I Didn’t Know That...
Q: Chameleons change color to match their surroundings. Can a blind chameleon do the same?
A: Contrary to popular belief, chameleons do not change color to blend into their surroundings, according to evolutionary biologist Stuart Humphries of the University of Glasgow. The color changes are actually social displays to attract the other sex and a way of identifying their own species. Blind chameleons would thus be able to change colors as well as sighted ones.
The normal greenish-brown color of chameleons makes them very difficult to see in the wild, especially because they remain immobile for long periods. Their walk also mimics moving in the wind: Each time a foot is lifted off a branch, the body sways gently as if rocked by air currents.
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