Top 10 Bicolored corals and invertebrates

Reef Builders · May 20, 2016

Invertebrates and corals in particular, are fascinating to us higher primates (humans) particularly because they seem so alien from us. Everything about them from the way they live, the way they develop, and even the way they die (or partially die) just works by a completely different set of biological rules than we do.

One of the most notable differences between corals and many of the higher animals is their symmetry; corals and nearly all Cnidarians are radially symmetrical, but everything from worms to clams to fish and people are bilaterally symmetrical. We expect corals to have wild colors and patterns set up in a radial or concentric pattern, which is why we do a double take when we see corals trying to break this norm.

Over the years we’ve written about a great number of different corals and a few invertebrates which demonstrate the peculiar phenomenon of bilateral symmetry, at least in terms of colors. These two-faced, half-n-half, bicolored and split screen specimens exhibit striking colors and patterns for a number of reasons; some of them are clearly chimeras, others, just simply have a very fancy wardrobe malfunction.

Without further ado, here are the top 10 corals and invertebrates that we’ve documented showing a very stark bicolored appearance.

Two Face Australomussa

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Bicolor Maxima Clam

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Half & Half Flower Anemone

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Dichromatic Trachyphyllia

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Pacman Cycloseris

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Heliofungia Chimera

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Life Savers Cynarina

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Two-tone green birdnest coral

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Frankenscoly – This is a handmade specimen of Homophyllia (Scolymia) australis that was cut in two by a fragger’s hands, but the one below is all natural.

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Exotic Reef Creations’ half orange, half UFO Scolymia (Homophyllia) australis
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