Small, picturesque and highly skilled, the chameleon is living proof that in the animal kingdom size doesn't matter to be spectacular. Originally from Africa, it is among the most fascinating beings on Earth, thanks to its large and crazy eyes, which can move independently of one another, and its extraordinary ability to change color and camouflage itself between the different environments of nature. But how is the latter possible? If you want to know why the chameleon changes color, be sure to read the following article on our site.
Chameleon habits
Before knowing why chameleons change their body color, it is necessary to know a little more about them. Well, the scientific name Chamaeleonidae encompasses almost two hundred species of reptiles. The true chameleon inhabits much of the African continent, although it can also be found in Europe and certain regions of Asia.
It is a rather solitary animal, usually living high up in the trees without any pack or mates. Only when it is time to find a mate and reproduce, does it descend to solid ground. In trees, it feeds mainly on insects, such as crickets, cockroaches and flies, and also on worms. It catches its prey using a rather peculiar method, which consists of launching its long and sticky tongue on the victims, which can measure up to three times the length of its body, where they remain attached. The chameleon does this extremely quickly, in just a tenth of a second, making escape almost impossible.
Does the chameleon need to change color?
It is easy to guess that this surprising ability allows the chameleon to adapt to almost any existing environment, protecting it from predators, while that hides it from the eyes of its prey. As we have already said, chameleons are native to Africa, although they are also found in some areas of Europe and Asia. As there are a large number of species, they are distributed throughout different ecosystems, whether they are savannahs, mountains, jungles, steppes or deserts, among others. In this panorama, the chameleons have managed to adapt, to the point of being able to reach any tone found in their environment, protecting themselves and contributing to their survival.
In addition, their skills also include great dexterity, as they are able to jump from one tree to another thanks to the strength of their legs and tail. As if that weren't enough, they can shed their skin, just like snakes.
How do chameleons camouflage themselves?
Knowing all this, you are probably wondering: "but how do chameleons change color?". The answer is simple, they have some special cells, called chromatophores, which contain certain pigments with which the chameleon can alter its coloration depending on the situation in which it finds itself. These cells are located on the outer part of the skin and are distributed in three layers:
- Upper layer: contains red and yellow pigments, especially visible when the chameleon is in a situation of risk.
- Intermediate layer: mainly houses the white and blue pigments.
- Bottom Layer: Contains dark pigments, such as black and brown, that commonly manifest depending on temperature changes in the environment.
Why do chameleons change color?
Now that you know how the chameleon changes color, it's time to find out why it does so. Obviously, one of the main reasons is that it works as a method of escape from predators. However, there are also other reasons, such as:
Temperature changes
Chameleons change their color depending on the temperature that exists in the environment. For example, to take better advantage of the sun's rays, they dress in dark tones, since these better absorb heat. Likewise, if the environment is cold, they change their skin to lighter colors to cool their body and protect themselves from adverse weather.
Protection
Protection and camouflage are the main causes to change their color, managing to hide from their predators, which are usually birds or reptiles. The ability to camouflage with the colors that nature offers seems to have no limits, because it does not matter if it is plants, rock or earth, these animals adapt their body to everythingwhatever allows them to confuse the creatures that represent a risk to their lives.
Enter our article "Animals that camouflage themselves in nature" and discover other species with this ability.
Moods
Chameleons also change their color depending on their mood, and in the next section we will delve deeper into this subject and we will also explain the different shades that chameleons can adopt.
Do chameleons change their color according to their mood?
Not only humans have moods, animals do too, and this is another reason why chameleons change color. Research has shown that depending on the mood they are in at a given moment, they adopt a certain color pattern.
For example, if they are courting a female or in a dangerous situation, they show a play of colors where bright colors predominate, while if they are relaxed and calm, they show slightly brighter colors. smooth and natural.
Chameleon colors according to your mood
Mood is extremely important for chameleons when it comes to changing their color, especially because in this way they communicate with their congeners. Now, according to their mood, they alternate their colors in the following way:
- Stress: in situations of stress or nervousness, they are painted dark tones, such as black and a variety of browns.
- Aggressiveness: During a fight or when threatened by others of the same species, chameleons display a variety ofbright colors , where red and yellow predominate. This tells your opponent that you are ready to fight.
- Passivity: If a chameleon is not ready to fight, the colors it displays are opaque, signaling to your opponent that you're not looking for trouble.
- Mating: when the female is ready for mating, shows bright colors, especially using the orange The machos, on the other hand, try to attract their attention by dressing in a rainbow range, showing their best clothes: red, green, purple, yellow or blue appear at the same time, so this is the moment in which the chameleon most strongly demonstrates its ability to change color.
- Gravidity: when the female is fertilized, she changes her body to dark colors, like deep blue, with few flecks of bright color. In this way, it indicates to other chameleons that it is in a state.
- Joy: either because they have emerged victorious from a fight or because they feel comfortable, when chameleons are calm and happy they are frequent bright green tones. This is also the tone of dominant males.
- Sadness: a chameleon defeated in a fight, sick or sad will appear opaque, ash gray and brown light.
How many colors can the chameleon change to?
As we already mentioned, there are about two hundred species of chameleons distributed throughout the world. Now, do they change color in the same way? The answer is negative. Not all chameleons are capable of adopting all the variety of colors, this depends a lot on the species and the environment in which they develop. As if that weren't enough, some species of this genus don't even change color!
Some species, such as Parson's chameleon, can only alternate between different shades of gray and silvery blue, while others, such as Jackson's thrasher, display a range of between 10 and 15 shades, made up of variations of yellow, blue, green, red, black and white.
A third type is only capable of changing to ocher, black and brown tones. As you can see, they are very complex animals!
