![]() If neither chameleon take on submissive coloration at this point, the encounter will escalate to physical aggression, involving lunging, biting, and wrestling. All male chameleon submissive colorations are more dark and drab than their displays, usually with the chameleon becoming grey or brown. Submissive coloration, however, does not vary much by species. After this, some chameleons may take on “submissive” coloration if their opponent appears larger than they do. In other species, this color change does not occur until after the males approach each other and elongate their bodies to appear as large as possible. Display coloration during male-male contact varies widely depending on chameleon species. Some chameleon species change into display coloration as soon as they see another male. ![]() Male chameleons have been observed using species-specific color patterns in aggressive interactions with other males, in addition to physical combat. Male chameleons participate in ritualized aggressive displays, which suggests that it is necessary in order to gain access to receptive females and keep other males from doing so. Despite this difference, chameleon responses to snakes are less detectable to the snake visual system than responses to birds are to the bird visual system (a thick dashed line comparison) because snakes have poorer colour discrimination. This study suggests that chameleons alter their color responses to different types of predators.Ĭhameleon colour responses to birds are significantly more camouflaged than colour responses to snakes (thin solid line comparisons) in terms of both (a) chromatic (colour) and (b) achromatic (brightness) perceptual channels for both predators. ![]() This is because birds have excellent vision, including a wide range of color perception, whereas snakes have poorer color vision and will be unable to detect chameleons even when their skin doesn’t match the exact hues of their background. With both predators, the chameleons were successful in camouflaging themselves. In all 13 populations that showed responses, the chameleons changed to colors that more closely matched their backgrounds if they encountered a bird, and if they encountered a snake, they would match their backgrounds, but to a lesser degree. In 2009, Stuart-Fox and Moussalli showed that in 21 populations of dwarf chameleons, 13 populations used different tactics for camouflage depending on whether the predator was a bird or a snake. This hinders recognition of the body outline by creating the appearance of false edges and boundaries (Stevens and Merilaita, 2009). Chameleons can also adopt splotchy coloration, which acts as a form of disruptive camouflage. These species are only able to vary their skin’s brightness, so they may appear to be cream, brown, grey, or black, yet they are still successful in camouflaging themselves from predators. Species that live in areas of little vegetation have a much more limited ability when it comes to color change. Species of chameleons that live in trees can produce many shades of green and brown in many different patterns, which allows them to match moss, leaves, twigs, and vines. Because chameleons have exceptional vision, they are able to detect predators in the area and camouflage themselves before they are seen. Chameleons will change color to avoid predators either by matching their background to “blend in”, or disrupt their body’s outline. Chameleons have also been seen to utilize this skill in a variety of social interactions.Ĭhameleons are commonly known to use their color change to camouflage themselves from their predators, specifically birds and snakes. While it is commonly believed that chameleons change color in order to camouflage themselves from predators, that is not the only advantage color change provides for the chameleons that express it. ![]() Reed Bio 342 Color Change in Chameleons Kimmie McGowen and Madeline RobinĪdaptive Value Why Chameleons Change Color
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