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The Independent

Scientists discover another animal that can change colour

A new study indicates that blue sharks may possess the ability to change their skin colour, akin to chameleons, owing to unique structures on their skin. The shark 's distinctive blue colouration is generated by tiny nanostructures located within the pulp cavities of its dermal denticles, which are specialised skin scales. Guanine crystals function as blue reflectors, while the pigment melanin absorbs other light wavelengths, with these two components working collaboratively to produce the shark 's hue. Researchers discovered that the interplay between guanine and melanin not only creates the colour but also enables the potential for its alteration. Environmental elements, such as increased water pressure at greater depths, can influence the spacing of guanine crystals, leading to the shark 's skin darkening for enhanced camouflage.