Trioceros goetzei (Goetze’s Chameleon) emits an audible, high pitched whistle when threatened.
Furcifer labordi (Labord’s Chameleon) has the shortest lifespan of only 4-5 months. It also has the shortest lifespan of any tetrapod!
The word Rhampholeon is taken from the Latinized Greek “rhamphos leon” meaning crawling lion.
True chameleons include the following genera: Archaius, Bradypodion, Brookesia, Calumma, Chamaeleo, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, Palleon, Rhampholeon, Rieppeleon and Trioceros.
Some chameleons play dead to avoid predation; this is called thanatosis.
Chameleons have laterally compressed bodies. This enables them to warm up quickly by presenting a larger surface area to the sun. It also helps some chameleon species blend in among the similarly shaped leaves in their environment.
Pygmy chameleons have bicuspid claws where each claw has two points like a crescent moon.
The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
The word Rieppeleon is named after the scientist Olivier Rieppel.
Chameleons have a very poor sense of smell.