Red Animals

The reasons why certain animals have a red color vary. Predators use their red coloration to attract potential prey toward them. At the same time, bright red colors might signify that the animal is poisonous, discouraging unwanted attention.

While all mammals and even humans possess pheomelanin, i.e., the pigment that gives off a red coloration, it is generally present at low levels. Mammals with a higher red pigmentation have red fur like the red fox and the saola. However, the pigment is more common in fish, insects, and amphibians. Some well-known animals with red skin are the strawberry poison dart frog, the western red scorpionfish, and the Asian lady beetle.

Red Animals

List of Animals that have a Red Coloration

Mammals

  • Purús Red Howler
  • Red Fox
  • Red Panda
  • Red Squirrel
  • Saola

Birds

Amphibians

  • Axolotl Calisto
  • Granular Poison Frog
  • Phantasmal Poison Frog
  • Red Salamander
  • Strawberry Poison Dart Frog
  • Tomato Frog

Reptiles

  • Arizona Coral Snake
  • Bamboo Rat Snake
  • Common Forest Lizard
  • Eastern Newt
  • Fire Skink
  • Geyr’s Spiny-tailed Lizard
  • Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama
  • Oriental Garden Lizard
  • Peninsular Rock Agama
  • Rainbow Boa
  • Red Milk Snake
  • Spider-man Agama
  • Tschudi’s False Coral Snake

Insects

  • American Rubyspot Damselfly
  • Asian Lady Beetle
  • Baronet Butterfly
  • Blood-red Glider
  • Cardinal Beetle
  • European Firebug
  • Fulvous Forest Skimmer
  • Long-horned Orb-weaver
  • Question Mark Butterfly
  • Red Flat Bark Beetle
  • Red Lacewing Butterfly
  • Red Milkweed Beetle
  • Red Net-winged Beetle
  • Red Velvet Ant
  • Red Velvet Mite
  • Red-headed Cardinal Beetle
  • Red-veined Darter
  • Scarlet Lily Beetle
  • Scarlet Peacock Butterfly
  • Seven-spot Ladybug

Invertebrates

  • Cardinal Jumping Spider
  • Cherry Shrimp
  • Christmas Island Red Crab
  • Coconut Octopus
  • Humboldt Squid
  • Indian Sea Star
  • Louisiana Crawfish
  • Mediterranean Red Sea Star
  • Red Lobster
  • Red Swamp Crayfish
  • Spanish Dancer

Fish

  • Chili Rasbora
  • Discus Fish
  • Dwarf Lionfish
  • Eastern Red Scorpion Fish
  • Glass Eye Squirrel Fish
  • Guppy
  • Kisaki Nothobranch
  • Siamese Fighting Fish
  • Western Red Scorpionfish

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