Roland Seitre / Polar Wolves (Canis lupus arctos), a high arctic variant of the Grey Wolf. Captive. Lobo Park, Antequera, Spain, January.

Chris Shields / Illustration of Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis), four colour variants.

Russell Cooper / English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) flower stem of white variant, in springtime, Banstead Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Ancient Woodland, North Downs, Surrey, England, UK

Vladimir Medvedev / Edelweiss variant (Leontopodium palibinianum). Far East Russia, Primorskiy krai, Lazovskiy raion, Coast of sea of Japan, October.

Vladimir Medvedev / Edelweiss variant (Leontopodium palibinianum). Far East Russia, Primorskiy krai, Lazovskiy raion, Coast of sea of Japan, October.

Vladimir Medvedev / Edelweiss variant (Leontopodium palibinianum). Far East Russia, Primorskiy krai, Lazovskiy raion, Coast of sea of Japan, October.

Vladimir Medvedev / Edelweiss variant (Leontopodium palibinianum). Far East Russia, Primorskiy krai, Lazovskiy raion, Coast of sea of Japan, October.

Vladimir Medvedev / Edelweiss variant (Leontopodium palibinianum). The Far East, Russia, Primorskiy krai, Lazovskiy raion, Coast of sea of Japan, October.

Nick Garbutt / Aerial pitchers of the red variant of pitcher plant (Nepenthes reinwardtiana) growing in mossy heath (kerangas) forest on the southern plateau of Maliau Basin, Sabah's 'Lost World', Borneo

Roland Seitre / Polar Wolf (Canis lupus arctos), a high arctic variant of the Grey Wolf, portrait. Captive. Lobo Park, Antequera, Spain, January.

Roland Seitre / Polar Wolf (Canis lupus arctos), a high arctic variant of the Grey Wolf, yawning. Captive. Lobo Park, Antequera, Spain, January.

Roland Seitre / Polar Wolf (Canis lupus arctos), a high arctic variant of the Grey Wolf, resting on flower meadow. Captive. Lobo Park, Antequera, Spain, January.

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Ariadne's Ophrys orchid (Ophrys ariadne) a tall-stemmed variant of the Cretan Ophrys (Ophrys cretica), Plakias, Crete, Greece, April. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Ariadne's Ophrys orchid (Ophrys ariadne) a tall-stemmed variant of the Cretan Ophrys (Ophrys cretica), Plakias, Crete, Greece, April. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Ariadne's Ophrys orchid (Ophrys ariadne) a tall-stemmed variant of the Cretan Ophrys (Ophrys cretica), Plakias, Crete, Greece, April. meetyourneighbours.net project

Ross Hoddinott / Bee/wasp Orchid (Ophrys apifera) variant Trollii flower. Collard Hill, Somserset, UK, June.

Michel Poinsignon / Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) variant Trollii flower, Lorraine, France, June

Michel Poinsignon / Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) variant Trollii flower, Lorraine, France, June

Russell Cooper / English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) flower stem of white variant, in springtime, Banstead Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest, Ancient Woodland, North Downs, Surrey, England, UK

Stephen Dalton / Orb weaver spider (Araneus quadratus) UK, showing a colour variant

Stephen Belcher / Coconut Crab (Birgus latro) orange variant, Christmas Island, Australia

Stephen Belcher / Christmas Island Red Crab (Gecarcoidea natalis) rare orange variant, Christmas Island, Australia

Robert Valentic / Woma python {Aspidites ramsayi} male from the eastern population with a dark patch around the eyes, St George, Queensland, Australia, Endangered

Dave Bevan / Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) white variant cock, Norfolk, UK, December

Dave Bevan / Red kite (Milvus milvus) melanistic white variant, Wales, UK

John Cancalosi / Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) Cristate Form alongside regular forms, Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA - Cristate form may be a genetic variant and occurs in about one in two hundred thousand individ...

Constantinos Petrinos / Spiny devilfish (Inimicus didactylus) unusual red colour variant, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Constantinos Petrinos / Bearded ghoul / spiny devil fish (Inimicus didactylus) red colour variant, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Constantinos Petrinos / Shortfin lionfish (Dendrochirus brachypterus) rare yellow variant, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Constantinos Petrinos / Weedy scorpionfish, rare purple colour variant (Rhinopias frondosa) Sulawesi, Indonesia

Pete Oxford / Verreaux's sifaka {Propithecus verreauxi} feeding in tree, white colour variant, Berenty PR, Madagascar

Constantinos Petrinos / Crinoid shrimp (colour variant) on crinoid, Sulawesi, Indonesia {Periclimenes amboinensis}

Constantinos Petrinos / Crinoid shrimp (colour variant) on crinoid, Sulawesi, Indonesia {Periclimenes amboinensis}

Constantinos Petrinos / Crinoid shrimp (colour variant) on crinoid, Sulawesi, Indonesia {Periclimenes amboinensis}

Constantinos Petrinos / Crinoid shrimp (colour variant) on crinoid, Sulawesi, Indonesia {Periclimenes amboinensis} on

Kim Taylor / Corn snake {Elaphe guttata}. Red colour variant. Captive.

Kim Taylor / Common woodlouse (Oniscus asellus) orange colour variant on moss, UK

Kim Taylor / Meadow grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus) brachypterous female 'dorsal stripe' colour variant, Surrey, England

Graham Eaton / Black Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) melanistic variant form of common Pheasant, female, Wirral, UK, January

Graham Eaton / Black Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) melanistic variant form of common Pheasant, male, Wirral, UK, June

Constantinos Petrinos / Coinbearing frogfish {Antennarius nummifer} pink variant, on sponge, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Mike Read / Fallow deer {Dama dama} white variant on right, New Forest, Hampshire, UK