Pygmy chameleons (Brookesia, Palleon, Rhampholeon and Rieppeleon sp.) often resemble dry leaves, mosses and branches.
Furcifer oustaleti (Oustalet’s Chameleon) is the longest chameleon species reaching lengths of 27 inches (68cm).
True chameleons include the following genera: Archaius, Bradypodion, Brookesia, Calumma, Chamaeleo, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, Palleon, Rhampholeon, Rieppeleon and Trioceros.
The smallest chameleon species is Brookesia micra with an adult length just over 1 inch (29mm). It hatches from an egg no bigger than a grain of rice!
Kinyongia uthmoelleri and Trioceros quadricornis gracilor have red claws.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).
The horns on a chameleon are made up of ringlike segments of inner bone covered by a hard keratin-like skin.
The word Bradypodion comes from the latin “bradus podos” or slow foot.
Pygmy chameleons are sometimes referred to as False Chameleons. This term is actually incorrect and is in reference to anoles, particularly the Cuban False Anole.
Chameleons have a very poor sense of smell.