Editing Cephalopod (section)

==== Adaptive value ====
Cephalopods utilize chromatophores' color changing ability in order to camouflage themselves. Chromatophores allow coleoids to blend into many different environments, from coral reefs to the sandy sea floor. The color change of chromatophores works in concert with papillae, epithelial tissue which grows and deforms through hydrostatic motion to change skin texture. Chromatophores are able to perform two types of camouflage, mimicry and color matching. Mimicry is when an organism changes its appearance to appear like a different organism. The squid ''[[Sepioteuthis sepioidea]]'' has been documented changing its appearance to appear as the non threatening herbivorous parrotfish to approach unaware prey. The octopus ''[[Thaumoctopus mimicus]]'' is known to mimic a number of different venomous organisms it cohabitates with to deter predators.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2001.1708| doi=10.1098/rspb.2001.1708 | title=Dynamic mimicry in an Indo–Malayan octopus | date=2001 | last1=Norman | first1=Mark D. | last2=Finn | first2=Julian | last3=Tregenza |first3=Tom| journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences|volume=268| issue=1478 | pages=1755–1758 | pmid=11522192 | pmc=1088805 }}</ref> While background matching, a cephalopod changes its appearance to resemble its surroundings, hiding from its predators or concealing itself from prey. The ability to both mimic other organisms and match the appearance of their surroundings is notable given that cephalopods' vision is monochromatic.

Cephalopods also use their fine control of body coloration and patterning to perform complex signaling displays for both conspecific and intraspecific communication. Coloration is used in concert with locomotion and texture to send signals to other organisms. Intraspecifically this can serve as a warning display to potential predators. For example, when the octopus ''[[Callistoctopus macropus]]'' is threatened, it will turn a bright red brown color speckled with white dots as a high contrast display to startle predators. Conspecifically, color change is used for both mating displays and social communication. Cuttlefish have intricate mating displays from males to females. There is also male to male signaling that occurs during competition over mates, all of which are the product of chromatophore coloration displays.