Chameleons are amazing animals. Their roots go back to antiquity, they lived in the days of the dinosaurs. These animals have gained popularity due to their amazing ability to change skin color.
Instructions
Step 1
Chameleons are inhabitants of savannas, deserts, tropical forests and steppes. They mostly live in trees and less often on the ground. Chameleons have the ability to change skin color into a wide variety of shades: pink, red, green, black, yellow. The special structure of the skin allows chameleons to change color. In the deep layer of the skin there are special branched cells - chromatophores. They are reflective and contain grains of pigments of different colors: yellow, red, black, brown. Chromatophores are also present in reptiles, fish, and amphibians. Cells have a complex mechanism of work associated with the nervous system. The cells of the upper layer contain red and yellow pigments, followed by a layer of guanine, a colorless crystalline substance, and even deeper are melanophores containing black pigment. Depending on the incoming signal of the nervous system, pigment granules are distributed, they mix, forming new colors.
Step 2
Chameleon changes color depending on the environment, when experiencing feelings of hunger, fear, aggression. Temperature, humidity, light also determine the color of the animal. Most often, the skin color is in good harmony with the surroundings, with the background of the habitat, in order to disguise the chameleon. Another reason for color change is communication with their congeners. During the mating season, the skin color becomes bright to attract the female, but the aggression is accompanied by a dark color. If two chameleons do not share the territory, then they begin to compete with each other. The first stage of the competition for a place in the sun is dyeing the skin. The male who is brighter than his relative will surely win.
Step 3
Desert dwellers use their peculiarity to absorb sunlight. In the morning, the color is black to absorb as much heat as possible, and at lunchtime it turns light gray to reflect the sun's rays. The color can also change only in certain areas, then multi-colored stripes or spots cover the chameleon's body. It is a misconception that a chameleon can take absolutely all colors and patterns. He changes his color in the range laid down in the physiology of the animal. Chameleon owners love to experiment with them. If you put a chameleon on a chessboard, then it will not turn into a black and white box.
