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 Calumma comes from the Latin word for covering. This genus consists of chameleons from Madagascar with occipital lobes.
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 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.
Trioceros goetzei (Goetze’s Chameleon) emits an audible, high pitched whistle when threatened.
The horns on a chameleon are made up of ringlike segments of inner bone covered by a hard keratin-like skin.
Some chameleons play dead to avoid predation; this is called thanatosis.
The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
Pygmy chameleons have bicuspid claws where each claw has two points like a crescent moon.