8. Chameleons Change Color Based On Mood
QI did get it right, mostly, to say that
most chameleons change colors
primarily to indicate mood. But, as with these other bits of QI nonsense, there is more to it than that. First of all, not every species of chameleon has the ability to change color, so they're out of the running entirely. Secondly, of the ones that can, they do it for a myriad of reasons social signaling (including broadcasting their moods), thermoregulation, and, in some species...
camouflage! Cue the forfeit buzzer! Males will sport brilliant, vivid patterns (pictured above) on their skin to court females, or go very dark to try and intimidate other males off of their territory. Desert-dwelling species like the Namaqua chameleon will change color to either absorb or reflect heat, as necessary. But there
are species that also use their coloring for the purpose of camouflaging as well. In particular, they are even able to
adjust the color change to account for the vision of the predator threatening them.