How Do Chameleons Change Color? Test Your Knowledge!

1. What is the primary mechanism that allows chameleons to change their skin color?

A. Shifting pigments in their skin cells
B. Adjusting the spacing of nanocrystals in specialized cells
C. Changing blood flow beneath the skin
D. Absorbing colors from their environment

2. Which specialized skin cells in chameleons contain these nanocrystals responsible for color change?

A. Melanocytes
B. Keratinocytes
C. Iridophores
D. Xanthophores

3. Why do chameleons change their skin color?

A. Solely for camouflage
B. To regulate body temperature and communicate
C. To absorb more sunlight for energy
D. To blend in with any environment instantly

4. In a relaxed state, how are the nanocrystals in a chameleon's iridophores arranged, and what color does this typically produce?

A. Tightly packed, reflecting blue light
B. Loosely arranged, reflecting red light
C. Randomly scattered, reflecting green light
D. Aligned in rows, reflecting yellow light

5. What happens to the nanocrystals in a chameleon's skin when it becomes excited or agitated?

A. They dissolve completely
B. They become more densely packed
C. They spread apart, reflecting longer wavelengths
D. They change shape, altering pigment production