This list contains all the animals in Aristotle’s History of Animals which he says are generated spontaneously.

Each entry contains: (1) the name of the animal (or whatever it is called in the text); (2) the kind of animal it is; (3) an English translation of the name; (4) the matter and its differentia, i.e., that out of which the animal comes to be and (usually) where it comes to be; (5) the reference in Hist. an.

Spontaneously generated animals exist at the boundary between living and non-living world. They are alive, but not quite living: living, according to Aristotle, means sharing in divine activity, and this requires the eternal reproduction of the species. Spontaneously generated animals do not reproduce. They’re essentially ephemeral.

Aristotle thinks all spontaneously generated animals have the same mother and father. Their father—their efficient cause—is the heat from the celestial realm. This is primarily the heat from the sun, but it also includes the heat and motion distributed to the winds, and perhaps with some influence from the moon and other planets as well. The mother—their material cause—is the earth, but not just any material on the earth. It is usually some kind of slime or otherwise decaying stuff, and it’s here where the variety comes in. Aristotle thinks the kind of material from which an animal is spontaneously generated, along with the place in which that materials is found, are the two most important differentiae for explaining why different kinds of things are spontaneously generated: sometimes we get flies (like from dead animals), somtimes moths (from wool clothes), sometimes eels (from muddy slime), and sometimes worms (from improperly digested food in your intestines). This is similar to earlier Greek theories of reproduction where what determined whether a child was male or female was where the father’s semen landed in the womb (right for boys, left for girls, obvs.).

Malcolm Wilson’s book on the Meteorology makes a really cool point about this. Aristotle explains spontaneously generated animals the same way he explains meteorological phenomena (meteorology, in the broad Aristotelian sense of sublunary physics of non-living things). In meteorology, the sun produces different effects because its orientation to a given point on the earth changes throughout the year, and because the material it acts on differs in kind and in (especially) in place. When the sun’s heat acts on water on the surface of the earth, we get evaporation, clouds and rain. When it acts on water within the earth, we can get various metals. It is the same pattern of explanation.

NB: Of fishes, only the eels from book VI are included. There are some issues with the text. Also, in Gen. an. he says other fish generate spontaneously.

ἀκαρί, τό | ζῳδάρια ἄλλα mite

material old cheese and wood (ἐπὶ κηρίῳ παλαιουμένῳ καὶ ἐν ξύλῳ) | Hist. an. 5.32, 557b6-10

ἀσκαρίς, ἡ (1) | ἔντομα ascaris

material residues still in animals (ἐν τοῖς περιττώμασι ἔτι ἐν τοῖς ζῴοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551a8-13

ἀσκαρίς, ἡ (2) | ἔντομα ascaris

material mud of wells and where there is a confluence of water with an earthy deposit (ἔν τε τῇ ἰλύϊ τῶν φρεάτων καὶ ὅπου ἂν σύρρευσις γένηται ὕδατος γεώδη ἔχουσα ὑπόστασιν) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551b27-552a11

material deposit of a mixed and heterogeneous kind, as in kitchens and fields, for these kinds of places putrefy quickly (ἐν τοῖς ἔχουσι παντοδαπὴν ὑπόστασιν, οἷον ἐν μαγειρείοις τε γίνεται καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις· σήπεται γὰρ τὰ τοιαῦτα θᾶττον) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a11-552a15

βάλανος, ἡ | ὀστρακοδέρμα barnacle

material mud around the crags in rocks (περὶ τὰς σήραγγας τῶν πετριδίων (sc. ἰλύϊ)) | Hist. an. 5.15, 547b18-23

βόστρυχος, ὁ | ἔντομα lit. ‘curly’ (?), male fly of the glow worm (?)

material glow-worm (ἐκ τῶν πυγολαμπίδων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551b23-26

ἔγχελυς, ἡ | ἰχθῦς eel

material earth's guts, so-called, produced spontaneously in sediment and in humid earth (ἐκ τῶν καλουμένων γῆς ἐντέρων, ἃ αὐτόματα συνίσταται ἐν τῷ πηλῷ καὶ ἐν τῇ γῇ τῇ ἐνίκμῳ) | Hist. an. 6.16, 570a13

ἕλμινς, ἡ καλουμένη | ἔντομα worm

material residues still in animals (ἐν τοῖς περιττώμασι ἔτι ἐν τοῖς ζῴοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551a7-13

ἕλμινς ἡ ὀνομαζομένη πλατεῖα | ἔντομα flatworm

material residues still in animals (ἐν τοῖς περιττώμασι ἔτι ἐν τοῖς ζῴοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551a8-13

ἕλμινς, ἡ στρογγυλή | ἔντομα roundworm

material residues still in animals (ἐν τοῖς περιττώμασι ἔτι ἐν τοῖς ζῴοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551a8-13

ἐμπίς, ἡ | ἔντομα gnat

material ascarides (ἐκ τῶν ἀσκαρίδων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551b27

ἔντομόν τι (1) | a kind of insect

material dew falling on leaves (ἐκ τῆς δρόσου τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς φύλλοις πιπτούσης) | Hist. an. 5.19, 550b32-551a8

ἔντομόν τι (2)| a kind of insect

material decaying slime and dung (ἐν βορβόρῳ καὶ κόπρῳ σηπομένοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 550b32-551a8

ἔντομόν τι (3) | a kind of insect

material wood, either growing or dry (ἐν ξύλοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 550b32-551a8

ἔντομόν τι (4) | a kind of insect

material animal hair (ἐν θριξὶ ζῴων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 550b32-551a8

ἔντομόν τι (5) | a kind of insect

material animal flesh (ἐν σαρκὶ τῶν ζῴων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 550b32-551a8

ἔντομόν τι (6) | a kind of insect

material excreted residues (ἐν τοῖς περιττώμασι ἐκκεχωρισμένοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 550b32-551a8

ἐφήμερον, τό | ἔντομα mayfly

material sack-like things larger than grapes, which flow down the river Hypanis in the Cimmerian Bosophorus to the sea near the summer solstice (οἷον θύλακοι μείζους ῥαγῶν, ἐξ ὧν ῥηγνυμένων ἐξέρχεται ζῷον πτερωτὸν τετράπουν, περὶ δὲ τὸν Ὕπανιν ποταμὸν τὸν περὶ Βόσπορον τὸν Κιμμέριον ὑπὸ τροπὰς θερινὰς καταφέρονται ὑπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552b17-23

ζωσδάριόν τι (1) | ζῳδάρια ἄλλα a little animal

material books (ἐν τοῖς βιβλίοις) | Hist. an. 5.32, 557b6-10

ζωσδάριόν τι (2) | ζῳδάρια ἄλλα a little animal

material dry things moistening, moist things drying, which are life-promoting (?) (ἔν τε τοῖς ξηροῖς ὑγραινομένοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὑγροῖς ξηραινομένοις, ὅσα ἔχει αὐτῶν ζωήν) | Hist. an. 5.32, 557b10-12

θηρίον τι | ἔντομα a kind of beast

material fire in Cyprus where copper-ore is smelted, thrown on heaps each day (ἐν τῷ πυρί ἐν Κύπρῳ, οὗ ἡ χαλκῖτις λίθος καίεται, ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας ἐμβαλλόντων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552b10-13

κανθαρίς, ἡ | ἔντομα cantharis

material caterpillars found on fig trees, pear trees, fir trees, and dog rose (ἐκ τῶν πρὸς ταῖς συκαῖς καμπῶν καὶ ταῖς ἀπίοις καὶ ταῖς πεύκαις καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐν τῇ κυνακάνθῃ) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a31-b4

κάνθαρος, ὁ | ἔντομα dung-beetle

material grubs from dung rolled into a ball (ἣν κυλίουσι κόπρον, ἐν ταύτῃ φωλοῦσί τε τὸν χειμῶνα καὶ ἐντίκτουσι σκωλήκια, ἐξ ὧν γίνονται κάνθαροι) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a17-19

καράβιος, ὁ | ἔντομα stag-beetle

material grubs that live in dry wood (ἐκ δὲ τῶν σκωλήκων τῶν ἐν τοῖς ξύλοις τοῖς αὔοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551b16-18

καρκίνιον, τὸ | ὀστρακοδέρμα hermit crab

material earth and mud (ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἰλύος) | Hist. an. 5.15, 548a14-15

κνίδν, ἡ | τὰ μὴ ἔχοντα ὄστρακον sea anemone

material earth and mud in the hollows of rocks (ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἰλύος ἐν ταῖς σήραγξι τῶν πετρῶν) | Hist. an. 5.15, 548a22-27

κόγχη, ἡ | ὀστρακοδέρμα cockle

material sandy mud (ἐν τῇ ἀμμώδει (sc. ἰλύϊ)) | Hist. an. 5.15, 547b18-23

κόρις, ὁ | ἔντομα ζῇ χυμοῖς σαρκὸς ζώσης bug

material moisture as it thickens outside the bodies of animals (ἐκ τῆς ἰκμάδος τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ζῴων συνισταμένης ἐκτός) | Hist. an. 5.31, 556b24-28

κροτών, ὁ | ἔντομα tick

material dog's tooth grass (ἐκ τῆς ἀγρώστεως) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a15

κυνοραιστής, ὁ | ἔντομα ζῇ χυμοῖς σαρκὸς ζώσης dog tick

material dogs (ἐν δὲ τοῖς κυσὶν) | Hist. an. 5.31, 557a17-18

κώνωψ, ὁ | ἔντομα conops (bee and wasp endoparasite)

material grubs which comes to be in the mud of vinegar (ἐκ σκωλήκων οἳ γίνονται ἐκ τῆς περὶ τὸ ὄξος ἰλύος) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552b4-5

λεπάς, ἡ | ὀστρακοδέρμα limpet

material mud around the crags in rocks (περὶ τὰς σήραγγας τῶν πετριδίων (sc. ἰλύϊ)) | Hist. an. 5.15, 547b18-23

μηλολόνθη, ἡ | ἔντομα cockchafer, may-bug

material grubs in cow or donkey dung (ἐκ τῶν σκωλήκων τῶν ἐν τοῖς βολίτοις καὶ τῶν ὀνίδων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a15-17

μυῖα, ἡ | ἔντομα fly

material grubs in dung separated into piles (ἐκ τῶν σκωλήκων τῶν ἐν τῇ κόπρῳ τῇ χωριζομένῃ κατὰ μέρος) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a20-29

μύωψ, ὁ | ἔντομα horse-fly

material wood (ἐκ τῶν ξύλων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a29

νεκύδαλος, ὁ | ἔντομα silk-moth

material large grub that has horns and differs from other grubs (ἐκ δέ τινος σκώληκος μεγάλου, ὃς ἔχει οἷον κέρατα καὶ διαφέρει τῶν ἄλλων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551b9-12

νηρείτης, ὁ | ὀστρακοδέρμα sea snail

material mud around the crags in rocks (περὶ τὰς σήραγγας τῶν πετριδίων (sc. ἰλύϊ)) | Hist. an. 5.15, 547b18-23

ξυλοφόρος, ὁ | ζῳδάρια ἄλλα twig-bearer (bagworm moth?)

material ? | Hist. an. 5.32, 557b12-25

οἶστρος, ὁ | ἔντομα gadfly

material flat litte animals that skim across rivers (ἐκ δὲ τῶν ἐν τοῖς ποταμοῖς πλατέων ζωδαρίων τῶν ἐπιθεόντων) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551b21-23

οἶστρος, ὁ τῶν θύννων | ἔντομα ὅσα ζῇ χυμοῖς σαρκὸς ζώσης gadfly of the tunny

material mud, not from fish (ἐν τοῖς ἰχθύσι οὐκ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν ἰχθύων ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἰλύος) | Hist. an. 5.31, 557a27-29

ὀρσοδάκνη, ἡ | ἔντομα leaf beetle (?)

material grub underdoing change that came to be in kale-stalks (ἐκ τῶν σκωληκίων μεταβαλλόντων· τὰ δὲ σκωλήκια ταῦτα γίνεται ἐν τοῖς καυλοῖς τῆς κράμβης. ) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a29-31

ὄστρεον, τό | ὀστρακοδέρμα oyster

material slimy mud (ἐν τῇ βορβορώδει (sc. ἰλύϊ)) | Hist. an. 5.15, 547b18-23

πρασοκουρίς, ἡ | ἔντομα leek-bane

material (grubs growing on) kale (ἐκ τῶν κραμβῶν (sc. τῶν σκωλήκων)) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551b19-21

πτερωτὸν ζῷον τι | ἔντομα a kind of winged-animal

material grubs in pulses (ἐκ τῶν σκωλήκων τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὀσπρίοις) | Hist. an. 5.19, 552a19-20

πυγολαμπίς, ἡ | ἔντομα glow-worm

material black, hairy, small caterpillar (ἐκ δὲ μελαινῶν τινων καὶ δασειῶν οὐ μεγάλων καμπῶν) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551b23-26

σῆς, ὁ | ζῳδάρια ἄλλα clothes moth

material wool and woolen clothes (ἐν ἐρίοις καὶ ἐξ ἐρίων) | Hist. an. 5.32, 557b1-6

σκώληξ τις | ἔντομα a kind of grub

material unputrefiable stuff, like old snow (ἐν τοῖς δοκοῦσιν ἀσηπτοτάτοις εἶναι, οἷον ἐν χιόνι τῇ παλαιᾷ) | Hist. an. 5.19, 554b6-10

material snow in Media (ἐκ τῆς ἐν Μηδίᾳ χιόνος) | Hist. an. 5.19, 554b6-10

σπόγγος, ὁ | τὰ μὴ ἔχοντα ὄστρακον sponge

material feed on mud and earth and grow either near rocks or shore (φύονται δ' ἢ πρὸς πέτρᾳ πάντες ἢ ἐν ταῖς θισί, τρέφονται δ' ἐν τῇ ἰλύϊ) | Hist. an. 5.15, 548a29-b10

τήθυον, τό | ὀστρακοδέρμα sea squirt, ascidian

material mud around the crags in rocks (περὶ τὰς σήραγγας τῶν πετριδίων (sc. ἰλύϊ)) | Hist. an. 5.15, 547b18-23

φθείρ, ὁ | ἔντομα ζῇ χυμοῖς σαρκὸς ζώσης louse

material flesh (ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν) | Hist. an. 5.31, 556b24-28

material (flesh of) animals other than humans (ἐγγίνονται δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων ἐν πολλοῖς) | Hist. an. 5.31, 557a10-17

material the animal itself (i.e., not cross-species) (ἐν τοῖς ἔχουσιν ἐξ αὐτῶν γίνονται τῶν ζῴων) | Hist. an. 5.31, 557a18-21

φθείρ θαλάσσιος, ὁ | ἔντομα ζῇ χυμοῖς σαρκὸς ζώσης sea louse

material mud, not fish (unlike other lice) (ἐν τοῖς ἰχθύσι οὐκ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν ἰχθύων ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἰλύος) | Hist. an. 5.31, 557a21-27

φθείρ, ὁ καλεῖται ἄγριος | ἔντομα ζῇ χυμοῖς σαρκὸς ζώσης wild louse

material ? | Hist. an. 5.31, 557a4-10

ψήν, ὁ | ζῳδάρια ἄλλα fig wasp

material grub from fruit of wild fig (τὰ δ' ἐρινεὰ τὰ ἐν τοῖς ἐρινεοῖς ἔχουσι) | Hist. an. 5.32, 557b25-31

ψύλλα, ἡ | ἔντομα ζῇ χυμοῖς σαρκὸς ζώσης flea

material putrefaction, a small amount (ἐξ ἐλαχίστης σηπεδόνος) | Hist. an. 5.31, 556b24-28

ψυχή, ἡ καλουμένη | ἔντομα butterfly

material caterpillars that grow on green leaves, especially cabbage, which some people call kale (ἐκ τῶν καμπῶν αἳ γίνονται ἐπὶ τῶν φύλλων τῶν χλωρῶν, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῆς ῥαφάνου, ἣν καλοῦσί τινες κράμβην) | Hist. an. 5.19, 551a13-16