12 Facts About Chameleons

Chameleons are distinguished by their zygodactylous feet, their prehensile tail, their laterally compressed bodies, their head casques, their projectile tongues, their swaying gait, and crests or horns on their brow and snout.

Chameleons' eyes are independently mobile, and because of this there are two separate, individual images that the brain is analyzing of the chameleon's environment.

Chameleons tend to show brighter colors when displaying aggression to other chameleons, and darker colors when they submit or "give up".

Chameleons have two superimposed layers within their skin that control their color and thermoregulation.

Chameleons living in the forest have a more defined and colorful palette compared to those living in the desert or savanna, which have more of a basic, brown, and charred palette.

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Chameleons are probably far older than that, perhaps sharing a common ancestor with iguanids and agamids more than 100 mya .

Chameleons exposed to ultraviolet light show increased social behavior and activity levels, are more inclined to bask, feed, and reproduce as it has a positive effect on the pineal gland.

Chameleons lay flexible-shelled eggs which are affected by environmental characteristics during incubation.

Chameleons are unlikely to be able to flee from predators and rely on crypsis as their primary defense.

Chameleons are subject to several protozoan parasites, such as Plasmodium, which causes malaria, Trypanosoma, which causes sleeping sickness, and Leishmania, which causes leishmaniasis.

Chameleons are subject to parasitism by coccidia, including species of the genera Choleoeimeria, Eimeria, and Isospora.

Chameleons are popular reptile pets mostly imported from African countries like Madagascar, Tanzania, and Togo.