Lizards change color. Lizards change color because their epidermal structure is very special, in which many pigment cells are distributed. These pigment cells have many kinds and different colors, including black, yellow, red, blue, purple and other colors. Moreover, they are surrounded by filaments.
When various factors in the external environment change, or encounter natural enemies or prey, they will control the expansion and contraction of pigment cells through filaments to show different colors.
Principle of lizard discoloration:
There are three kinds of pigment cells under the skin of chameleon: green, blue and gray. Green and blue pigment cells are long spindle shaped, widely distributed in subcutaneous tissue and perpendicular to the skin surface; The gray pigment cells are located under the green and blue pigment cells and are distributed parallel to the skin surface.
The principle of chameleon color change lies in the change of the position of green and blue pigment cells. When the middle part of green pigment cells expands, the skin surface will show more green; When the blue pigment cells expand in the middle, the skin shows more blue; When the green and blue pigment cells shrink, the skin loses its green and blue color, revealing the gray pigment cells at the bottom of the skin.
When do lizards change color:
When lizards find that a similar species enters their territory, they will turn some parts of their body into bright colors such as red to warn their opponents. When it looks at its opponent and is ready to attack, it will turn the color of its body into a dark color; When it escapes the invasion of natural enemies or approaches its prey, it will quickly change its body color and integrate itself into its surrounding environment.