A condition where different parts of an organism or tissue have different colors or pigmentation patterns.
From Greek hetero- (different) + chroma (color) + -tism (condition or practice). The term emerged in 19th-century biology to describe color variation in organisms, combining classical roots to denote variable coloration.
Many lizards and frogs use heterochromatism as camouflage—different body parts change color at different rates depending on temperature and mood, making them nearly invisible to predators.
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