We all are more or less familiar with purple flowers. 

But purple animals?

Well, they are a true rarity in nature. No wonder they have their own classification. 

So, if you have not heard of these colored animals, it is of no surprise. But what’s tempting and alluring is that they are extremely unique and one of the coolest animals that are hard to find among other species. And once you start exploring them, there is just no turning back. 

That much awesome and incredible they are!

Cannot wait? Here is a list of the top twenty-one extraordinary animals ready to make you go in complete awe:

1. Purple Firefish

Scientific Name: Nemateleotris decora
How to Identify: It is a beautiful creature that comes with a vibrant purple body with noticeable yellow and bright orange accents. Plus, their fins are elongated and slender.
Habitat: They can be found in the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific region, specifically the coral reefs.
Size: Around 4 inches long
Diet: Carnivorous (Mostly feeds on smaller fish species, squids, and crustaceans)
Characteristic: They tend to be violent towards the same species. And are mostly known for their extremely quick swimming movements.
Countries where it’s found: Indonesia, Philippines, Australia, Maldives

Purple Firefish is possibly one of the most vibrant and mesmerizing-looking species in the ocean world that is hard to match anywhere else. In fact, just spotting them once in a lifetime is enough to steal your heart. 

Native to tropic waters, these firefish are small in size and have a lifespan of about three years. They are mostly carnivorous in nature, but they can also eat zooplankton as well.

One of the special traits of these fish species is they are disease-resistant and don’t act violent towards other varieties. However, they can are known to get aggressive and indulge in a clash with their own species when they come in close contact.

2. Orchid Dottyback

Scientific Name: Pseudochromis fridmani
How to Identify: They have a slender body and wonderful solid purple coloration, along with a remarkable black color strip running across their head portion and over the eye region.
Habitat: Typically found throughout the Red Sea
Size: Around 3 inches in length
Diet: Carnivorous (Mostly feeds on tiny fishes, brine shrimps, and crustaceans)
Characteristic: These dottybacks make their own territory which they protect from intruders with all their heart and soul.
Countries where it’s found: Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

In a word, they are the true gem of the underwater world. Anyone who first spots this beauty is bound to fall head over heels in love with them.

And why not?

Whether by their intense purple color or their peaceful characteristics – they are one of a kind!

They love playing around vertical rocks and mostly feed on bristle worms and various other tiny varieties of fish. Last but not least, they have the habit of creating their territory and protecting it with a fiery spirit upon getting the slightest hint of danger. 

3. Magnificent Sea Anemone

Scientific Name: Heteractis magnifica
How to Identify: This superb anemone is cylindrical in nature, and they have a flared oral disc, ranging between 20 cm to 50 cm in diameter, with the color varying from light beige to white shades.
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean from the Red Sea to the Somoa.
Size: 3 feet, with being the second largest in terms of size of all sea anemones.

Diet: Carnivorous (Mostly feed on young fish, mussels, shrimp, isopods, plankton, and smaller invertebrates)
Characteristic: One of the interesting traits of these anemones is certainly their symbiotic relationship with the clownfish. From shelter to protection – it’s just amazing to see their bond and how they benefit from each other.
Countries where it’s found: Japan, Australia, New Caledonia

As the name goes by, this massive purple creature is one of the most ancient creatures that the world doesn’t even know how long it has lived.

Native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean, this animal can thrive the most in warm water, ranging from 24 to 32°C. 

You can find this sea anemone either in a colony or in a stand-alone position, based on the water’s depth where it is found. The ratio of sea anemone living in the deepest water mostly lives in colonies. 

However, one key point to note, they usually spend their whole lives in the polyp states. They also have a pedal disc to anchor to the hard surfaces and an oral disc, including the mouth and tentacles region.

As for their nature, they are fierce predators who love feeding on sea urchins, shrimp, amphipods, and various small fishes.

4. Huge Violet Ground Beetle

Scientific Name: Carabus scabrosus
How to Identify: They come with large and shiny violet edges spreading throughout their oval elytra and thorax region.
Size: Up to 35 mm long
Diet: Carnivorous (Feed on slugs, caterpillars, worms, and various types of smaller insects)
Characteristic: These beetles are nocturnal hunters who like to rest during the daytime. Plus, they are extremely fast runners.
Countries where it’s found: UK, Japan.

Next up, we have the huge violet ground beetle. They are predators in nature and mostly feed on slugs and other invertebrates that are smaller in size than them.

These beetles come in darker shades of purple and are bigger in size compared to the other beetles. No wonder the term “huge” is added to their name. 

They are nocturnal and like to spend their days resting in the hideout, such as foliage, stones, etc. And stay in hibernation in the cold weather. However, you can find them easily roaming around in the grasslands, freshwaters, or meadows throughout the year. 

5. Purple Honeycreeper

Scientific Name: Cyanerpes caeruleus
How to Identify: They are small in size and have a long and slender decurved black bill along with vibrant yellow-colored legs.
Habitat: Can be found in wet forests, shrubby areas, cocoa, and citrus plantations in northern South America, extending to the extreme western Pantanal.
Size: About 4.5 inches long
Diet: Omnivorous (Feeds on nectar, insects, spiders, seeds, berries, and other small fruits.)
Characteristic: These bird species show strong sexual dimorphism when it comes to plumage color. The males are somewhat close to blue-violet, while the females’ faces are reddish, and the breasts are mostly pastel yellow with blue-green streaks.
Countries where it’s found: Colombia, Venezuela south to Brazil, and Trinidad.

The Purple honeycreeper is a small bird that is a member of the family Thraupidae. They are seen flying around in the tropical New World from Colombia and Venezuela. 

These bird species can grow up to 4.5 inches and weigh about 0.42 oz. The male species of these honeycreepers comes with a gorgeous purple body, black wings, and bright yellow-colored legs. 

One of the noteworthy traits of these bird species is they are extremely bold in nature, despite being smaller in size. 

And in case they get the slightest hint of a potential predator nearby, they come out in larger numbers as part of their counterattack. As a result, they are able to protect their infants and young babies from being killed by larger predatory animals.

6. Splendid Dottyback

Scientific Name: Manonichthys splendens
How to Identify: They come with a yellow base body color with some amazing patterns, ranging from dark to purple coloration till the dorsal fin.
Habitat: Can be found throughout the Western Indo-West Pacific region, particularly the shallow reefs and slopes.
Size: Up to about 5 inches long
Diet: Carnivorous and loves eating meaty food items (i.e. Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, krill, and various small invertebrates)
Characteristic: They are quite aggressive and like to try a variety of food items. No wonder the list of favorite foods of these food species is so big!

Countries where it’s found: Indonesia, Philippines, and Australia.

Splendid dottyback is one of the smallest fish that can get up to 2 to 3 inches long. They come from the Indo-Pacific, particularly from the coral reefs. And just as the name suggests, it is a marvelous creature to witness. 

However, don’t let their appearance and size deceive you.

In reality, they are quite aggressive, especially when kept with smaller or similar sized and shaped fishes. They are carnivores and like to eat a marine-based meaty diet. 

7. Violet Sea Snail

Scientific Name: Janthina Janthina
How to Identify: These snails come with a globular and thin shell, with the color varying from a dark blueish purple to becoming darker at the base.

Habitat: found in the Open Grasslands and Highland Forests spreading throughout the tropical and subtropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans
Size: Around 1.4 inches long
Diet: Carnivorous (Floating cnidarians, velella velella)
Characteristic: At the initial stage, they begin their lives as males, but while growing up, they gradually turn into females. And in times of danger, they hide inside the shell to protect themselves from upcoming threats.
Countries where it’s found: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and eastern Tasmania.

Native to tropical and subtropical water, the Violet sea snail is a kind of mollusk that is marvelous to look at and will make you want to stare it back again. But don’t get deceived by its beauty!

They are pretty dangerous as they have their own venom. This venom is basically used to hunt down prey. However, if even humans get in direct contact with this powerful venom, the result can be quite threatening.

So, if you are lucky to see one, make sure you do so from a safe distance. After all, it is always safe to be sorry later on!

8. Purple Starfish

Scientific Name: Pisaster ochraceus
How to Identify: These starfish have about five to ten arms that are typically covered in small and sharp spines. And for the color, they can differ from dark purple to rusty brown, based on their diet.
Habitat: Commonly found in the Pacific Northwest in the intertidal zone
Size: About 4 to 10 inches long
Diet: Carnivorous and likes open prey (Bivalves including snails, mussels, oysters, sponges, and crabs)
Characteristic: They have unusual anatomy, as they have no brain or blood flowing through their body, yet they can digest any kind of food outside their body. And let’s not forget about their regeneration process!
Countries where it’s found: Seal Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Purple starfish – they are one of the most popular kinds of starfish that are found in the tide pools and reefs. They are an incredible species, coming with soothing purple colors and intricate patterns. 

Apart from being one gorgeous-looking creature, they are super interesting as well. For instance, if anything happens to their arms, then they can regenerate them right away. Plus, they can even create a special kind of toxin to deter predators.

9. Royal Gramma

Scientific Name: Gramma loreto
How to Identify: They have a bright royal purple front portion with the rear portion varying from yellow to orange color. Plus, they also have a black stripe running through both the eye and dorsal fins.
Habitat: Commonly found in the coral reefs of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean.
Size: About 3 inches long
Diet: Planktivore (mostly eating zooplankton, fish flesh, and crustaceans)
Characteristic: Have a relatively small adult size range – making them one of the greatest beginner fish well-suited for the nano reef mechanisms.
Countries where it’s found: Bahamas, Venezuela, Antilles, Bermuda, and through the waters surrounding Central America and the northern part of South America.

Royal Gramma, or the fairy basslet, is one of the most vibrant-looking species that is super easy to spot from a long distance. 

They are super joyous and colorful, with the front half of the body being bright electric purple and the other half being sunny yellow. 

While for the dorsal portion, you will find a visible black spot right in the front portion. And no matter where you put them, they will undoubtedly be the showstopper, as they carry themselves with that much grace and elegance!

10. Stubby Squid

Scientific Name: Sepiolida order
How to Identify: They come with short and round bodies with a separate head labeled by two big-sized complex eyes following eight suckered arms and two long tentacles.
Habitat: Commonly found in the coastal waters in most of the northern Pacific oceans and some parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans
Size: Around 4.3 inches long
Diet: Carnivorous (Mostly feeds on shrimp, crabs, mollusks, crustaceans, small fish, and other cephalopods)
Characteristic: These squids have their own defense mechanism when they come in contact with any potential dangers and predators.
Countries where it’s found: Korea, Japan, and the western coast of North America.

Stubby squid, or should we say the adorable quirky bobtail squid. They come with a round mantle and short tentacles. 

This squid is one of the true masters of disguise who can blend in with the surroundings by changing the color and texture as needed to survive.

Another wow factor of these squids is they can also glitter – preventing the predators from seeing their silhouette. All credit goes to its bioluminescent bacteria!

11. Costa’s Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Calypte costae
How to Identify: The male birds come with an iridescent purple crown and gorget, green back and vest. The female and the little ones have a greenish top and a white eyebrow stripe.
Habitat: Commonly found in the arid parts of Southwestern America and the Baja California Peninsula.
Size: Around 3 to 3.5 inches long
Diet: Omnivorous (Primarily feeds on the flower nectar and tiny insects found on the flowers)
Characteristic: They are extremely territorial and over-protective in terms of their lady friends and food.
Countries where it’s found: Southwest United States and Western Mexico.

Costa’s hummingbird is one of the tiny jewels that you can see flying through the air. And with its mesmerizing iridescent purple plumage roaming around from flower to flower – it is a true sight to behold!

They love to spread their wings and fly at high speed. But the thing that makes them a true standout is certainly the purple throat it has. And when the sunlight hits that area, it just glows with all its might!

From entering into a torpor state to slowing down the heart and respiration rate – they have their own way of shielding themselves from the chilly weather, much like the other hummingbird species.

12. Violet-backed Starling

Scientific Name: Cinnyricinclus leucogaster
How to Identify: The male birds are brilliantly colored, varying from plum-violet to purple-blue shades, except for the white belly and vent. On the other hand, the female and young ones have brown-streaked white colored bellies with dark brown-streaked front parts.
Habitat: Open woodlands, gallery forests, and dry savannas near forest edges in sub-Saharan Africa
Size: About 7 inches long
Diet: Omnivorous (Eating various kinds of arthropods, seeds, and fruits)
Countries where it’s found: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.

Violet-backed starling is one of the most wonderful creatures of nature that is hard to overlook. In fact, the royal purple shades are so beautiful that you will just want to admire them with all your heart’s content. 

They are a species of starling belonging to the family Sturnidae. These birds usually range from small to medium sizes and mostly feed on insects. However, they also love having delicious berries and other yummy fruits. 

One of the remarkable traits of this bird species is they like to pair up or stay in small groups, following the larger animals, like cattle. The very reason behind this is it is easier to pick up on the disturbed insects. 

Such a clever thing, indeed!

13. Violet Sabrewing

Scientific Name: Campylopterus hemileucurus
How to Identify: These bird species come with a violet-blue throat. Their underparts are mostly gray with a white belly and bluish-green tail.
Habitat: Commonly found in the forests, gardens, and mountainous areas, ranging from southern Mexico to Western parts of Panama
Size: Around 5.1 to 5.9 inches long
Diet:  Nectarivorous (Feeds mostly on nectar from flowers and shrubs)
Characteristic: They are super territorial and protective in terms of their locality.
Countries where it’s found: Costa Rica, Panama, and some parts of Mexico.

Hold your breath, as the next animal on our list is about to take your breath away!

They are living jewels that come with violet-purple shades and long, curved bill that just increases their graceful nature. And not to forget, the green throat that almost looks like the precious jewel emerald.

Apart from its striking appearance, this bird species is also known for its distinctive aerial nature, buzzing noise, and super fast wingbeats.

A true living beauty of nature!

14. Longhorn Beetle

Scientific Name: Cerambycidae
How to Identify: They come with a glossy black body with irregular white spots spread throughout their body.
Habitat: Commonly found in forests, woodlands, and garden areas.
Size: About 1 to 1.5 inches long
Diet: Herbivorous (Feed on leaves, petioles, twigs, heartwood)
Characteristic: This beetle has long antennae that serve as sensory organs – ultimately helping in the navigation and mating processes.
Countries where it’s found: China, Japan, Korea, and the Isle of Hainan.

The Longhorn beetle is another kind of beetle that comes with a distinctive antenna and is popularly known for its hard body and long legs.

Found in forests, fields, and meadows, these beetles can be seen throughout the year eating leaves or roaming around. 

They also have beautiful wings that are soothing to the eyes. In fact, it is tough to find beetles with such appealing wings. Last but not least, this tiny creature plays a great role in maintaining the ecological balance, which is really admirable!

15. Purple Sea Slug 

Scientific Name: Hypselodoris bullocki
How to Identify: They come in a stunning purple color with white tips to the cerata on the back and head region. Plus, they have two antennae.
Habitat: Can be found in shallow waters or thousands of feet down the oceans
Size: Up to 3 inches long
Diet: Plankton, algae, jellyfish, and various kinds of sea sponges
Characteristic: They come with stinging cells to safeguard themselves in times of danger.

Countries where it’s found:  South Africa, European waters, and the east coast of Australia.

The purple sea slug is one of the most colorful creatures in the entire globe. They come from pale lavender to vivid electric purple. 

But what makes it an even more interesting animal is certainly the ability to intake poisonous creatures, like jellyfish. And in return, they use this toxin for their defensive purpose. What a great way to turn the tables on the enemies!

16. Seahorse

Scientific Name: Hippocampus sp.
How to Identify: Seahorses have horse-like head and elongated body that makes them one of the easiest animals to recognize. However, one thing to note is that male seahorses are somewhat larger in size than females.
Habitat: Shallow tropical and temperate waters in most parts of the world
Size: Around 0.6 to 14 inches long
Diet: Small marine crustaceans like amphipods and various other invertebrates
Characteristic: They don’t have a stomach or teeth and even come with a unique reproductive system where the male carries the young and even gives birth to the babies.
Countries where it’s found: Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Caribbean.

Seahorses? Yes, you have seen it right!

Many of the species of seahorses come in purple shades that are super fascinating to watch. Much like a character from the fairytale!

And what makes them more amazing is their unique ability to change color and adapt to various kinds of surroundings. 

From searching for food to simply sitting – each of the things they do is extremely a delight to witness. Besides, catching prey for the seahorse is like a piece of cake and takes only a moment. All thanks to their long, horse-like snouts that make things so convenient!

17. Purple Sea Urchins

Scientific Name: Echinoidea class
How to Identify: They come with a radially symmetrical test covered with pincers, tube feet, and purple spine moving on ball and socket joints.
Habitat: Commonly found in the eastern Pacific coast ranging from British Columbia to Baja California.
Size: About 3 inches long
Diet: Omnivorous (Mostly brown and red algae)
Characteristic: These sea urchins come with a protective armor that can get pretty strong and powerful, upon detecting any dangers ahead.
Countries where it’s found: Ensenada, Mexico, to British Columbia, Canada.

Purple sea urchins may look like spiky creatures, but they certainly come with a great charm that just adds a pop of color to the oceanic world.

And if you can observe them for a couple of minutes, you will simply become a fan of their playful and self-protective nature. 

You may wonder, how do they protect themselves? Well, the spines that makes them unique is the one that offers protection against all kinds of predators. 

And for the best part, they can move their spine in any direction they want, and upon receiving the slightest touch, the spines begin to converge near the touch point.

18. Purple Martin

Scientific Name: Progne subis
How to Identify: The adult males come with a dark blue-purple along with black-colored wings and tail, while the female tends to be a bit duller, containing shades of gray on the head and chest region with the lower belly being whitish.
Habitat: Can be found in open and grassy areas across temperate North America
Size: About 7.5 to 8.5 inches long
Diet: Carnivorous (Mostly feeds on various kinds of insects, flies, moths, beetles and butterflies)
Characteristic: They are highly social and love to sing around with their melodious voice.
Countries where it’s found: primarily found in North America, including the United States and Canada.

The purple martin is yet another wonderful creature of nature. They are small in size and like to live in human-made nest boxes. 

They come with dark blackish-blue fathers and tend to have an iridescent sheen when there is a refraction of the light. These bird species can grow up to 7.5 to 7.9 inches, along with a wingspan of about 15.3 to 16.1 inches.

Native to North America, they can be found flying around all over the United States with their colorful features. However, there are also some species of them found living on the islands, namely Puerto Rico.

19. Indian Purple Frog

Scientific Name: Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis
How to Identify: They come with a bloated kind of body with short, stout limbs – color varying from deep purple to greyish.
Habitat: Found in the loose, damp, and well-aerated soil, ponds, streams, and ditches across the Western Ghats in India
Size: Around 3 inches long; (with the males being smaller than the females)
Diet: Mostly termites and tiny invertebrates
Characteristic: This frog comes with one unique breeding behavior, which is that rather than laying eggs in water, they do it in burrows, with the tadpoles growing underground.
Countries where it’s found: Southern Western Ghats of India.

Also known by the name pig-nosed frog or pignose frog, these purple frog is one of the endangered species as listed by the IUCN.

They are one of the big-sized frogs, measuring about 7 cm long, which is 2.8 inches. They usually have purple/pink/maroon shades with darker spots on their backside along with white spots on the belly region. 

Upon noticing danger, their skin releases a kind of toxins to save themselves from the predators (like snakes). These frogs love spending their time remaining underground and tend to emerge during the monsoon times for breeding.

20. Purple Starling

Scientific Name: Lamprotornis purpureus
How to Identify: These bird species come with a purple to greenish back and big-sized yellow to orange colored eyes.
Habitat: Moist broadleaf woodland and gardens of Sub-Saharan Africa
Size: About 8 to 9 inches long
Diet: Omnivorous (Mostly eats fruit and insect)
Characteristic: They like to sing with their melodious voice and fly around in flocks.
Countries where it’s found: Senegal and north Zaire, east to Sudan and west Kenya.

Also going by the name Purple Glossy Starling, this bird species is a member of the starling family that can be seen roaming and singing around with their melodious voice in the open woodland of the tropical African region from Senegal to Sudan and western Kenya. 

Besides, these bird species love to form flocks and stay in groups – doing almost all kinds of activities together. Much like a group of best friends who love to spend time with each other!

They can grow as big as 22 to 23 cm and tend to have a metallic purple head and body, yellow eyes along with glossy green wings while growing up. And for the tail, it is a bit short!

21. Purple Gallinule

Scientific Name: Porphyrio martinicus
How to Identify: The adults come with a medley of purplish heads and bodies with greenish wings, bright yellow-colored legs, and feet. While the young ones are mostly brown above, khaki below, along with dull legs.
Habitat: Fresh marshes and reedy ponds in the Caribbean, southern Florida, parts of Central America, and the Gulf Coast and Pacific Coast of Mexico.
Size: Around 10 to 15 inches long
Diet: Omnivorous (Mostly feeds on leaves, seeds, fruit, insects, fish, frogs, spiders, snails, and worms)
Characteristic: They are mostly known for their unique calls that come with a series of long squeaks and whistles. Plus, they are great swimmers!
Countries where it’s found: United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina.

Lastly, we have the great Purple Gallinule!

They are one type of colorful bird that comes with iridescent bluish-purple bodies, green wings, and a blue forehead that looks like a shield marking.

This wonderful bird species loves creating floating nests. And have the tenacity to pair up in monogamous relationships, with each pair working their best to play defensive in terms of safeguarding their nest and surrounding territory areas. 

Another fascinating trait about these Gallinules is they have quite big toes – ultimately making it super easier and convenient to navigate through the marshland. No wonder they can walk so swiftly and smoothly across the floating vegetation! 

List of Some Other Purple Animals

Amphibians

• Green toad
• Grey Treefrog
• Mulu Flying Frog
• Red-Eyed Tree Frog
• Tree Frog

Birds

• Amazon Parrot
• Eclectus Parrot
• Great Green Macaw
• Green Broadbill
• Green Peafowl
• Green-Headed Tanager
• Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
• Leafbird
• Military Macaw
• Purple-crested Turaco
• Purple Glossy Starling
• Purple-breasted Cotinga
• Rose-Ringed Parakeet
• Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
• Shining-Green Hummingbird
• Splendid Sunbird
• Varied Bunting
• Velvet-purple Coronet
• Violet-crowned Woodnymph
• Yellow-Crowned Amazon

Fish

• Green Fish
• Green Moray Eel
• Purple-lined Wrasse
• Twospined Angelfish
• Undulate Triggerfish
• Yellow striped Fairy Basslet

Insects

• Agathina Emperor
• Blue Pleasing Fungus Beetle
• Bush Cricket
• Glorious Scarab
• Grasshopper
• Green Beetle
• Green Darner
• Green Lacewing
• Green Mantis
• Green Stink Bug
• Green Sweat Bee
• Leaf Bug
• Luna Moth
• Purple Emperor
• Purple Jewel Beetle

Invertebrates

• Blue Dragon
• European lobster
• Felimare picta
• Glutinous Snail
• Ochre Sea Star
• Palawan Purple Crab
• Purple Sea Snail
• Purple Shore Crab
• Sheep Leaf Sea Slug
• Spanish Shawl
• West African Fiddler Crab

Mammals

• Green Ringtail Possum
• Sloth

Reptiles

• African Chameleon
• American Anole
• Bamboo Pit Viper
• Chinese Water Dragon
• Eastern Indigo Snake
• Emerald Tree Boa
• European Green Lizard
• Green Crocodile
• Green Mamba
• Green Sea Turtle
• Green Snake
• Green Tree Python
• Green Vine Snake
• Long-Nosed Whip Snake
• Smooth Green Snake
• Wellington Green Gecko
• White-lipped Pit Viper

You may also like Animals By Starting Letter

Concluding Words

There you have it – the top twenty-one purple animals to steal your heart!

They are one of the marvelous creatures of nature that, once spotted, is hard to forget. So, the next time you are out in nature or in the hunt for some adventurous exploration, make sure to look for these magical wonders. No worries, you can thank us later!