Blue sharks can change color
If some animals like chameleon or octopus are able to change color, researchers have discovered that another species of the animal kingdom was also capable. A City University research team in Hong Kong, carried out research on the anatomy of blue sharks and discovered a peculiarity in their skin. Indeed, as their name suggests, these sharks are blue, due to the presence of a single nanostructure present in their skin, a rare color in the animal kingdom.
Teeth originally color variations
The nanostructures observed on the skin of blue sharks turned out to be dermal denticles, small hard scales similar to teeth, which are able to change color. The explanation of this unusual mechanism would be the composition of these teeth. The latter have pulp cavities which contain guanine crystals and melanosomes. The guanine is known to reflect blue light as a mirror, while melanosomes absorb other light colors.
Thus, blue sharks may be observed by having a green or golden skin, depending on the space that is between the precise guanine crystal layers Iflscience. Indeed, the closer these crystals are close and concentrated, the more blue the skin will be. If on the contrary the crystals are distant from each other, then the skin will be more green color.
Other parameters also influence the color of the skin
If the space between guanine crystals is the main cause of color variations, other parameters can also influence the appearance of blue sharks. According to the researchers, the depth in which the shark is located can make it darker blue, especially due to the pressure of the water which tightens the guanine crystals.
Humidity variations can also slightly change skin color according to Mason Dean, professor at the City University of Hong Kong. “Very fine modifications resulting from factors as simple as variations in humidity or water pressure could modify the color of the body, thus influencing the way the animal camouflages or counter-colors in its natural environment”.
Source: Iflscience
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