Consider the following statements: Statement-I: Chameleon changes it

Consider the following statements:

  • Statement-I: Chameleon changes its skin colour to match with the colour of the surroundings
  • Statement-II: The skin of chameleon emits light of the colour of the surrounding through fluorescence

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements and the code?

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is NOT the correct explanation of Statement I
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2017
Statement I is true; chameleons are well-known for their ability to change skin colour, which helps them in camouflage, communication, and thermoregulation, adapting to their surroundings and physiological state. Statement II is false; chameleons change colour not by emitting light through fluorescence but by altering the structural properties of specialized cells called iridophores in their skin, which control how light is reflected, combined with the action of pigment-containing cells (chromatophores).
Chameleons change colour using structural colouration and pigments, not by emitting light through fluorescence.
The colour change in chameleons involves manipulating layers of nanocrystals within iridophore cells. By relaxing or exciting their skin, they can change the spacing between these crystals, which in turn reflects different wavelengths of light, producing structural colours like blue and green, which combine with pigment colours (like yellow from xanthophores) to create the observed spectrum.
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