that lack legs and move around by sliding on their slimy bodies. They can be found all over the world, but prefer moist environments like forests and gardens. Slugs come in many different shapes and sizes, and some species even have shells.
17. Snails
| Scientific Name | Gastropoda |
| Type of Animal | Gastropod |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous, and detritivorous |
Snails are other creatures that lack legs and can be found all over the world. They have a soft, slimy body that allows them to move easily through soil and water. Snails come in many different shapes and sizes, but all of them have two pairs of tentacles on their head which they use to sense their environment and catch prey.
18. Snakes
| Scientific Name | Serpentes |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Snakes are another creature that doesn’t have any legs, but can still move around quite easily. They use their long, flexible bodies to slither through the grass and trees in search of prey. Snakes can be found all over the world, from the cold Arctic tundra to the hot deserts of Africa.
19. Sponges
| Scientific Name | Porifera |
| Type of Animal | Porifera |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
The sponge is a sea creature that doesn’t have any legs. It uses its spiky tentacles to move around and capture prey. The sponge has a unique adaptation that allows it to thrive without legs; it can attach itself to rocks or other surfaces using its spiky tentacles. This allows the sponge to stay in one place and wait for prey to come by.
20. Tapeworms
| Scientific Name | Cestoda |
| Type of Animal | Cestoda |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Tapeworms are another type of parasitic worm that lives in the digestive system of animals. They lack any legs or other body appendages and rely on their host to move around. Tapeworms can be found all over the world, but are most common in tropical areas.
21. Walruses
| Scientific Name | Odobenus rosmarus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | northeastern Canada to Greenland |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Walruses are a type of pinniped that lives in the Arctic and Subarctic oceans. They are the largest member of the family and lack hind legs. Instead, they use their front flippers to move around on land and their back flippers for swimming. Walruses feed mainly on mollusks, crustaceans, and fish.
22. Whales
| Scientific Name | Cetacea |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Whales are the largest animals on Earth and lack legs entirely. They move around by swimming with their powerful tails and flippers. Whales can be found in all of the world’s oceans, but most live in colder waters near the poles. Some species, like the humpback whale, migrate to warmer areas during winter months.
23. Worms
| Scientific Name | Lumbricina |
| Type of Animal | Annelida |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Worms are another type of invertebrate that lack legs and can be found in the ocean, on land, or underground. They have no bones or internal organs so they rely heavily on their skin to move around without needing any limbs. Worms come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most commonly live near coral reefs or in the soil.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.