Image: Chromatophores

Description: Chromatophores. "Just about everything squids do is interesting, but the way they can change their pattern of pigmentation with respect to the substratum is particularly striking. When on a light background, a squid tends to contract its pigment-containing cells so that the pigment becomes concentrated in tiny, widely spaced flecks; the body as a whole thus becomes lighter. On a dark background, the pigment cells expand, diffusing the pigment over a larger area and making the body darker." Editor's note: Also, the magic pink bits. [ From Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast, by Eugene N. Kozloff ]
Title: Chromatophores
Credit: Chromatophores
Author: Minette from Seattle, Washington
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
License: CC BY 2.0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
Attribution Required?: Yes