CamouflageThe ability of cuttlefish to camouflage is reliant on several types of muscle groups as well as specialized cells. However, changing the color of the cuttlefish's skin is not the only means of camouflage. Papillae allow the cuttlefish to deform their skin and take on different textures. The cells responsible for changing the skin color are chromatophores which contain two different kinds of reflecting cells: leucophores and iridophores. Iridophores function in defracting light and give rise to blues, greens and silvers. The leucophores are flattened cells that reflect all colors. In addition to these two cell types, the muscles surrounding the chromatophores expand or contract in response to messages sent from the brain which allows the cuttlefish to change their appearance rapidly (Holloway, 2000).
Cuttlefish use camouflage for three main purposes: to avoid predators, while hunting, and sexual signaling. Each of these uses brings out distinct color formations. These elaborate kinetic displays often occur prior to mating and are thought to enhance their detectability towards a mate (Zylinski et al., 2011). There are three main types of camouflage typically used by the cuttlefish: uniform, mottled, and disruptive (Hanlon, 2007).
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