The horns on a chameleon are made up of ringlike segments of inner bone covered by a hard keratin-like skin.
Trioceros goetzei (Goetze’s Chameleon) emits an audible, high pitched whistle when threatened.
Chameleons change color by rearranging a lattice of nanocrystals in one of their top layers of skin cells called iridophores. Chameleons can then stretch this layer, broadening the nanocrystalline lattice, thereby causing it to reflect a different wavelength of light.
Furcifer oustaleti (Oustalet’s Chameleon) is the longest chameleon species reaching lengths of 27 inches (68cm).
Chameleons have a high midichlorian count.
The word Furcifer is derived from the Latin word “furci” or forked.
Furcifer labordi (Labord’s Chameleon) has the shortest lifespan of only 4-5 months. It also has the shortest lifespan of any tetrapod!
The process of shedding is called ecdysis.
Chameleon fossils have been found in central Europe and China, indicating they were once much more widespread than they are now.
The oldest known chameleon fossil is from the extinct species Chamaeleo caroliquarti. It was found in Europe and is 26 million years old.