The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
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.
Pygmy chameleons have bicuspid claws where each claw has two points like a crescent moon.
The word Chamaeleo is derived via Latin from the Greek word khamaileon. It roughly translates to ground lion. Khamai means on the ground and leon means lion.
Chameleons do have taste buds on their tongue but overall they have a poor sense of taste.
Kinyongia uthmoelleri and Trioceros quadricornis gracilor have red claws.
Pygmy chameleons (Brookesia, Palleon, Rhampholeon and Rieppeleon sp.) often resemble dry leaves, mosses and branches.
Chameleon fossils have been found in central Europe and China, indicating they were once much more widespread than they are now.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).