True Chameleons?

[smashtoad]

Looking through some threads, I saw the term "true chameleon" used. I was somewhat taken aback by this and thought I would ask here in the science area what that is supposed to mean, as all chameleons are true chameleons.

If it has fused toes, crazy socketed independantly mobile eyes, and shoots its tongue to catch prey a body length or more away...it is unlike any other lizard on the face of the planet and therefore should be called a true chameleon, because that's what it is...right? If not...I'd love to hear why.

Are there "true bats" ot "true whales" or "true penguins"...no.

 

[DeviousMike]

Try looking up "false chameleons". I believe pygmies are part of that classification.

 

[Kent67]

"True" is used to differentiate between African chameleons and anoles, which are commonly called American chameleons.

 

[EvilLost]

false chameleons are other reptiles that can change color.

pygmys i believe are technically false chameleons (though, to be honest I can't pinpoint why and I feel like I really should be able to... shame on me!)


other more obvious "false chameleons" are various small lizards that can change color as mentioned above


as for your more general question....there are similar distinctions amongst other animals as well; for example, old world and new world monkeys

 

[Lizardlover]

Pygmy chameleons (Brookesiinae)are referred to as "Stump tailed chameleons" Chamaeleoninae are what we call "True Chameleons"

When talking about chameleons and anoles, Chameleons are generally referred to as "Old World chameleons".

There is also a genus of lizard called "False Chameleons" that are actually anoles. (Chamaeleolis)



Edit:woah old thread.

 

[creep]

dont be taken aback if you see the term "old world chameleons" as that is common referring to true chams as well

EDIT: ah man lizardlover beat me to it!!

 

[Lizardlover]

Great minds think alike .

 

[Solid Snake]

False Chameleon:

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True Chameleon:

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See the difference?

 

[Ferdy Timmerman]

Pygmy chameleons (Brookesiinae)are referred to as "Stump tailed chameleons" Chamaeleoninae are what we call "True Chameleons"

When talking about chameleons and anoles, Chameleons are generally referred to as "Old World chameleons".

There is also a genus of lizard called "False Chameleons" that are actually anoles. (Chamaeleolis)

Edit:woah old thread.

I believe the subfamilies Brookesiinae and Chamaeleoninae might be no longer valid. Klaver & Böhme divided the entire family into two subfamilies in 1986, based on the morphological structure of the hemipenis of a number of species. They only had 5 Rhampholeon/Rieppeleon species available at the time though, and some of their assumptions on the hemipenis structure of unavailable species were wrong. They acknowledged this in 1997. (from Colin Tilbury's "Chameleons of Africa, An Atlas", 2010)