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How Do Chameleons Change Color?
变色龙如何改变体色？
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Chameleons don’t change color to match backgrounds exactly—they shift hues mainly to communicate or regulate body temperature.
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Special skin cells called chromatophores contain pigments like yellow, red, and brown, which expand or contract under nervous control.
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Beneath them, iridophores reflect light using tiny guanine crystals that rearrange to alter wavelength interference.
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Cooler temperatures cause crystal lattices to tighten, reflecting shorter blue wavelengths; warmth spreads them to reflect longer red ones.
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Males often brighten during mating season, while stress or illness may trigger dull, dark tones.
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Recent studies show some chameleons even adjust brightness independently of hue for better camouflage in shade or sun.
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Robotic engineers copy this layered optical system to develop adaptive camouflage materials for sensors.
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Unlike octopuses, chameleons rely less on vision feedback and more on internal hormonal and thermal signals.