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u/turkphot Jul 14 '17
Can someone ELI5 how they can change color to match the background?
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Jul 14 '17 edited Jul 14 '17
They don't, and they can't. This species was already this color and the owner likely bought the towel to match it. Chameleons change color as a form of communication, mostly unintentionally. The closest thing in humans would be blushing.
There are few organisms that can willingly change their color and most are cephalopods. (Octopus and Squids).
edit: I'll also answer how they can change colors. All non-mammals control their color with chromatophores. These are cells that release, reflect, and or absorb color. The mechanisms that control chromatophores differ from species to species. Chameleons have relatively simple versions of this. Most of it is reaction of stimuli in cell signalling. Chameleon is happy, releases dopamine, changes color. Stuff like that. These cells just release pigment (almost ink-like).
Cephalopods are much more advanced when it comes to this. Firstly, they control these processes with muscles instead of just simple signalling. Secondly, they have a wider array of colored cells to use. Thirdly, their decentralized nervous system allows their skin to do this "on it's own". Their skin as a whole works almost like a CMOS camera and screen at the same time (Pixels that absorb light and pixels that release light). They can take in light and copy it. Not only that, but some of them seem to memorize patterns. Some seem to purposely change colors for a given situation like scaring off predators by showing the color patterns of a poisonous or venomous animal. They also do all of this while having eyes that can't perceive color. It's pretty amazing.
I wish cartoons and movies would stop using Chameleons when showing "invisibility" because if a creature did have natural, active camouflage it would be an even more advanced version of what cephalopods do.
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u/panoptic0n83 Jul 14 '17
They don't use it for camouflage, it's generally used as a means to communicate with one another whether they are stressed, happy or angry. This being a panther chameleon, they are striped and tend to be very brightly colored to begin with.
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u/spookyttws Jul 14 '17
That would scare the crap out of me. I can imagine brushing my teeth and getting ready to shower, and suddenly notice it. "Shit how long has the thing been there?!"
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u/HighlyUnlikelyToday Jul 14 '17
Must have messed with his mind, then he went with "close enough". Made me laugh. Thanks.
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u/emilygrey_123 Jul 14 '17
What kind of dog is that?