{"id":44181,"date":"2024-11-28T12:14:09","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T11:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/b7a07f83-6a1d-44de-a6d9-126b567d463e"},"modified":"2024-11-28T12:27:23","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T11:27:23","slug":"10-rainbow-animals-a-dazzling-display-of-colourful-fur-feathers-and-scales","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/10-rainbow-animals-a-dazzling-display-of-colourful-fur-feathers-and-scales\/","title":{"rendered":"10 rainbow animals: A dazzling display of colourful fur, feathers and scales"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Charlie Lyon\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 28 November 2024 at 11:14 AM<\/p>

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Whether on land, at sea or in the air, the globe is awash with incredible animals in all colours of the rainbow. This brightly coloured fur, feathers, skin and scales help attract mates, ward off predators, and act as disguise in tropical settings. Here we round up 10 of the brightest…<\/p>

10 rainbow animals<\/h2>

Malabar giant squirrel<\/h3>

The large, maroon-coloured rodents can be seen leaping from treetop to treetop in the forests of India. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Squirrels don\u2019t come much bigger than the Malabar giant (Ratufa indica<\/em>), otherwise known as the Indian giant squirrel, or rainbow squirrel<\/a>. Much bigger than the\u00a0 red squirrel<\/a>, it\u2019s not actually the Malabar giant size that turns heads, but rather its colour scheme.<\/p>
While its underside is a light beige colour, its back and flanks are adorned with bands of deep, rich reds and blues which, combined, give an overall impression of purple.<\/p>
Rainbow lorikeet<\/h3>

Watch rainbow lorikeets in New South Wales, Australia. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
When it comes to picking the most colourful birds in the world, it’s a tough job There are myriad beautiful specimens, especially in the parrot<\/a> family.<\/p>
These rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus<\/em>) from the Southwester Pacific are spectacular, and their chatter is almost as loud as their feather colours. They nest in hollow trees, gathering sometimes in their thousands in the evenings, and feed in the upper canopy.<\/p>
Angelfish<\/h3> $\"Brightly$
The flat shape of the angelfish makes it appear large to predators, while still allowing it to hide in rock crevices. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Bright, tropical marine angelfish (Pomacanthidae<\/em>) are a sight to behold and there are dozens of species, all with different colourings. The ones that live in oceans (some inhabit freshwater) tend to be black and yellow or blue and yellow in colour.<\/p>
You’ll find them swimming around coral reefs in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. They like the warm, shallow waters, and their flat, rounded bodies enable them to easily manoeuvre around the coral plants.<\/p>
Can fish see in colour?<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Peacock spider<\/h3>
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Maratus gemmifer, found south of Perth, Western Australia, is just one of over 80 species of peacock spider. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Despite being the size of a grain of rice, a male peacock spider (Maratus<\/em>) has to put on a spectacularly large show to attract a mate. He waves his back legs while dancing using a brilliantly colored fan attached to his abdomen.<\/p>
If the female approves, he is allowed to mate. If not, she injects a lethal dose of venom into his brain, rendering him nothing more than a meal. Amazingly, there are over 80 different species of peacock spider in Australia and China.<\/p>
14 incredible spider facts you probably didn’t know<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Panther chameleon<\/h3>
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Panther chameleons will change their colour for social interactions, such as courtship and male contests. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Contrary to popular belief, panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis<\/em>) don’t just change colour to camouflage into their backgrounds. While it’s sometimes true, the primary role is actually to do with social signalling and communication.<\/p>
Sometimes it’s a response to changes in their environment, such as temperature or humidity.<\/p>
The top layer of a chameleon’s skin contains special cells with pigments and very tiny crystals, which are different shapes and sizes. The chameleon can move them around, by relaxing or exciting the skin, to reflect light in different ways, enabling them to change colour.<\/p>
Amphibian vs reptile: what’s the difference?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
Camouflage in animals: how and why animals change colour<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <\/ul> Red-eyed tree frog<\/h3>
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This brilliantly coloured frog uses its bulging red eyes to startle predators. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Here’s a multi-hued amphibian that knows how to dress for the occasion. The body of the red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas<\/em>) is bright green, enabling it to camouflage with tree leaves in its tropical habitats of southern Mexico and northern South America.<\/p>
It has stripes of blue and yellow down its sides, and bright orange feet. When disturbed by a predator, it opens its eyes, which are red and bulging, designed to startle the predator long enough for it to escape to a safe space.<\/p>
Peacock mantis shrimp<\/h3> $\"Close$
Despite its name, the peacock mantis shrimp is actually not a shrimp but a stomatopod: a relative of crabs and lobsters. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Of the hundreds of different types of mantis shrimps, the peacock (Odontodactylus scyllarus<\/em>) is probably the most spectacular. The crustacean’s hard-shelled body is usually blue, green and yellow, and it has red legs and purple eyes that sit on top of stalks above its head.<\/p>
The eyes can move independently of one other for a better view, and with up to 16 types of colour-sensitive cone cells in their retinas (humans have three), their colour vision capabilities are unparralleled.<\/p>
They can also detect the polarisation of light (the plane in which it vibrates) and they are unique in being able to detect circular polarised light (the direction in which it spins).<\/p>
Mantis shrimp have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. Here\u2019s why<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Madagascan sunset moth<\/h3>
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A Madagascan sunset moth perches on an orchid. Getty Images. <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
The day-flying Madagascan sunset moth<\/a> (Chrysiridia rhipheus<\/em>) has a striking appearance \u2013 black with iridescent red, blue and green markings.<\/p>
Unlike with other moths, the colour of the wings does not come from\u00a0pigments, but occurs from light hitting the microstructure of the ribbon-like\u00a0scales\u00a0covering the wings.<\/p>
The moth can often lose its white fringed ‘tails’ during the course of its life.<\/p>
Rosemary beetle<\/h3> $\"Close$
You can easily spot these brightly coloured\u00a0beetles\u00a0in parks and gardens across the UK. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
The rosemary beetle\u00a0(Chrysolina americana<\/em>) is named so as it loves to dine out on foliage and flowers of aromatic plants, such as rosemary, lavender, sage and thyme.<\/p>
It’s a small, shiny beetle with metallic green and purple-red stripes along its back. They may look attractive, but UK gardeners aren’t big fans as they feed on the new shoot tips, causing them to die back.<\/p>
What do beetles eat?<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Gouldian finch<\/h3>
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It’s much more unusual to see a Gouldian finch with a red face than one with a black face. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Finches are known for their colourful plumage, and the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae<\/em>) could be the brightest of the lot.<\/p>
Found in Australia, the colour of its face is usually black, while about 25% have red faces, and a rare few yellow. They have stout, conical bills adapted for eating seeds and nuts.<\/p>
Main image: Getty Images<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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