The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
The word Bradypodion comes from the latin “bradus podos” or slow foot.
Trioceros schubotzi can be found at elevations as high as 4500m.
Pygmy chameleons have bicuspid claws where each claw has two points like a crescent moon.
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 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 Furcifer is derived from the Latin word “furci” or forked.
Kinyongia uthmoelleri and Trioceros quadricornis gracilor have red claws.
Chameleon fossils have been found in central Europe and China, indicating they were once much more widespread than they are now.
Some chameleons play dead to avoid predation; this is called thanatosis.