Pygmy chameleons (Brookesia, Palleon, Rhampholeon and Rieppeleon sp.) often resemble dry leaves, mosses and branches.
The word Rieppeleon is named after the scientist Olivier Rieppel.
The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
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.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).
There are currently 202 recognized chameleon species and 85 of them are found on the island of Madagascar.
Chameleons can project their tongue up to 2.2 times their body length.
The word Bradypodion comes from the latin “bradus podos” or slow foot.
True chameleons include the following genera: Archaius, Bradypodion, Brookesia, Calumma, Chamaeleo, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, Palleon, Rhampholeon, Rieppeleon and Trioceros.
Pygmy chameleons have bicuspid claws where each claw has two points like a crescent moon.