The crystals are steel-grey to off-white with a metallic luster.
Exposure to ultraviolet light reduces the iron in the exposed, turning the paper a steel-grey-blue color.
As they mature, rhinoceros ratsnakes change color to steel grey at about 1214 months, then to a bluish green or green adult hue at about 24 months.
Once it reaches about 15 cm, the markings will disappear and it will start to obtain a dark irridecient steel grey to blue coloration, hence its common name.
The hindwings are shining steel grey.
It is a silvery white to steel grey opaque mineral crystallizing in the hexagonal crystal system.
The colour often fades into a greyish brown or even steel grey, especially in long-coated cavies.
However, a rare few individuals maintain their steel grey subadult color and do not pass into ordinarily mature color phase.
