Some chameleons play dead to avoid predation; this is called thanatosis.
Chameleon fossils have been found in central Europe and China, indicating they were once much more widespread than they are now.
Trioceros goetzei (Goetze’s Chameleon) emits an audible, high pitched whistle when threatened.
Chamaeleo namaquensis is found in the desert of Namibia. To cool off it will sometimes bury itself in the sand.
Chameleons can project their tongue up to 2.2 times their body length.
The horns on a chameleon are made up of ringlike segments of inner bone covered by a hard keratin-like skin.
The word Bradypodion comes from the latin “bradus podos” or slow foot.
Furcifer labordi (Labord’s Chameleon) has the shortest lifespan of only 4-5 months. It also has the shortest lifespan of any tetrapod!
True chameleons include the following genera: Archaius, Bradypodion, Brookesia, Calumma, Chamaeleo, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, Palleon, Rhampholeon, Rieppeleon and Trioceros.