The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).
The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
True chameleons include the following genera: Archaius, Bradypodion, Brookesia, Calumma, Chamaeleo, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, Palleon, Rhampholeon, Rieppeleon and Trioceros.
The word Calumma comes from the Latin word for covering. This genus consists of chameleons from Madagascar with occipital lobes.
Chameleons can project their tongue up to 2.2 times their body length.
The word Furcifer is derived from the Latin word “furci” or forked.
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 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!
Pygmy chameleons have bicuspid claws where each claw has two points like a crescent moon.
Trioceros goetzei (Goetze’s Chameleon) emits an audible, high pitched whistle when threatened.