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what is it in the chameleon that changes their color2007-11-24 2:03:32Answers:

When the chamelion changes colors, what is happening is on a cellular level (this means that all the action is taking place within the cells of the animal's skin.). In the cell are pigments (pigments are what make freckles and the color of a dark skinned person). When someone gets tan from being in the sun, the pigment is activated and secretes melanin, which is the pigment of our skin. Chamelions also have pigments and they can change them without the sun! They change the pigment according to what color their background is. A few other animals also change color, if you're interested in more examples. The most impressive, in my opinion, is the squid. Squids can change colors very quickly- it looks like somebody is flashing a colored light on their body! We understand how the pigment is released in the cells, but we aren't sure how the chamelion knows what color to change into (fashion sense?). In most cases, color change is for camoflague, but sometimes an excited squid will also change color. So it can be affected by "moods" as well as the environment.

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My guess is heat or just some freaky cell stuff. I don't know.

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Part is the background, part is heat and light, part is also hormonal-"mating colors", etc. "Mood" plays very little part in it, except maybe fear. And yes-it is on the cellular level.

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A chameleon's skin has a clear outer layer over a layer of cells called chromatophores which are similar to the pixels on your television. The layer of chromatophores is made up of an upper layer of pigmented cells called xanthophores (yellow), and erythrophores (red). Below that is a layer of cells called iridophores or guanophores (blue). Below that is a layer of melanophores which control the intensity of reflected light. The chameleon can rapidly relocate the pigments in these cells creating many different colors and simple patterns.