Chromatophores and Physiology

[littlefoot3]

Who can point me in the direction of some reading on how chromatophores work and other things on chameleon physiology? Any good resources?


Undergrad biology student looking for some end-of-the-summer reading!

 

[Chris Anderson]

Most of the type of information you're looking for is in the primary literature, so you'd need to search for specific journal articles on the topics you're interested in. I wrote a summary on some aspects of chameleon color change a number of years ago (http://www.chameleonnews.com/04NovAndersonColor.html) but there is a lot more information now about color change and behavior in chameleons in papers by Devi Stuart-Fox. As for other chameleon physiology stuff, it depends on what you're looking for (feeding and locomotor biomechanics, muscle physiology, metabolic pathway-type physiology, etc.). Some of my feeding biomechanics and muscle physiology work can be found on my website: http://www.chamaeleonidae.com/Publications.html

Chris

 

[littlefoot3]

Most of the type of information you're looking for is in the primary literature, so you'd need to search for specific journal articles on the topics you're interested in. I wrote a summary on some aspects of chameleon color change a number of years ago (http://www.chameleonnews.com/04NovAndersonColor.html) but there is a lot more information now about color change and behavior in chameleons in papers by Devi Stuart-Fox. As for other chameleon physiology stuff, it depends on what you're looking for (feeding and locomotor biomechanics, muscle physiology, metabolic pathway-type physiology, etc.). Some of my feeding biomechanics and muscle physiology work can be found on my website: http://www.chamaeleonidae.com/Publications.html

Chris

Muscle physiology is right up my alley! Thanks for a push in the right direction, I'll be looking into these when I get home from work tonight.

 

[juice28]

i just had to say hats up to someone else for Louisiana!!!

lol the most detailed stuff ive found about just chromatophores and how they work etc was in SW life mainly in cephlapods. if your looking for detailed explanation of chromataphores in general, that may provide some additional info on how they work.

 

[littlefoot3]

i just had to say hats up to someone else for Louisiana!!!

lol the most detailed stuff ive found about just chromatophores and how they work etc was in SW life mainly in cephlapods. if your looking for detailed explanation of chromataphores in general, that may provide some additional info on how they work.

I've found a few things on cephalopods and chromatophores. Those are interesting as well, but I'm more interested in the mechanism that triggers them in chameleons.

Are you from my neck of the woods?

 

[juice28]

I've found a few things on cephalopods and chromatophores. Those are interesting as well, but I'm more interested in the mechanism that triggers them in chameleons.

Are you from my neck of the woods?

yea, from the river parishes to N.O. east was my stomping ground mostly lol.. frequented LSU and SU alot though lol..had friend the went to southern and LSU and my brother girl(wife now) was on the track team for LSU. spent alot of time in hammond and lafayette.. went to school in alexandria for a lil bit but xfrd to South eastern. im in NM now...i miss the food back home and having a festival somewhere in the state like every other month lol.

i didnt really think about the triggers for chromatophores in chams until i read your post lol then i was like hmm...im no marine biologist but ive kept cuttlefish and octopus before and it was amazing to see first hand. by far the most adaptive color changing organism ive ever seen but theyre color/texture changing is more in deth than in chams(i think) but i didnt find too much in terms of chams..not when compared to cephalopods i was like wow...someone need to do more studies on them

 

[littlefoot3]

yea, from the river parishes to N.O. east was my stomping ground mostly lol.. frequented LSU and SU alot though lol..had friend the went to southern and LSU and my brother girl(wife now) was on the track team for LSU. spent alot of time in hammond and lafayette.. went to school in alexandria for a lil bit but xfrd to South eastern. im in NM now...i miss the food back home and having a festival somewhere in the state like every other month lol.

i didnt really think about the triggers for chromatophores in chams until i read your post lol then i was like hmm...im no marine biologist but ive kept cuttlefish and octopus before and it was amazing to see first hand. by far the most adaptive color changing organism ive ever seen but theyre color/texture changing is more in deth than in chams(i think) but i didnt find too much in terms of chams..not when compared to cephalopods i was like wow...someone need to do more studies on them

Oh wow small world! Most of my family is in Carlsbad! But I was raised here in Baton Rouge. And when I first thought about looking into it, the initial quick wikipedia reference mentioned cephalopods having some type of chromatophore organs(?) triggered through muscles. It also mentioned chameleons functioning through cell signaling instead. I'm barely beginning to scratch the surface though, I'm hoping chromatophore reading will keep me occupied until the semester starts.

 

[juice28]

Lol yup small world. Yea, cephalopods chromatophores are said to be like organs in their tissues. I guess its because of how they work independently from each other and independent from the muscle and skin. Its very interesting, and alot of info in general so it should keep you busy lol. I posted a thread called " who wants one of these? I do" with a pretty cool video linked to it since your interested in chromataphores it might be interesting to you

 

[Oliviabryant]

check out videos on the cuttlefish! King of camouflage !