Trioceros goetzei (Goetze’s Chameleon) emits an audible, high pitched whistle when threatened.
Pygmy chameleons are sometimes referred to as False Chameleons. This term is actually incorrect and is in reference to anoles, particularly the Cuban False Anole.
The word Brookesia is named after the British naturalist Joshua Brookes.
True chameleons include the following genera: Archaius, Bradypodion, Brookesia, Calumma, Chamaeleo, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, Palleon, Rhampholeon, Rieppeleon and Trioceros.
Chamaeleo namaquensis is found in the desert of Namibia. To cool off it will sometimes bury itself in the sand.
Chameleons do have taste buds on their tongue but overall they have a poor sense of taste.
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 word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).
The word Rhampholeon is taken from the Latinized Greek “rhamphos leon” meaning crawling lion.