Pygmy chameleons (Brookesia, Palleon, Rhampholeon and Rieppeleon sp.) often resemble dry leaves, mosses and branches.
Kinyongia uthmoelleri and Trioceros quadricornis gracilor have red claws.
Chameleons have a very poor sense of smell.
True chameleons include the following genera: Archaius, Bradypodion, Brookesia, Calumma, Chamaeleo, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, Palleon, Rhampholeon, Rieppeleon and Trioceros.
The word Furcifer is derived from the Latin word “furci” or forked.
The chameleon tongue accelerates towards its target at over 1642m per second. Chameleons rarely miss their intended food item.
The word Bradypodion comes from the latin “bradus podos” or slow foot.
Chameleon fossils have been found in central Europe and China, indicating they were once much more widespread than they are now.
The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
Chameleons change color by rearranging a lattice of nanocrystals in one of their top layers of skin cells called iridophores. Chameleons can then stretch this layer, broadening the nanocrystalline lattice, thereby causing it to reflect a different wavelength of light.