ame le on ' s ▁g ular ▁region , ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁most ▁distinct ive ▁characteristics . ▁ ▁Sp ots ▁and ▁broad ▁vertical ▁bands ▁on ▁the ▁ch ame le on ' s ▁fl anks ▁range ▁in ▁color ▁from ▁brown , ▁dark ▁green , ▁yellow ▁or ▁even ▁black . ▁ ▁The ▁basic ▁color ation ▁of ▁the ▁creature ▁is ▁a ▁deep ▁forest ▁green ▁with ▁white ▁stri pes , ▁but ▁like ▁many ▁ch ame le ons ▁it ▁can ▁change ▁its ▁color ▁depending ▁on ▁various ▁circumstances . ▁ ▁If ▁being ▁fed ▁or ▁handled ▁they ▁might ▁display ▁black ▁and ▁white ▁d ots . ▁ ▁When ▁b ask ing ▁in ▁the ▁sun , ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁their ▁body ▁towards ▁the ▁sun light ▁can ▁turn ▁dark ▁green ▁or ▁black , ▁while ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁animal ▁stays ▁much ▁l ighter . ▁ ▁M eller ' s ▁ch ame le on ▁has ▁color ▁patterns ▁associated ▁with ▁stress . ▁ ▁M ild ▁excitement ▁or ▁stress ▁is ▁indicated ▁by ▁dark ▁spot ting ▁overlay ing ▁the ▁re pt ile ' s ▁normal ▁color . ▁ ▁These ▁dark ▁green ▁sp ots ▁turn ▁to ▁black ▁m ott ling ▁as ▁the ▁ch ame le on ▁gets ▁more ▁ups et . ▁ ▁Se vere ▁stress ▁turns ▁the ▁ch ame le on ▁first ▁char co al ▁gray , ▁followed ▁by ▁pure ▁white ▁ad orn ed ▁with ▁yellow ▁stri pes . ▁ ▁A ▁sick ▁M eller ' s ▁ch ame le on ▁may ▁be ▁m ott led ▁with ▁brown , ▁gray , ▁p ink , ▁or ▁white . ▁ ▁A