Knowra Chromatophore Chromatophore A pigment-containing or light-reflecting cell that contributes to coloration in many animals. Chromatophores can produce color through pigments, reflective structures, or both.
Melanophore : A chromatophore containing melanin-bearing organelles that produces dark brown or black coloration. Its melanin granules can spread through the cell to darken an animal's skin.
Cephalopod camouflage : The use of skin patterns and color changes by cephalopods to evade detection. Cephalopods rapidly alter chromatophore patterns to blend with changing backgrounds.
Melanin : A group of pigments that absorb ultraviolet and visible light and color skin, hair, feathers, and other tissues. Melanin is the principal dark pigment carried by melanophores.
Melanocyte : A pigment-producing cell in vertebrate skin and hair follicles that synthesizes melanin. Melanocytes make and transfer melanin, whereas chromatophores can also reflect light or move pigment within themselves.
Xanthophore : A chromatophore containing yellow or orange pigments, often pteridines and carotenoids. Its pigments absorb shorter wavelengths and contribute yellow-orange coloration.
Cephalopod skin : The layered sensory and color-changing tissue covering octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish. Its chromatophores work alongside reflective cells and muscles to create dynamic patterns.
Carotenoid : A family of lipid-soluble pigments that produce yellow, orange, or red coloration in organisms. Carotenoids supply color to some chromatophores, often after animals acquire them through food.
Photophore : A light-producing organ found in many bioluminescent animals. Photophores emit light; chromatophores alter coloration mainly by absorbing or reflecting existing light.
Iridophore : A chromatophore with reflective platelets that produce structural colors through light interference. Its ordered reflective structures create iridescent colors without relying on pigment alone.
Animal camouflage : Adaptations that reduce an animal's visibility to predators or prey. Chromatophore-driven color change is one mechanism animals use to conceal themselves.
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