The animal kingdom is full of varying colors, so which animal is considered the most colorful one in the world?
Most Colorful Animals in the World
The answer to this question comes with tricky standards. Should this be based on the diversity and number of colors or on the brightness or sense of surprise brought about by the color?
Given the diversity of the animal kingdom, it is very difficult, or even impossible, to choose just one species. Different animal groups could also have their own strongest contenders.
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Most Colorful Fish
Some of the most colorful organisms can be found in the sea, especially in coral reefs. Some of the strongest contenders for being the most colorful fish are the flasher wrasses, with strongly saturated pink, yello, blue, and vermillion scales. There is also fairy wrasses and rainbow parrotfish, the latter stunning in turquoise, mint, and magenta. This creature makes color combinations that alter across its entire lifespan.
Most Colorful Nudibranch, Mollusk, or Cephalopod
There is also a massive family comprising reef-grazing mollusks, called nudibranchs, that tap into virtually any color.
On top of this, there is also the peacock mantis shrimp, which researchers believe to have psychedelic armor that could reflect its intricate vision, which is capable of picking up circularly polarized and ultraviolet light.
Comb jelly also expels rare color flashes. These organisms make use of the quick ulsing motion of cilia, which are hair-like structures, to move them in water. These curved hairs end up refracting light. As they do so, they end up making a rainbow effect that radiates through the body of the creature.
Most Colorful Reptile
As for land animals, reptiles also have strong candidates, such as the San Francisco garter snake. This creature is coated in stripes that are black, red, and turquoise. There is also the Texas coral snake, which is adorned with rings that are brightly painted.
Not to mention, there is also the white-lipped python and sunbeam snake, which both gleam all colors found in the rainbow when their iridescent scales are struck by the sun. This is due to iridophores, which are nanostructures with light-refracting properties.
A rainbow can also be found packed in the small body of the Broadley's flat lizard. It has acid-yellow and orange legs and a sapphire-blue crown.
However, all these creatures are possible eclipsed by the panther chameleon.
Most Colorful Amphibian
As for amphibians, there are poison art frogs, which have default colors. There is also the Amazon poison frog, with shimmering skin and an ombre display of blue, orange, and red. The red-eyed tree frog also has a brightness that is nearly unmatched. This creature has blue sides, tangering toes, and a lime-green back.
Most Colorful Mammal
For mammals, there is the mandrill from equiatorial Africa that is one of the few mammals that are truly colorful. This creature has a face and behind that are luminously blue, which result from collagen fibers that are arranged meticulously and that reflect some wavelengths that result in the strong hue. It also has a scarlet snout and yellow beard, making it a contender for the most colorful mammal in the world.
There is also the Malabar quant squirrel from India that displays maroon, brown, white, purple, and orange hues. This could aid them in blending in the vibrant colors of the rainforest.
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