The horns on a chameleon are made up of ringlike segments of inner bone covered by a hard keratin-like skin.
Pygmy chameleons (Brookesia, Palleon, Rhampholeon and Rieppeleon sp.) often resemble dry leaves, mosses and branches.
Trioceros goetzei (Goetze’s Chameleon) emits an audible, high pitched whistle when threatened.
Many chameleon species have a bright red, orange or yellow mouth. This conspicuous interior when displayed is used as a defense against predators.
The word Rieppeleon is named after the scientist Olivier Rieppel.
Chamaeleo namaquensis is found in the desert of Namibia. To cool off it will sometimes bury itself in the sand.
Chameleons have a high midichlorian count.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).
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 word Brookesia is named after the British naturalist Joshua Brookes.