American Tree Frog Changes Color to Match its Surroundings

Function

The American Tree Frog can instantly change the color of its body. This is to adapt to the temperature of its surroundings and to deceive birds and other enemies. The cells that make a tree frog’s color are called chromatophore. The top layer of the skin has yellow pigment, the middle layer is transparent crystal, and the bottom layer is made up of black pigment cells. The middle layer reflects a green color that is not absorbed by the other layers, making the frog normally green. When pigment particles called chromatosome collect at the center of the cell in the chromatophore in the bottom black layer, it becomes a light green. When the chromatosome are dispersed throughout the cell it becomes a dark green.

Functional Classification

Resouce/Energy/Information Transmission & Production:
Color changing

Environmental Solution Classification

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Technical Application

Products and Services

Type of Business

Proposals of Applied Technology

The tree frog’s color changing ability can be applied in the design of buildings that automatically change color with the temperature to allow comfortable indoor living without relying on air conditioning. It can also be applied to create building exteriors that change color with the weather, or to develop clothing for environments with rapid weather changes.

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