chromatophores
Cells containing pigment granules
Chromatophores are pigment-containing cells that allow animals to change color.
Found in cephalopods, reptiles, fish, and amphibians, these cells expand or contract to reveal or conceal pigments, enabling camouflage, communication, or temperature regulation.
The octopus's chromatophores rippled across its skin as it matched the coral beneath it.
Tentacled marine mollusk class
- octopusEight-limbed sea mollusk
- squidTen-armed marine mollusk
- cuttlefishColor-changing cephalopod with internal shell
- chameleonLizard altering its pigmentation
zebrafish · flounder · tree frog · anole · killifish · cichlid · crustacean · nudibranch
Act of hiding something
- mimicryAdaptive resemblance to another
- countershadingCamouflage via tonal gradient
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
- stealthSecret, undetected movement
Natural coloring compound
- carotenoidsFat-soluble plant pigments
- eumelaninBrown-black biological pigment
- pigmentationNatural tissue coloring
- flavonoidsPolyphenolic plant metabolites
Color shift from interference
- blanchingBriefly boiling then cooling
- darkeningGrowing less bright
- mottlingIrregular colored patches
- countershadingCamouflage via tonal gradient
Pigment-producing skin cells
- organellesSpecialized cell subunits
- cytoplasmGel surrounding the nucleus
- dermisLiving tissue under epidermis
- epidermisOutermost tissue layer
fibroblasts · morphology · membrane · vesicles · dendrites · contractile
Ritual to attract partners
- warning colorationConspicuous hues signaling unpalatability
- startle responseInvoluntary reaction to surprise
- sexual selectionTrait-driven reproductive advantage
- communicationExchanging ideas or information
cephalopod
Tentacled marine mollusk class
- octopusEight-limbed sea mollusk
- squidTen-armed marine mollusk
- cuttlefishColor-changing cephalopod with internal shell
chameleon · zebrafish · flounder · tree frog · anole · killifish · cichlid · crustacean · nudibranch
concealment
Act of hiding something
- mimicryAdaptive resemblance to another
- countershadingCamouflage via tonal gradient
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
stealth · ambush predator · visual deception · active camouflage
melanin
Natural coloring compound
- carotenoidsFat-soluble plant pigments
- eumelaninBrown-black biological pigment
- pigmentationNatural tissue coloring
iridescence
Color shift from interference
melanocytes
Pigment-producing skin cells
- organellesSpecialized cell subunits
- cytoplasmGel surrounding the nucleus
- dermisLiving tissue under epidermis
epidermis · fibroblasts · morphology · membrane · vesicles · dendrites · contractile
courtship display
Ritual to attract partners
- warning colorationConspicuous hues signaling unpalatability
- startle responseInvoluntary reaction to surprise
- sexual selectionTrait-driven reproductive advantage
chromatophoresstem cells
Undifferentiated cells with regenerative potential
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