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Birds and snakes are the most important predators of adult chameleons. Invertebrates, especially ants, put a high predation pressure on chameleon eggs and juveniles. [ 64 ] Chameleons are unlikely to be able to flee from predators and rely on crypsis as their primary defense. [ 65 ]
- What Is A Chameleon?
- Life in The Trees
- Appearance
- Eyes
- Reproduction
- Tongue
- Size
- Threats to Survival
There’s no mistaking the distinctive features of a chameleon: its telescopic eyes, grasping tail, color-changing skin, and projectile tongue. But while these animals are far from aggressive apex predators, the name chameleon comes from the Greek for “Earth lion.” They likely got the name from the crest on the head of some species that resembles a l...
Chameleons are perfectly adapted to life in the trees. They have four feet, each with five toes—two that point in one direction and three in the other. This allows them to use their toes like a finger and thumb to grip branches tightly. Like seahorses and monkeys, they can wrap their tails around branches, freeing up their arms to reach for the nex...
Chameleons usually present as green or brownto blend into their arboreal habitat. It’s this natural coloring that protects them from predators. It keeps them safely hidden because they don’t have any poison or a dangerous bite to defend themselves. It’s well-known that chameleons can change color, which they do using special cells and crystals in t...
Chameleons’ bulging, swiveling eyes give them incredible panoramic vision—about 180 degrees horizontally and 90 degrees vertically—that helps them watch for potential threats. Each eye has a cone-shaped eyelid that’s fused to the eyeball with a tiny hole in the center for the pupil. Chameleons can focus each eye separately, switch between monocular...
Most species lay eggs, which the female deposits in a hole in the ground. Smaller species might lay two to four eggs in a clutch, while others lay about 40. Eggs usually take four to 12 months to hatch. Notable exceptions include the Parson’s chameleon, whose eggs incubate for up to 24 months, and a few species such as Jackson’s chameleonsthat give...
Twice its body length, a chameleon’s sticky, projectile tongue is an evolutionary marvel used to catch prey. The tongue is compressed at the back of the animal’s throat like a jack-in-the-box ready to pop. When the chameleon spots its prey, it sends its tongue shooting forward with huge force, like a spring-loaded cannon. Some species can release t...
There are two contenders for the world’s largest chameleon: the Parson's chameleon is the largest by weight at around 1.5 pounds and 26 inches long, while the Malagasy giant chameleon grows to about 27 incheslong. Until recently, the smallest known chameleon was Brookesia micra, measuring less than 1.18 inches. However in 2021, the 0.85-inch Brooke...
About half of all chameleon species are threatened or near threatened, mainly because of habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture and deforestation, as well as the pet trade. Most species are listed on Appendix II of CITES, the treaty that governs the international wildlife trade. It means chameleons from the wild can be bought and sold acros...
Aug 13, 2024 · Chameleon, any of a group of primarily arboreal (tree-dwelling) Old World lizards best known for their ability to change body color. Other characteristics include zygodactylous feet (with toes fused into opposed bundles of two and three), eyes that move independently, and a long, slender projectile tongue.
- Laurie Vitt
Learn about chameleons, the colorful reptiles that can change their skin tone and have moveable eyes. Find out how they live, eat, and communicate in different habitats across Africa.
- Bob Strauss
- Oldest Identified Lived 60 Million Years Ago. As far as paleontologists can tell, the first chameleons evolved shortly after the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
- Over 200 Species. Classified as "old world" lizards because they're only indigenous to Africa and Eurasia, chameleons consist of a dozen named genera and over 200 individual species.
- "Chameleon" Means "Ground Lion" Chameleons, like most animals, have been around a lot longer than humans, which explains why we find references to this reptile in the oldest available written sources.
- Almost Half the Population Lives in Madagascar. The island of Madagascar off the eastern coast of Africa is known for its diversity of lemurs (a tree-dwelling family of primates) and chameleons.
Learn about the chameleon, a diverse group of color-changing lizards with unique adaptations. Find out how they live, eat, communicate, and breed in different ecosystems, and how to care for them as pets.
Learn about chameleons, the color-changing lizards that belong to the family Chamaeleonidae. Discover their appearance, distribution, behavior, predators, reproduction and more.
