How does a chameleon change its color? 0 8

In the skin of a chameleon, there are special cells called chromatophores, which contain granules of various pigments. These cells have extensions that occupy a significant space, allowing the pigments to be evenly distributed. In this case, the lizard's skin appears dark.

However, when the extensions contract, the 'paints' move to the center of the cell, and the chameleon's color changes. The chromatophores in the upper layer of the skin create shades of black, brown, red, and yellow, while blue and light blue shades are formed by deeper layers.

To achieve green color, light refraction in the upper layer of the skin, which contains guanine crystals, is additionally used. Areas of skin where all the chromatophores are contracted take on a yellowish-white hue.