Furcifer labordi (Labord’s Chameleon) has the shortest lifespan of only 4-5 months. It also has the shortest lifespan of any tetrapod!
Chameleons have acrodont teeth meaning they are an extension of the jawbone. They are not set in sockets nor are they replaced.
There are currently 202 recognized chameleon species and 85 of them are found on the island of Madagascar.
Chamaeleo namaquensis is found in the desert of Namibia. To cool off it will sometimes bury itself in the sand.
Pygmy chameleons have bicuspid claws where each claw has two points like a crescent moon.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).
Trioceros goetzei (Goetze’s Chameleon) emits an audible, high pitched whistle when threatened.
The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
The smallest chameleon species is Brookesia micra with an adult length just over 1 inch (29mm). It hatches from an egg no bigger than a grain of rice!
Chameleons do have taste buds on their tongue but overall they have a poor sense of taste.