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Genes are short sections of DNA that determine an animal’s traits—everything from coat color and claw strength to body shape and health. But sometimes, these genes mutate. And while the word itself sounds alarming, most mutations are harmless and invisible.

The more noticeable ones, however, can produce features that are quite rare for the species.

To give you a sense of how these fascinating genetic quirks show up in nature, we’ve put together a gallery of animals — from cats and mice to crabs, penguins, and beyond — each displaying traits that make them stand out from their peers.

#1

Olive The Cat With Sectoral Heterochromia

Olive The Cat With Sectoral Heterochromia

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Alexia
Community Member
5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Give Oliver anything he wants!! Treats, money, world domination...

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    #2

    Shiny Blue Curl Mouse!

    Shiny Blue Curl Mouse!

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    Jelena
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He is sooooo cute, my heart..... 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

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    #3

    This Raven’s Striking Pale Plumage Is The Result Of The Genetic Mutations Leucism Or Albinism

    This Raven’s Striking Pale Plumage Is The Result Of The Genetic Mutations Leucism Or Albinism

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    #5

    The Clompers Demand Respect

    The Clompers Demand Respect

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    #6

    A Cat With 2 Pairs Of Ears

    A Cat With 2 Pairs Of Ears

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    #7

    Rare Orange Snowy Owl

    Rare Orange Snowy Owl

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    Roman Arendt
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like a japanese artist of the 19th century had no canvas or paper but got his hands on a snow owl. Gorgeous!

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    #8

    This Entirely Black Penguin, A Very Rare Occurance

    This Entirely Black Penguin, A Very Rare Occurance

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    #9

    Rare Royal Purple Princess Crabs Were Spotted In Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand

    Rare Royal Purple Princess Crabs Were Spotted In Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand

    Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Thailand Report

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    #11

    My Parents Got A Maine Coon Kitten With A Million Toes! His Name Is Chino

    My Parents Got A Maine Coon Kitten With A Million Toes! His Name Is Chino

    I don't even know how to describe it, his front paws have almost another paw on it, like where a human would have a thumb he has this 3 toed paw. His feet are little paddles with 8-9 toe beans. I've never seen a cat with so many fingers. My boyfriend and I have a poly cat with one extra little thumb on his front paws but Chino is the most toed cat I've ever met!

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    #12

    Do You See Fortune Cookies, Raviolis, Or Something Else? These Are Actually Albino Razorback Musk Turtle Babies

    Do You See Fortune Cookies, Raviolis, Or Something Else? These Are Actually Albino Razorback Musk Turtle Babies

    thereptilereportofficial Report

    Nicky
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Elon Musk is definitely multiplying but these are too cute to be his

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    #13

    These Zebras Have Pseudomelanism (AKA Abundism), A Mutation That Causes An Abundance Of Melanin

    These Zebras Have Pseudomelanism (AKA Abundism), A Mutation That Causes An Abundance Of Melanin

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    #14

    Liquorice Has A Question

    Liquorice Has A Question

    Bluelblock Report

    #15

    Two Headed Python, Only One Every 100,000 Is Born With Two Heads

    Two Headed Python, Only One Every 100,000 Is Born With Two Heads

    pythonpaintjobs Report

    martymcmatrix
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, despite our close bond, I really don't appreciate when you're speaking with a forked tongue...🐍 🤭 🐍

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    #16

    This Gorgeous Fella Foraging In Our Back Forest

    This Gorgeous Fella Foraging In Our Back Forest

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    #17

    A Tortoiseshell Cat With An Extraordinary Orange Pattern On Its Paws

    A Tortoiseshell Cat With An Extraordinary Orange Pattern On Its Paws

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    martymcmatrix
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When grandma gifts you a hand-knitted sweater and your mother insists that you put it on at the next family gathering...🧶 🪡 🧦 🧣

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    #18

    Albino Fur Seal Is Rare Event. This Is A Clear Albino Without Any Pigmentation Even In Its Eyes

    Albino Fur Seal Is Rare Event. This Is A Clear Albino Without Any Pigmentation Even In Its Eyes

    bigdaddivladi Report

    Angela B
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Aaaaaannnnnd the other seal pups are not amused.

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    #19

    Waffles Was Born Without Eyes Due To A Genetic Mutation And Is A Very Good Boy

    Waffles Was Born Without Eyes Due To A Genetic Mutation And Is A Very Good Boy

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    #20

    Cat's Seperated Pupils. She Can See Perfectly Fine

    Cat's Seperated Pupils. She Can See Perfectly Fine

    Smelly-Cauliflower Report

    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I always thought cat eyes looked like those beautiful marbles you played with as a kid, the ones with just a streak of colour in them. Looks like this cat broke his marble eyes.

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    #21

    This Is A Cinnamon Raccoon. This Coloration Is Typically Due To A Genetic Condition Called Leucism, Which Reduces Pigmentation

    This Is A Cinnamon Raccoon. This Coloration Is Typically Due To A Genetic Condition Called Leucism, Which Reduces Pigmentation

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    #22

    Extremely Rare Spotless Giraffe Born In US Zoo

    Extremely Rare Spotless Giraffe Born In US Zoo

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    #23

    Lemon Dalmatian

    Lemon Dalmatian

    khaleesi.django.dalmatian Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Leucistic Dalmatian! It's not a breed standard color in the AKC so it would be show-disqualified, but how gorgeous! <3

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    #24

    I Was Very Fortunate To Spot This White Eastern Gray Squirrel In Highlands North Carolina

    I Was Very Fortunate To Spot This White Eastern Gray Squirrel In Highlands North Carolina

    The white squirrel is actually a genetic anomaly due to a mutated gene from the common Eastern gray squirrel. It is called leucism, which is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation in animals caused by a recessive allele. Unlike albinism, it is a reduction of all types of skin pigment, not just melanin.

    davidturkophotography Report

    #25

    My Yard Has A Mole Problem, But I Never Thought I'd Find An Albino! Chance Of 1:100,000

    My Yard Has A Mole Problem, But I Never Thought I'd Find An Albino! Chance Of 1:100,000

    420wasabisnappin Report

    Chocolate llama
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Awwwwwwwwww!! I love moles and I think they have an unfair bad reputation. The mole hills can be a bit annoying but they snack on mosquito larvae and snail eggs, so I'm always happy if I have one in the garden

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    #26

    Leptopoma Perlucidum, Commonly Known As A Terrestrial Land Snail , But People Think He's A Cutie Patootie Blushing

    Leptopoma Perlucidum, Commonly Known As A Terrestrial Land Snail , But People Think He's A Cutie Patootie Blushing

    comradepilo Report

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    #28

    1 In Every 100,000 Seals Are Born Albino Which Makes Them Super Rare

    1 In Every 100,000 Seals Are Born Albino Which Makes Them Super Rare

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    #29

    This Zebra Has Unusual Pattern That Makes It Almost Look Like Partially Transparent Against The Plains

    This Zebra Has Unusual Pattern That Makes It Almost Look Like Partially Transparent Against The Plains

    Katkerakatkarapu Report

    zatrisha
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Perhaps they'll get a graphics update now; the black and white version was a bit outdated.

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    #30

    A Labrador Born Green Because Of A Pigment Called Biliverdin

    A Labrador Born Green Because Of A Pigment Called Biliverdin

    His name is Pistacchio and he's doing fine! He was born in Pattada, a little village in Sardinia. The green color, which will progressively fade away, is a consequence of biliverdin, a pigment that he ingested while in the womb.

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    #31

    Cat Has A Rare Genetic Disorder That Makes Her Teeth Red And Glow Pink Under Black Light

    Cat Has A Rare Genetic Disorder That Makes Her Teeth Red And Glow Pink Under Black Light

    Overall_Mind_9754 Report

    #32

    Rare Orange Shark, Costa Rica. Its Unusual Colour Is Caused By Something Called Xanthism, A Condition Which Researchers Say Is Extremely Rare In Fishes Like Sharks

    Rare Orange Shark, Costa Rica. Its Unusual Colour Is Caused By Something Called Xanthism, A Condition Which Researchers Say Is Extremely Rare In Fishes Like Sharks

    Straight Arrow News Report

    #33

    Blue Mutated Phelsuma Laticauda

    Blue Mutated Phelsuma Laticauda

    michael_gekkota Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A day gecko! I wanted one of these so badly as a child XD I had a green iguana and a small tribe of green anoles in my childhood, but always wanted a day gecko, a skink, and a snake someday XD

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    #34

    An Albino Katydid With A Rare Genetic Disease Just Chilling On A Hibiscus

    An Albino Katydid With A Rare Genetic Disease Just Chilling On A Hibiscus

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    WindySwede
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    " There are albino animals and erythristic animals. Both caused by recessive genetics, but albino is a lack of pigmentation, where erythrism is production of pink/red pigments." User in reddit.

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    #35

    Adelie Penguin With Isabellinism, A Genetic Mutation That Dilutes The Pigment In Feathers

    Adelie Penguin With Isabellinism, A Genetic Mutation That Dilutes The Pigment In Feathers

    AntarcticReport Report

    #36

    This Small Stack Of A Mutant Bumble Bee I Found Early One Morning. I'm Assured This Is A Genetic Mutation And Very Rare To Witness

    This Small Stack Of A Mutant Bumble Bee I Found Early One Morning. I'm Assured This Is A Genetic Mutation And Very Rare To Witness

    bug_ninja Report

    Gail Lott
    Community Member
    Premium
    12 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Upvote for bee!

    #37

    Would You Say He Has Brown Or Blue Eyes? (Both Of His Eyes Have The Mutation)

    Would You Say He Has Brown Or Blue Eyes? (Both Of His Eyes Have The Mutation)

    Ok_Watch406 Report

    martymcmatrix
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You'll better reach out for the office where you initally applied for his passport...🐰 🆔

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    #39

    Yellow-Throated Toucan With A Genetic Condition Called Leucism. Spotted In Costa Rica

    Yellow-Throated Toucan With A Genetic Condition Called Leucism. Spotted In Costa Rica

    José Manuel Mora Report

    #40

    Sleepy Qizai. He Is A Very Rare Brown Panda And The Only One Living In Captivity

    Sleepy Qizai. He Is A Very Rare Brown Panda And The Only One Living In Captivity

    He was found abandoned in the wild and now lives in the Louguantai wild animal breeding and protection center. There are only 9 known brown pandas!

    ac.ak.ac Report

    #41

    My Horse’s Two-Toned Mustache

    My Horse’s Two-Toned Mustache

    skoldpadda9 Report

    #42

    Macromutation That Causes The Frog To Grow Eyes Inside The Mouth

    Macromutation That Causes The Frog To Grow Eyes Inside The Mouth

    Moncef Feddaoui Report

    Fred
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Imagine having to keep your mouth open so you can see where you're going!

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    #43

    My Wild Axolotl Showing The Default Color. There Are About 18 Variants Of Axolotl Color Because Of Mutation Of Their Pigmentation Genes Due To Crossbreeding

    My Wild Axolotl Showing The Default Color. There Are About 18 Variants Of Axolotl Color Because Of Mutation Of Their Pigmentation Genes Due To Crossbreeding

    HellknowsJS Report

    sturmwesen
    Community Member
    5 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    fun fact: if you have different colors of shrimps in a tank they might crossbreed and next generations become transparent. once in a while a different color will pop up. mine were transparent, red and orange. now most are transparent but 2 are brownish/redish

    #44

    Shiny Kangaroo Taking A Bath

    Shiny Kangaroo Taking A Bath

    Pencilvestor Report

    #45

    Anyone Else Have A Five Toe Chicken? I’ve Personally Never Seen One, Or Even Knew These Existed

    Anyone Else Have A Five Toe Chicken? I’ve Personally Never Seen One, Or Even Knew These Existed

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    #46

    Caught The Lucky Trout This Morning

    Caught The Lucky Trout This Morning

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