
Examples of purple animals include Costa’s Hummingbird, Crowned Woodnymph, Glutinous Snail, and Indian Purple Frog.
Purple animals are a rarity in nature, so it is no surprise that they have been given their own classification. The purple animal kingdom includes the Indigo Snake, Purple Frogs, and Purple Sea Urchins.
Purple Animals are one of the coolest animals in the world! They have a wide range of habitats and environments, but they seem to be most comfortable living in cold climates. The color purple is also known as violet, lavender, or amethyst.
Purple is often associated with royalty because it was worn exclusively by Roman emperors during their reigns.
It has been used as an artistic symbol for creativity and ingenuity throughout history too.
Examples of Animals that are Purple
1. Costa’s Hummingbird

Scientific Name | Calypte costae |
Type of Animal | Bird |
Range | in tropical forests |
Diet | Omnivore |
The Costa’s Hummingbird is a beautiful purple hummingbird that can be found in North America.
These birds are very small, and they have a long beak that helps them pollinate flowers. They eat mainly nectar, but they will also eat insects on occasion.
2. Crowned Woodnymph

Scientific Name | Thalurania colombica |
Type of Animal | Bird |
Range | Belize and Guatemala to northern Peru |
Diet | Omnivore |
Crowned Woodnymphs are some of the most common Purple Animals. They can be found in many different parts of the world, and they are known for their beautiful purple feathers.
3. Glutinous Snail
Scientific Name | Myxas glutinosa |
Type of Animal | Gastropods |
Range | South East Asia |
Diet | Herbivore |
The Glutinous Snail is a species of snail that is found in the forests of southeast Asia. This purple animal can grow to be quite large, with some snails reaching up to seven inches.
They are black or brownish on the outside and have a bright orange body inside. The glutinous snail gets its name from how it produces a thick substance that is similar to glue, which it uses for many things.
It helps the snail stick onto surfaces and also helps them escape predators by coating themselves in this sticky slime.
4. Indian Purple Frog

Scientific Name | Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis |
Type of Animal | Reptile |
Range | the Western Ghats of India |
Diet | Carnivore |
The Indian Purple Frog is a small species of frog that lives in and around the Western Ghats region of India. It was once thought to be extinct, but it has since been rediscovered.
They are purple or maroon colored with white spots on their bellies. Their skin secretes toxins that help them protect themselves from predators such as snakes.
5. Indigo Snake
Scientific Name | Drymarchon couperi |
Type of Animal | Reptile |
Range | Peninsular Florida and southeastern Georgia |
Diet | Carnivore |
The Indigo Snake is a species of snake that lives in the Southeast United States. It gets its name from the bluish-purple hue of its scales and secretes venomous saliva to help it hunt down small animals such as rodents, birds, and other snakes.
Even though they are large predators who eat most things they can get their mouths on, Indigo Snakes are actually quite docile and rarely bite humans.
6. Longhorn Beetle

Scientific Name | Cerambycidae |
Type of Animal | Insect |
Range | China, Japan, Korea, and the Isle of Hainan |
Diet | Herbivore |
The Longhorn Beetle is a type of beetle that you can find all over the world. It has a distinctive antenna and it’s known for its hard body and long legs.
They live in forests, fields, and meadows, where they eat decaying matter such as leaves on the ground! The most interesting part about these animals is how beautiful their wings are.
7. Purple Sea Anemone

Scientific Name | Heteractis crispa |
Type of Animal | Sea Anemone |
Range | Islands in the Pacific Ocean |
Diet | Carnivore |
The Purple Sea Anemone is a type of sea anemone that can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They are usually purple or pink in color, and they can grow up to 12 inches wide.
They attach themselves to rocks or coral reefs with their stinging tentacles, which can paralyze prey.
8. Orchid Dottyback
Scientific Name | Pseudochromis fridmani |
Type of Animal | Fish |
Range | the Red Sea |
Diet | Carnivore |
The Orchid Dottyback is a fish that lives in the Western Pacific region. It can be purple, blue, or green depending on its mood.
They are only about four inches long and they have small spikes all over their body to protect them from predators such as sharks.
9. Purple Emperor Butterfly

Scientific Name | Sasakia charonda |
Type of Animal | Insect |
Range | southern England |
Diet | Omnivore |
The Purple Emperor Butterfly is a large butterfly found in Europe and Asia. It has a wingspan of up to six inches.
The males are bright purple with black markings on their wings, while the females are brown with pale markings.
They feed on nectar from flowers and can be seen flitting around meadows and gardens during the summer months.
10. Purple Grenadier
Scientific Name | Uraeginthus ianthinogaster |
Type of Animal | Bird |
Range | Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda |
Diet | Omnivore |
The Purple Grenadier bird is a beautiful creature that can be found in the rainforest. They are a type of parrot and they have bright purple feathers.
These birds are usually around 12 inches long and they love to eat fruit.
11. Purple Martin

Scientific Name | Progne subis |
Type of Animal | Bird |
Range | North America |
Diet | Carnivore |
The Purple Martin is a small, colorful bird that lives in human-made nest boxes. They are native to North America and can be found throughout most of the United States. There are even some species living on islands like Puerto Rico.
12. Purple Starfish

Scientific Name | Pisaster ochraceus |
Type of Animal | Starfish |
Range | the Pacific Northwest |
Diet | Carnivore |
Starfish are some of the most beautiful animals in the world. Their purple color is stunning, and they always attract attention when they are around.
Starfish can be found in both salt water and fresh water environments, and they come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Some starfish can grow to be over a foot wide, while others are only a few inches in size.
13. Spanish Shawl
Scientific Name | Flabellina iodinea |
Type of Animal | Gastropoda |
Range | the West Coast |
Diet | Carnivore |
The Spanish shawl, a sea slug, is vibrant with both violet and orange to decorate its body. Typically, they are found on the west coast of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Galapagos Islands. The colors of their body all come from a carotenoid pigment called astaxanthin.
The reason for their colors is two-fold. While the orange gills help them to camouflage while eating prey, the brightness of their entire body tells predators to stay away. It is an indication that they either taste bad or are poisonous to the predator.
14. Violet-Backed Starling

Scientific Name | Cinnyricinclus leucogaster |
Type of Animal | Bird |
Range | sub-Saharan Africa |
Diet | Omnivore |
The Violet-Backed Starling is a beautiful bird that is found in Africa. It has a purple back, and it is known for its amazing singing voice. These birds can be found in the rainforest and other tropical areas.
15. Violet-Crowned Woodnymph
Scientific Name | Thalurania colombica |
Type of Animal | Bird |
Range | Colombia, Belize, Guatemala, and northern Peru |
Diet | Carnivore |
The Violet-Crowned Woodnymph is a small bird that lives in the jungles of South America. These birds are mostly green, but they have beautiful purple feathers around their necks and crowns.

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.