How a chameleon changes color mechanism. Why does a chameleon change color: description and interesting facts. Video about a color changing chameleon

Exotic, peculiar, mysterious, supernatural... This is how you can describe a chameleon. He lives on the same planet as us, but looks as if he came from outer space. Either a small dinosaur or an alien. There’s no other way to say about a chameleon...Everyone has probably heard about these reptiles, butChameleons gained greatest fame due to their unique ability to change skin color.

Chameleons have always aroused people's interest. Back in 48 BC. e. The chameleon was described by Aristotle, noting that the color changes when it inflates. And the ancient Roman scientist Pliny mistakenly associated the change in color solely with the background. In the 17th century, the German scientist Vormius explained the color play by the “suffering and experiences” of the chameleon. Perhaps Vormius somewhat flattered the animal by calling its simple mental activity “experiences,” but it turned out that he was closest to the truth.

What causes chameleon skin color to change?

People tend to associate the chameleon with cunning and camouflage, believing that the reptile changes skin color to camouflage itself with its surroundings and objects. You will be disappointed, but this is nothing more than a myth. Their ability to change color is of a completely different nature. First of all, the ability to change color is a kind of communication. In this way, the chameleon communicates with its own kind. The reptile's coloring is at its best when meeting another male. When this happens, they inflate the larynx and increase in size, as if inflated, and they can only inflate one side. Their color becomes significantly brighter. This is a kind of competition between two “gentlemen”. Most often, the larger chameleon is perceived as dominant, and sometimes they attack each other with open mouths. They fight until one of them retreats. When meeting a female, the color will be the same, but the chameleon will not swell in the presence of a lady.

Thus, animals change colors when they want to be noticed, declaring the boundaries of their territory to other males, or, conversely, attracting brides. Of course, they can hide well among the foliage, but usually when a reptile changes color, it tries to stand out.

The color of a chameleon also changes depending on the state of its body. Changes in temperature, lighting and humidity, unfavorable living conditions, illness, hunger, dehydration, anger, fear, stress - all these factors also affect the color of the animal's skin. If a chameleon is stressed, it will appear darker in color. In a word, a change in the color of a chameleon is a signal that something has happened that falls outside the scope of “normality” in the understanding of the animal.

Important: Chameleons must be protected from stress in every possible way. You should not bully the chameleon, show it other animals, or often move it to other places. Stress will be expressed not only in a change in color, but also in the refusal of food. In general, chameleons are not stress-resistant animals. Remember that the worst thing for reptiles is stress. A stressful situation can end in disaster. Fatalities are common.

By observing a chameleon for a long time, you will learn to understand what your pet wants to express by changing color. And if the color of a chameleon suddenly matches the background surrounding it, then this is an accident, and nothing more.

How does a chameleon change color? Mechanism of color change

Zoologists have found that the chameleon is able to change color due to the special structure of its skin. In the outer and deeper layer of reptile skin there are light-reflecting cells - chromatophores. They contain grains of pigments of black, red, yellow and dark brown. When the processes of the chromatoforms contract, the pigment grains are distributed in their center, and the skin of the animal acquires a whitish or yellow color. If the dark pigment is concentrated in the outer layer, the skin becomes dark in color. When pigments are combined, a variety of color shades appear. Thanks to this mechanism, the color “palette” of the reptile turns out to be very rich.

The color of a chameleon can instantly change from light to purple, then to black and dark brown. The color changes both on the entire body and in its individual areas, accompanied by the appearance or disappearance of stripes or spots of various colors.

The main color for chameleons is green. Yellow, gray and brown animals are also found.

Chameleon color scheme

There is an opinion that the descendants of dinosaurs can be any color they want, but this is not true. Chameleons of different species can change their color palette in a fairly wide range, but only within the limits allocated to this particular species. Under the influence of the above factors, the reptile is able to change colors and acquire new shades, but within the framework of its color scheme. So, for example, literally in a second a male can turn from green to orange or red. These same chameleons, when falling asleep, turn pale yellow, pink or red. Or, take, for example, the Yemeni chameleon. Green when calm, when frightened or angry, the Yemen chameleon can turn black with yellow and green spots.

It is not difficult to guess that when keeping a chameleon at home, there is no particular reason for it to change skin color. You will not deliberately frighten your ward or keep him in conditions unfavorable for him. Therefore, you should not count on the fact that your pet dinosaur will constantly shimmer in different colors, like a New Year’s garland.

In contact with

A chameleon is a lizard that forms a separate species and has a number of characteristics. Outwardly it resembles other lizards, only it has a longer tail. In a calm state, it wraps itself in a spiral in a downward direction. The paws are an excellent grasping tool for the animal, since it predominantly leads an arboreal lifestyle. Five fingers are fused into a group of 3 and 2, respectively, which forms a kind of claw.

The main range is sharply limited and is located on the island of Madagascar and adjacent small islands. They are also found in the tropical forests of Africa, on the coastal zone of the east coast. Chameleons are also found in deeper regions of Africa, usually in the highlands.

REFERENCE! Alpine species tend to be viviparous lizards. While the rest lay eggs to breed offspring.

A unique way of hunting. The animal waits for its prey or moves slowly towards it. The menu includes insects, but large species of chameleons can also eat small birds and reptiles. Catching is carried out using a sticky tongue, which shoots forward at lightning speed towards the prey. The suction cup on the end provides a secure grip. After which the insect is pulled into its mouth.

Eyes with a special design are used for detection. Each of them rotates arbitrarily and independently of the second. This provides the chameleon with a fairly wide range of vision. The eyeball is closed by a dense keratinized eyelid, only the pupil is open.

The presence in nature of natural enemies that threaten the life of the chameleon led the lizard to adapt to mimicry. This is how she protects herself . This so-called change in body color in accordance with external conditions and the mood of the animal is the answer to the question of why and why chameleons change colors.

Color change is the main feature of chameleons

Chameleon skin is a kind of armor. Like many reptiles, it has a scaly and tuberous structure. Each scale or tubercle fits tightly to each other, which provides the lizard with some protection. But at the same time, there is another way in which you can disguise yourself. Such mimicry or camouflage helps the chameleon, along with immobility, to remain unnoticed by its enemy.

Chromatographs - special cells for changing color

One of the main distinguishing properties of a chameleon is the ability to change body color. She is provided by special cells in the skin called chromatophores.

These cells have a fairly branched structure. The part is located deep in the skin and is connected to nerve endings. While the other process is located closer to the outer layers of the skin. This is where they are located capsules with pigments containing black, yellow and red paints.

Reference! If an animal tenses, then due to muscle spasm and spasm of nerve endings, the chromatophores are fixed within certain zones, without spreading over the entire surface.

This results in the skin becoming as light or even white as possible. When the animal is in a calm state, the pigments are distributed throughout all the fibers, providing the presence of paint that changes the lizard's shade to a darker and brighter one.

Guanine for reflection and shimmer

In addition, animal skin also contains components such as guanine. The chemical composition of guanine provides its reflective properties. Thanks to this play of light, the lizard’s skin acquires additional color tints.. Blue, green, bluish and deep purple shades appear.

It is important to remember that the final color of the animal depends on the following factors:

• its type;
• physical condition;
• feelings of hunger or, conversely, satiety;
• readiness for mating;
• the presence of a stressful situation.

Reference! To a certain extent, the skin of a chameleon is transparent, and the presence of pigments makes it capable of taking on different shades.

Depending on how widespread the dye is throughout the cell, the lizard becomes either bright in color or colorless, almost white, if the chromatophores are collected in the center of the cell nucleus.

What colors can a chameleon have?

Chameleon color in a calm state depends primarily on the species to which the animal belongs.

The second factor influencing the color decision of the skin in a given situation is external conditions.

• If the animal is scared or in an aggressive state and, it becomes as dark as possible, sometimes taking almost black color.
• In a calm state, the coloring is as natural as possible and corresponds to a certain type of reptile.
• During the mating season, males become more saturated in color, than in natural conditions, signaling their readiness to mate.

Important! This lizard can take on all the colors of the rainbow - from black and nondescript dusty gray to bright shades of purple, green and orange.

How does color change occur?

A chameleon's color changes can occur in different ways. Under the influence of external conditions the process takes just a few seconds. Whereas internal processes may cause slower changes in tone.

As already mentioned, chromophores provide changes in skin color. Due to the intensity of compression of muscle structures and nerve fibers, varying amounts of pigments are released. Mixing with each other in different proportions, they give one or another shade. It is important when the animal is camouflaged. The color range is limited only by the type of lizard.

Interesting! Not only the color changes, but also the pattern. So the spots that were there at the beginning may disappear or, conversely, new ones will appear. In addition, the eyes, or more precisely, the hard ring eyelid, can also change.

Reasons for color change

Previously it was believed that the chameleon changes color due to camouflage. But recent research by scientists has revealed a different dependence of this process.

The color of reptiles is more affected by the external environment. For example, African lizards change color, acquiring darker shades in the morning. This allows them to quickly warm up, absorbing maximum solar energy. While during the day, avoiding overheating, they bring their color closer to extremely light tones.

Females darken during pregnancy, signaling to males that they are busy bearing offspring and are not ready to mate. Thus, the color becomes a kind of deterrent.

Also, when two males meet, they become much brighter. This is due to the spirit of competition that they experience towards each other. In addition to color, the shape of the body also changes. Males can swell, increasing in size.

They change not only the color, but also the skin

As the animal grows, it sheds periodically. The replacement mechanism is as follows. The frequency can be 1 month for a young reptile, while in older reptiles shedding the skin occurs less frequently. The same goes for the duration of the reset period. In young people it slides off in a few hours, while in adults it can peel off in 1 week.

Important! For those who keep this reptile at home, it is necessary to pay attention to the appearance of possible pathologies when shedding its skin.

In this case, you need to contact a veterinarian, since the lizard may simply lack the necessary vitamins and microelements for the body to function normally.

Dear friends! One of the brightest representatives of exclusive colors are chameleons. This is truly a man-made miracle. The scope of application of chameleons is limited only by imagination: painting cars, motorcycles, bicycles, rims, safety helmets, household appliances and electronics, furniture, decorative items, design, various accessories, etc. These paints have excellent performance strength, are resistant to ultraviolet radiation and weathering. The number of shades and effects that a particular chameleon conveys can only be described conditionally. Since the lighting conditions and viewing angles of the surface have an infinite number of variations, the chameleon is able to create a rich polyphony of color mixing and color play, using its many basic colors and their shades. It was by subjectively determining the base colors that chameleon manufacturers gave these paints individuality and assigned trade names, under which an individual set of base colors and their shades was recorded.
Our laboratory presents a collection of 11 chameleons of different basic colors and shades made in the UK and USA. We sell these wonderful paints both by bulk and in aerosol cans. Below we will look at each chameleon separately, as well as the technology of application, prices and methods of purchase.
NOT A SECRET! CHAMELEON paints transform ordinary things into noticeable and exclusive, and cheap and mass-produced ones into expensive and unique ones.

ASSORTMENT OF COLOR LABORATORY CHAMELEONS (11 chameleons)

You need to correctly understand that the name of the basic colors is just the color scheme of a chameleon; in practice, it is more and more complex, diverse and subjective.
ATTENTION! Colors displayed on your monitor may differ slightly from the original. For an accurate understanding of the color of each chameleon please WATCH THE VIDEO.

1. Chameleon paint “AURORA”. Basic colors: neon green, blue, purple.

2. Chameleon paint “TYPHOON”. Basic colors: red-burgundy, green, purple.

3. Chameleon paint “ANTIUS”. Basic colors: yellow, gold, blue, purple, burgundy.

4. Chameleon paint “NEPTUNE”. Basic colors: blue, blue, purple.

5. Paint chameleon “SUGAR”. Basic colors: burgundy, purple, yellow, gold.

6. Chameleon paint “SIRIUS”. Basic colors: burgundy, green.

7. Chameleon paint “PROMETHEUS”. Basic colors: gold, burgundy, brown, purple.

8. Chameleon paint "POSEIDON". Basic colors: blue, blue, purple.

It differs from "NEPTUNE" in a softer play of color, severity and less spectral contrast between the basic colors.

9. Chameleon paint "OBLIVION". Basic colors: yellow, blue, purple.

10. Chameleon paint "ZEPHIR". Basic colors: fuchsia, lime, gold, yellow, gray, purple.

11. Chameleon paint "LAGOON". Basic colors: green, lilac, gray, violet.

PAINTING TECHNOLOGY, PRICES and HOW TO BUY

1. Packaging options and manufacturers

Our laboratory sells CHAMELEON paints both in aerosol cans of 520 ml and by weight from 100g. Exclusive paints in aerosol cans are convenient for painting wheels, bicycles, motor vehicles, household appliances, furniture, electrical appliances, interior items, souvenirs, etc. They will also be convenient for designers, decorators, exclusive industries and just home craftsmen. Loose paints are intended for spray guns and are used for professional painting of large-sized objects such as motor vehicles, furniture, large interior elements, etc. Our Color Laboratory receives exclusive paints directly from manufacturers in the USA and UK. The pigments of these chameleons are of high quality and concentration, and also have excellent UV resistance. It is for this reason that we do not use Chinese, Singaporean and Malaysian paints, which are mainly suitable for the nail business and cosmetics making.

2. On what surfaces can exclusive paints be applied and approximate consumption

CHAMELEON paints can be applied to products made of metal, plastic, wood, glass, concrete. Paint consumption is: aerosol can 520 ml per 1 sq. meter of surface in 4 middle layers. This number of layers is quite enough for the exclusive paint to reveal all its capabilities. Chameleon by weight has the same consumption as a simple metallic: 300 g per 1 sq.m. in 3 medium layers with a spray gun nozzle of 1.3 mm - 1.4 mm

3. How to paint

CHAMELEON paint should be applied to prepared surfaces at an air temperature of at least 18 degrees Celsius. Before painting, shake the paint can thoroughly for 1 minute. After painting, turn the can upside down and for 2 seconds. bleed off the paint to clean the nozzle. Initially, the object to be painted chameleon needs to be painted in a simple black color (with a simple base paint without varnish, which can be purchased from us). Less often, to obtain the pearl effect, the substrate is made not black but white.
In 10 minutes. After applying the black paint, the chameleon is applied. The number of layers is from 3 to 6, depending on the color of the chameleon and the method of application (usually more layers with a can than with a spray gun). Interlayer exposure 3-5 minutes. at room temperature for the can and 10 min. for a spray gun. After the last layer of paint, wait for 10 - 15 minutes. and apply 2-3 layers of spray varnish with an interlayer exposure of 5 minutes, or two-component acrylic with an interlayer exposure of 10 minutes. Next, we dry the varnish according to its passport value. We always have varnishes, both spray and two-component, on sale. A beautiful “fashionable” effect is achieved by a chameleon opened with matte acrylic or tactile suede polyurethane varnish. You can find out what tactile paints and Soft-Touch varnishes are on this page of the site. These rare varnishes are also in our laboratory.

4. Price

5. How to buy

Very simple. Welcome to the Color Laboratory at the address indicated in the contacts. If you need delivery in Moscow or Russia, place an order in our online store: on these shelves there are CHAMELEONS. Select the desired CHAMELEON color from the online store window, add it to your cart and place your order. You can pay by cards, cash and bank transfer (if you are a legal entity)

Dear friends! Remember that the Color Laboratory technologists will always and with pleasure advise you on any issues regarding painting technology.

Chameleons are lizards that can camouflage themselves with their environment by changing their color. Reptiles, order – scaly. They are representatives of the chameleon family. The word chameleon is translated from German as “earth lion.”

Chameleon: what it looks like, description, structure, characteristics

These lizards are very interesting creatures. Their torso is completely covered with lumpy skin with small growths and thick areas. Some individuals have sharp horns, helmets, and small pearls near the eyes on their faces.

Chameleons prefer to climb trees. In the process of evolution, they remained with two and three toes on each paw. The fingers grow together into two groups opposite to each other. Each group has 2 toes on the front paws and 3 on the hind paws, looking like “claws”. At the tips of each finger there is one sharp claw, thanks to which lizards can safely climb, clinging to the bark. In addition to the paws, there is a tail, which chameleons also use in the process of climbing the trunk.

These lizards are the real kings of camouflage. They hide not only from their prey, but also from predatory animals. Chameleons are also famous for the fact that they can remain in one position for several days. In special cases, chameleons freeze for several weeks. This way the lizard lulls the vigilance of its prey and calmly attacks.

Chameleons are practically invisible in thickets of plants. They can take on any color, masquerading as objects around them. If you look at a chameleon from the front, it will appear flat. Color changes occur due to the special structure of the skin, which is able to masquerade as the animal’s natural habitat.

Character and lifestyle of a chameleon

Chameleons spend most of their time resting on tree branches. They can wait for prey or simply rest. Lizards descend only when it is time for the mating season. It is difficult for chameleons to move on the ground. Two-fingered limbs are better suited for climbing trees.

Thanks to their powerful tail, chameleons can feel calm in dense thickets. They always have something to cling to and somewhere to run away. Chameleons are active during the day and rarely move. When in danger they can run and jump extremely quickly. The danger comes from snakes, other lizards and birds. If an enemy notices a chameleon, it begins to inflate and change color. The reptile may bite a little, but cannot cause much harm. Chameleons' jaws are too weak.