Why do cuttlefish change their skin patterns so fast?

Cuttlefish have remarkable skin cells called chromatophores, along with reflective cells and iridophores, that allow rapid changes in appearance. By expanding and contracting these cells under nervous control, they can produce complex patterns in less than a second. These displays help them blend into reefs, sand, or seaweed, and they also use them for courtship and threat displays. Unlike many animals that change color slowly, cuttlefish can create moving patterns across their bodies with stunning speed. Their skin is one of the most advanced camouflage systems in the animal kingdom.