The word Brookesia is named after the British naturalist Joshua Brookes.
Pygmy chameleons are sometimes referred to as False Chameleons. This term is actually incorrect and is in reference to anoles, particularly the Cuban False Anole.
Chameleons have a very poor sense of smell.
Chameleon fossils have been found in central Europe and China, indicating they were once much more widespread than they are now.
The chameleon tongue accelerates towards its target at over 1642m per second. Chameleons rarely miss their intended food item.
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.
The horns on a chameleon are made up of ringlike segments of inner bone covered by a hard keratin-like skin.
Chameleons can project their tongue up to 2.2 times their body length.
Kinyongia uthmoelleri and Trioceros quadricornis gracilor have red claws.
The word Rieppeleon is named after the scientist Olivier Rieppel.