Editing Veiled chameleon (section)

=== Protective coloration ===
For color changing species such as the veiled chameleon, signaling is important between animals to prevent needless energy expended on attacking competition. Stable and nonaggressive states come with a static coloration and will have a dynamic change when that state is altered. Veiled chameleons will typically brighten their coloring before approaching a rival as a signal of aggression. They will also maximize their stripe brightness for as long as possible to signal the strength of their bite. The longer and brighter the stripe lasts correlates to a stronger bite. This may aid in deterring disproportionately weaker or stronger chameleons from challenging. In this way, both contestants will save time, risk, and energy by not challenging an asymmetrical rival. It is likely that such color changing behavior serves as an evolutionary stable strategy to mutually benefit individuals by preventing unnecessary escalation. Brighter and more yellow stripes are also a signal of increased aggression.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ligon|first1=Russell A|last2=McGraw|first2=Kevin J|date=10 September 2018|title=A chorus of color: hierarchical and graded information content of rapid color change signals in chameleons|journal=Behavioral Ecology|volume=29|issue=5|pages=1075–1087|doi=10.1093/beheco/ary076|doi-access=free}}</ref>

While brighter strip coloring typically correlates to more willingness to approach an opponent, brighter head coloring signifies a higher tendency to win fights. Rapidity of color change is also telling of the success of a confrontational outcome. Veiled chameleons are one of the first species to undergo color changing studies focused on speed rather than just intensity of the color. Male veiled chameleons tend to engage in vehement intra-sexual aggressive behavior. Before engaging, males will typically engage the color change laterally from a distance to maximize the opportunity to assess the coloration. When males engage with one another, they tend to begin the confrontation head to head which offers a clear view of the vivid head color change.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ligon|first1=Russell A.|last2=McGraw|first2=Kevin J.|date=23 December 2013|title=Chameleons communicate with complex colour changes during contests: different body regions convey different information|journal=Biology Letters|volume=9|issue=6|pages=20130892|doi=10.1098/rsbl.2013.0892|pmc=3871380|pmid=24335271}}</ref>

All chameleons can engage in color change through a lattice of guanine nanocrystals embedded in a superficially thick layer of dermal iridophores. Veiled chameleons specifically exhibit two superposed layers of iridophores. The two layer structure may allow veiled chameleons to camouflage as well as relay behavioral signaling and may also provide thermal protection.<ref name="Teyssier et al 2015">{{cite journal|last1=Teyssier|first1=Jérémie|last2=Saenko|first2=Suzanne V.|last3=van der Marel|first3=Dirk|last4=Milinkovitch|first4=Michel C.|date=10 March 2015|title=Photonic crystals cause active colour change in chameleons|journal=Nature Communications|volume=6|issue=1 |pages=6368|bibcode=2015NatCo...6.6368T|doi=10.1038/ncomms7368|pmc=4366488|pmid=25757068}}</ref>