cephalopods change color, and that's worth celebrating this pride month
[Julie Andrews voiceover]
Dearest Gentle Reader, it could be said that pride to gays is what May in South Australian waters is to giant cuttlefish—a time to show up and show out. While some queers might prefer to lie low in June, this author must take advantage of any occasion to dress up. And indeed, cephalopods agree. These invertebrates veritably invented flamboyance. Take heed, it is time to sit at their tentacles and learn everything we can.
- Lord Squidstack (hope you’re watching Bridgerton <3)
In addition to being delicious, Cephalopods are also masters of camouflage, color change, and theatrics (all very gay characteristics imo). They can change their color and texture to match their surroundings. They can create gaudy displays to attraction attention from eligible mates in the cephalopod marriage market. But how do they do it?
They use chromatophores! While other animals have chromatophores—zebrafish and chameleons, for example—they are usually activated with hormones or neurotransmitters. The change could take 20 seconds, a few minutes, or a day (or longer). Cephalopod chromatophores, on the other hand, are neurally-controlled organs. With a thought, they can almost instantaneously change their appearance.
Chromatophores are located directly under the skin. They contain pigment sacs surrounded by nerve-rich muscles fibers. When these radial muscles are activated, they dilate the chromatophore, widening the pigment sac and making that color visible under the skin. When these muscles are no longer active, the membrane around the pigment sac snaps back into place. The chromatophore contracts, and the pigment sac becomes less visible. Cephalopods can have hundreds of these chromatophores, and they choose which ones to expand or contract at any given time.
Chromatophores, however, only contain black, brown, red, orange or yellow pigments. Reflective organs called iridophores rest one layer beneath the chromatophores. Made up of stacks of reflective plates, iridiphores let cephalopods produce shimmering blues, greens, golds, and silvers.
Underneath the iridophores lay the leucophores. Leucophores are like disco balls, faithfully reflecting back whatever color light hit them. Usually the light is white, and they appear white. But in the deeper ocean where the light is more blue, they appear blue. Unlike chromatopohres, iridophores and leucophores are controlled by cell signaling, and they do not change instantaneously.
By using these three types of organs, often simultaneously, cephalopods can produce many dynamic colors and patterns, camouflage almost perfectly with their surroundings. Color change in cephalopods varies based on the visual complexity of the environments they are in and the different ecological pressures they face. Some cephalopods (like those who live in reefs) look cooler and more eye-catching than others. However, don’t worry—they are all beautiful and worthy of love in their own ways! Just like us…?!
Benihana. A popular birthday party spot in my youth, Benihana holds a special place in my heart. It was such a treat to get hibachi shrimp, dip it in that good ginger sauce, and wash it down with a virgin strawberry daiquiri. After a 15 year break, I’m thrilled to report that it is still incredible. The onion volcano is elite. The fried rice words (dad) and symbols (<3) are charming.
I ordered the “Splash and Meadow” (aka surf n’ turf) and got a scoop of refreshing rainbow (orange and green) sherbet for dessert. The shrimp and steak were both slightly under-seasoned but perfectly cooked. Fried rice often doesn’t do it for me, but the signature benihana fried rice cooked in garlic butter was so good. Way better than I remember. I would go back just to get that!
Cheesesteaks and the Mid-Atlantic. Both better than expected! I tried two cheesesteaks while in Philadelphia: Pat’s and Angelo’s. Pat’s was decent, but Angelo’s freshly baked, sesame’d bread and juicy grilled onions made it much, much better. My only note is that both sandwiches could have been wetter. Speaking of East Coast meat, I also tried Taylor’s Ham / Pork Roll at my mom’s insistence. Texturally, it was fluffy and crispy. Flavor-wise, it was like salami sausage. It’s a New Jersey specialty, apparently, and it was great!
Snyder’s of Hanover Honey Mustard Pretzel Pieces. A perfect food! A 3 Michelin star snack! These are my favorite sweet, savory, and tangy shards. Generously seasoned with flavor dust with as many nooks and crannies as the Winchester Mystery House, and sold in airports and gas stations everywhere. How did I get so lucky to exist in the same timeline as them?
At long last! Bridgerton is back. Thank you, Shonda 🙏🏼! Spoilers below.
First off, I like Bridgerton because watching it feels like my brain is taking a bubble bath after a long day. It soaks my weary mind in its warm, soothing embrace while the classical covers of pop songs go pitter patter in the background. If you don’t watch, try it out! Let me know if it works the same magic on you.
In this new season, I was thrilled to see Penelope step into the spotlight. Pen is played by Clare Devlin, who is turn in played by Nicola Coughlan. I love Clare and Nicola Coughlan, and I think Pen is okay. But she did have some very spicy and exciting sex scenes this season!
When a reporter remarked that Clare/Nicola was “very brave” to bare her titties to the world in one of those scenes, she replied, “You know, it is hard 'cause I think women with my body type, women with perfect breasts we do not see ourselves onscreen enough. I am very proud as a member of the perfect-breasts community. I hope you enjoy seeing them.” Here, hear! I love you, Nicola!
A few things in season 3 that bored me: Pen and Colin’s love story, Benedict’s group sex plot, and the milquetoast takes about women’s autonomy. I get it, marriage and becoming a renown gossip columnist are two of the only ways to control your fate as a woman! I think we can move on.
My biggest issue with season 3 though was the egregious erasure of lesbian spinsters!
While I think Pen’s plot would have been better if she was gay, Bridgerton Season 3 did tease an appealing romance between Eloise and Cressida (bi in real life). They were perfectly set up for a beautifully tortured, friends to lovers spaghetti bowl of sapphic feelings. Instead of seeing it through, Bridgerton turned Cressida into a flat, predictable villainess whose sole role was to keep the story moving. Unfair! Homophobic! Shame on you, doing this during Pride month of all months!
Sources
cephalopod camouflage cells and organs https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/cephalopod-camouflage-cells-and-organs-of-the-144048968/
all ladywhistle down voiceovers and mentions https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19uQFBVWBPc0tEMfRRvEwlwk487bC2qLEE9RKjoZgG1U/edit?gid=806247451#gid=806247451
children’s squid skin activity https://www.sciencefriday.com/educational-resources/capture-the-iridescence-of-camouflaging-cephalopod-skin/
comic sans chromatophore explainer https://www.thecephalopodpage.org/cephschool/HowCephalopodsChangeColor.pdf
chromatophore overview in different animals https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/chromatophore