Exploring the Mystery of Color Change in Chameleons

Chameleons have a wide range of colors due to their ability to change their skin color to blend into their environment.

Chameleons have the ability to change their skin color to pink, blue, red, orange, turquoise, yellow, and green. Color is a language used to protect territory, express emotions, and communicate with potential mates.

The way chameleons change colors is fascinating: the cells containing pigments are located under the skin and can open and close to expose different colors.

For example, when angry, chameleons open cells containing brown pigment – melanin, which turns them dark.

When relaxed, cells containing yellow or blue pigments combine, giving the skin a gentle green color. When stimulated sexually, chameleons produce a variety of colors and patterns. At night, many chameleons turn white.

Many people believe that chameleons change colors only to camouflage themselves against enemies. However, their main purpose is to regulate body temperature and communicate emotions with other chameleons. That’s why a blind chameleon can still change the color of its body.

A colorful chameleon

An image of a chameleon living in the Australian desert with the ability to self-clean

A fischer’s chameleon.

A Meller’s chameleon. The green color and patterns of this chameleon blend with the green leaves. It hides on the forest floor, and the patterns on its body resemble leaf veins.

A Panther chameleon full of natural colors and with the ability to change colors flexibly in its living environment.