Top 10 Most Beautiful Animals in the World 2

1. Candy Crab

The candy crab (Hoplophrys) belongs to a monotypic genus, meaning it has no closely related species. It grows to 2 cm long and can camouflage itself in bright colors to match the coral that forms its habitat. As well as red, the crab can turn white, yellow, and pink. It lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

1. Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird
   
   The swallow-tailed hummingbird (Eupetomena macroura) lives in east and central South America. It prefers semi-open areas, sparse woodland, coastal regions, and gardens, but will avoid dense rainforest. It has a long forked tail that comprises half of the bird's 16 cm length. Its plumage is a mixture of green, blue, and purple, and its wings flap at approximately 20 beats per second, allowing it to hover while feeding on flower nectar. They are aggressive towards other birds and will `dive-bomb' or pester birds as large as hawks!

2. Poison Dart Frog
   
   The poison dart frog (pictured: Dendrobates azureus) lives in Central and South American rainforests, growing to between 1.5 and 6 cm in length. Indigenous people used the frog's toxic secretions to poison the tips of blow-darts, giving the frog its name. The secretions, which are being studied in medical trials, might also be used as muscle relaxants, appetite suppressants, and heart stimulants. Their bright colors form `aposematic patterns', which serve to ward off predators by suggesting an unpalatable toxicity. There are around 175 closely related species of poison dart frog which vary in size and coloration. The most colorful are the 5 within the dendrobates genus.

3. Tiger
   
   The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest and most eye-catching of the big cats. They can grow up to 3.3 meters in length and weigh over 300 kg. Tigers have a lifespan up to 26 years, though all 6 subspecies (Bengal, Siberian, Sumatran, Malayan, Indochinese and South China tigers) are endangered, with a total population of less than 4,000. The Bengal tiger is the most common and the Siberian is the largest. They live in India, southeast Asia, and the far east of Russia (Siberia). Their striped fur serves as camouflage in their natural habitat of long grasses and wooded areas. Underneath the fur, their skin is striped in the same pattern.

4. Sunset Moth
   
   The Madagascan sunset moth (Chrysiridia rhipheus) is a uniquely colorful lepidopteran that is sought after by collectors. Its often asymmetrical pattern of colors is caused by the optical interference and scattering of light by curved, partially reflective scales on the moth's wings. Sunset moths have a wingspan up to 11 cm and are often mistaken for butterflies due to their color, tails, and habit of resting with their wings vertical. Their bright aposematic colors warn predators of their toxicity. In contrast, the moth's chrysalis looks like a covered corpse and the Malagasy people believe the emergent moth represents the risen soul of their dead ancestors.

There are many beautiful animals that didn't make the list. These include the snow leopard, peacock, polar bear, ladybird, sea turtle, giant tortoise, penguin, emperor tamarin, fiery billed aracari, and the harpy eagle.

Of course, there are many other stunning creatures that I have neglected to mention. Please post any suggestions in the comments section below. Thanks for visiting this list of the ten most beautiful animals in the world. I hope you enjoyed it!