Chameleon Information Chameleons
belong to the
lizard group of reptiles. There are about 160 species of them and they
belong to the family Chamaeleonidae.
Distinctive features of a
chameleon
lizard are its long tongue, its
separately mobile eyes, its parrot-like feet and in many species, the
ability to change colour.
Where Do Chameleons Live?
The
vast majority of them lives in Madagascar
and sub-saharan Africa.
But
there are also a few species in India, Sri Lanka, Middle East, southern
Europe and northern Africa. And they have been introduced to some
states in the US, including California, Florida and Hawaii.
Chameleon
Habitat
They
are mostly tropical rainforest animals and most species live up in the
trees. But there are also species that live on the ground, and in
other, drier habitats such as deserts and savannah grasslands.
How Do Chameleons Change Color?
They
have got special pigment cells under their skin which can quickly
change their pigments. Different species can change to yellow, blue,
brown, black, green, orange, red, blue or pink. As in some other
reptlies, the colour often changes with moods. This is a way to
communicate to other individuals of the same species.
Chameleon Camouflage
Some species are also able to change color depending on their
background. This is a very clever way to camouflage.
What Chameleon Species are Found
in Madagascar? There
are 11 species found on
Madagascar: Calumma
brevicornis, Calumma
gastrotaenia,
Calumma nasuta, Calumma
parsonii, Brookesia
nasus,
Brookesia Superciliaris,
Brookesia stumpffi;
and Furcifer lateralis,
Furcifer pardalis, Furcifer
oustaleti
and Furcifer verrucosus.
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