Highly charismatic chameleons aren’t just associated with a catchy 1980s pop hit, they’re famous for being masters of colour change and snatching their prey with super-long tongues. More than 200 species of chameleon exist and are mainly found in rainforests and deserts.
Where do chameleons live?
Chameleons belong to the family Chamaeleonidae, a group of lizards that primarily live in sub-Saharan Africa and on the island of Madagascar.
However, they are also found in northern Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. Chameleons exist in various habitats, and though many species live in trees and shrubs, there are terrestrial species that survive in arid regions, such as the Namaqua chameleon; and in leaf litter, such as the Malagasy pygmy chameleon.
How big are chameleons?
They are solitary creatures that vary in size, from the tiny Brookesia nana (females only reach up to 2.8cm in length) to Parson’s chameleon and Oustalet’s chameleon (both species can reach up to 69cm in length).
What do chameleons look like?
Chameleons are famed for their vibrant colours, long tongue and strange eyes
How big are chameleons?
Chameleons vary from just 2.8cm long to a lengthy 69cm, depending on species. They can weigh between 1g to 700g
Why do chameleons change colour?
It is a common misconception that these lizards change colour to match their surroundings. Colour change is used by chameleons to communicate with other chameleons or warn off potential predators. Their skin changes depending on their mood, the temperature or humidity and the amount of light.
Males use their hues to impress females: brightly coloured males are more dominant whereas submissive males appear duller. Females use their colours to accept or reject a male, and to indicate when they are pregnant. Chameleons also change colour to regulate their temperature, turning darker to absorb heat and lighter to reflect heat.
How do chameleons change colour?
This amazing ability is due to a sophisticated process that takes place in the chameleon’s skin, which involves specialised cells called iridophores that contain photonic crystals. To change colour, a chameleon alters how close together the crystals are by relaxing or tensing its skin. This action causes different wavelengths of light to reflect off these microscopic surfaces, producing different colours.
What’s special about their eyes?
Chameleons have amazing panoramic vision thanks to two large, swivelling eyes that can see 180º horizontally and 90º vertically.
Each eye has a cone-shaped lid with a tiny hole in the centre for the pupil. Chameleons can focus each eye separately, switching between monocular (seeing with one eye) and binocular vision (seeing with both eyes).
This enables them to keep an eye on a potential threat while scanning their surroundings. The reptiles can detect colours and ultraviolet light, but they struggle to see in the dark.
These amazing eyes definitely earn them a place on our weirdest eyes in the animal kingdom list
What do chameleons eat?
Insects and plants are on the menu for chameleons, but some species also eat small birds and other lizards.
How do chameleons catch their prey?
Chameleons capture prey by projecting their tongues at high acceleration using powerful muscles. A chameleon’s tongue can extend to reach approximately twice the length of its body. The tip of the tongue performs like a suction cup and relies on sticky mucus to adhere to the target.
In 2016, the scientific journal Nature Physics reported that the mucus produced on the chameleon’s tongue pad is 400 times more viscous than human saliva – no wonder a chameleon can catch prey up to a third of its own bodyweight. Once the tongue makes contact with a meal, it retracts to bring the food into the reptile’s mouth.
How do they climb trees?
One distinctive feature of chameleons is their ‘zygodactylous’ feet, which means they have two toes facing forward and two back. These function in a similar way to our thumbs and fingers when grasping objects and contribute to the reptiles’ impressive tree-climbing ability. Prehensile tails also support the arboreal lifestyle of some chameleon species, helping them to maintain their balance.
How do chameleons reproduce?
Some species, such as Jackson’s chameleon, give birth to live young, but most chameleons reproduce by laying eggs. Female chameleons are known to dig a hole in the ground to lay their eggs, which are then buried. The incubation period and number of eggs laid varies depending on the species.
Incubation ranges from four to 24 months and between two and 100 eggs can be laid (larger species lay more eggs). Once hatched, young begin hunting almost immediately and grow rapidly, reaching maturity within one to two years.
How long do chameleons live?
Average lifespan depends very much on species and can vary from four months to nine years
What threats do they face?
According to the IUCN Red List, many species of chameleon are classed as Critically Endangered or Endangered. The reptiles are threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture and deforestation, and the pet trade. Though most species of chameleon are listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II (trade must be controlled), illegal collection remains a serious issue.
