Elusively Blue Animals: The Rarest Critters of All

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Blue Jay

Blue jays appear blue due to light scattering in their feathers, not pigments. Their color can be changed to black by altering feather structure.

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Blue Iguana

Blue iguanas of Grand Cayman have a long lifespan, turning bluer as they mature. They can change color and appear gray to blend with rocks. Males are more intensely blue than females.

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Glaucus atlanticus

Glaucus atlanticus, a colorful nudibranch, feeds on venomous Portuguese man o' war. Its blue color provides camouflage, and it can absorb the stingers for defense and hunting.

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The mandarin dragonet is a vibrant fish with blue cellular pigment. It also features orange stripes and is popular in aquariums.

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Mandarin Dragonet

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Blue Poison Dart Frog

The blue poison dart frog's blue color warns predators of its poison. Its skin's cellular structure scatters blue light, creating the blue appearance.

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Blue Morpho

Blue morpho butterflies' wings appear blue due to the nanostructure of their scales. Males are typically bluer than females, and the ventral side of their wings is brown.

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Sinai Agama

Sinai agama lizards are typically brown but males turn bright blue during breeding season to attract females. Females may have red markings.

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Linckia laevigata

Linckia laevigata is a blue sea star found in the Indo-Pacific. Its coloration is caused by a pigment called linckiacyanin, giving it a unique blue hue.

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Carpathian Blue Slug

Carpathian blue slugs in Eastern Europe change from yellow-brown to blue as they mature, with adults displaying various shades of blue.

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Indian Peafowl

The cottonmouth, or water moccasin, is a semi-aquatic pit viper found in the southeastern U.S. It has a powerful venom but is not overly aggressive. Care must be taken to distinguish it from harmless water snakes.

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