Small, picturesque and very skilful, the chameleon is living proof that in the animal kingdom, however great it may be spectacular, originating in Africa, it is one of the most fascinating beings on Earth, for its great and delirating eyes., which can move independently of each other, in addition to their extraordinary ability to change color and camouflage themselves between the different environments of nature.If you want to know how the chameleon changes color, be sure to read this article from the animal expert.
Before you know why chameleons change body color, you need to know a little more about them.The real chameleon inhabits much of the African continent, although it is also possible to find it in Europe and parts of Asia.Its scientific name Chamaeleonidae includes almost two hundred different species of reptiles.
- The chameleon is a very solitary animal that usually lives in the treetops without groups or companions.
- Only descends to firm ground when it is time to look for a mate and reproduce.
- On the trees it feeds mainly on insects such as crickets.
- Cockroaches and flies.
- As well as worms.
- This reptile traps its prey using a very special method.
- Which involves throwing its long.
- Sticky tongue on the victims where they are trapped.
- The chameleon’s tongue can reach up to three times the length of his body and he makes this move so fast.
- Only a tenth of a second.
- Making it impossible to escape from it.
It is easy to guess that this astonishing ability allows the chameleon to adapt to almost any existing environment, protecting it from predators while hiding from the eyes of its prey.As we have said, chameleons are native to Africa, although they are also found in parts of Europe and Asia; when they are numerous, they are distributed by different ecosystems, be they savannahs, mountains, jungles, steppes or deserts, among others; in this scenario, chameleons are able to adapt and achieve all the nuances present in the environment, protecting themselves and contributing to their survival.
In addition, among their abilities, there is also a great ability to jump from one tree to another, thanks to the strength of their legs and tail, if that were not enough, they can change the skin, just like snakes.
Knowing all this, you’re probably wondering, “but how does the chameleon change color?”The answer is simple, they have special cells, called chromatophores, that contain certain pigments with which the chameleon can change color depending on the situation in which these cells are located outside the skin and are divided into three layers:
Now that you know how the chameleon changes color, it’s time to find out why it does, obviously one of the main reasons is that this device serves as a means of filtration against predators, however, there are also other reasons, such as :
Chameleons change color depending on the ambient temperature, for example, to take better advantage of the sun’s rays, they use dark tones because they absorb heat better, just as if the environment is cold they change their skin to lighter colors, to cool the body and protect from adverse climates.
Protection and camouflage are the main causes of its color change, managing to hide from its predators, which are usually birds or other reptiles. The ability to camouflage themselves with the colors offered by nature seems to have no limits, whether plants, rocks or earth, these animals adapt their bodies to anything that allows them to confuse other creatures that pose a risk to their lives.
Read our article “Animals That Camouflage in Nature” and discover other species with this skill.
These small reptiles also change color depending on the mood, in the next section we will delve into this topic and also explain the different tones that chameleons can adopt.
Humans not only have humor, they also have animals, and that’s another reason chameleons change color.Some research has shown that depending on the mood they are in at any given time, they adopt a particular color pattern.
For example, if chameleons are courting a female or are in a dangerous situation, they have a set of colors in which bright colors predominate, while when they are relaxed and calm, they have slightly softer and more natural colors.
Humor is extremely important for chameleons when they change color, especially when communicating with their peers in this way, however, depending on their mood, they alternate their colors as follows:
As mentioned, there are about two hundred species of chameleons distributed around the world.Now, do they change color in the same way? The answer is no.Not all chameleons are able to adopt all varieties of colors, it depends a lot on the species and the environment in which they grow, if that were not enough, some species of this type do not even change color!
Some species, such as the parish priest chameleon, can vary only between different shades of gray and silver blue, while others, such as the Jackson chameleon or the three-horned chameleon, offer a range of approximately 10 to 15 shades., Formed with yellow scales., blue, green, red, white and black.
A third type oscillates only in ochre, black and brown tones, as you can see, they are very complex animals!
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Curiosities section of the animal world.