Chameleon skin. Do you know how?

[Chaos' lil bro Order]

Greetings,

Does anyone know how a Chameleon physiologically changes the color of its skin? I'm guessing the mechanism has to do with proteins in their epidermis that contain chromophores which can be controlled to vary their skin pigment. If anyone knows the details, please show me the devil.

ty.

 

[AO eye 5]

Visual communication

Hi,
Although I cannot adequately address the physiological properties of chameleon skin, I would like to inform you of additional information on animal visual communication. The cuttlefish (a type of squid) seems to be studied more in its physiology, so its dazzling displays should be known to a better degree.
Google search (example): "cuttlefish and visual communication"
http://www.mbl.edu/mrc/hanlon/coloration.html" link

 

[ravenprp]

Hello there,

Thank you for your question about chameleon skin. Yes, you are correct in your guess about the mechanism behind their color changing abilities. Chameleons have specialized cells called chromatophores in their skin that contain pigments called chromophores. These pigments can change color depending on the amount of light and heat they receive, allowing the chameleon to blend in with its surroundings or display different colors to communicate with other chameleons.

Additionally, chameleons have a layer of skin called the iridophore layer, which contains reflective cells that can also change color and create a shimmering effect. This layer, combined with the chromatophores, allows chameleons to create a wide range of colors and patterns on their skin.

It's truly fascinating how these creatures are able to manipulate their skin to blend in or stand out, and scientists are still studying and learning more about their color changing abilities. I hope this helps answer your question. Thank you for your interest in chameleons!