Some chameleons play dead to avoid predation; this is called thanatosis.
Pygmy chameleons have bicuspid claws where each claw has two points like a crescent moon.
Chameleons do not have external ears or a tympanic membrane, but they do have internal ears as well as degenerated middle ears. They do not hear well but they can detect low frequency sounds.
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.
The word Furcifer is derived from the Latin word “furci” or forked.
Trioceros schubotzi can be found at elevations as high as 4500m.
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.
The word Rieppeleon is named after the scientist Olivier Rieppel.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).