Chameleons have a very poor sense of smell.
The oldest known chameleon fossil is from the extinct species Chamaeleo caroliquarti. It was found in Europe and is 26 million years old.
The process of shedding is called ecdysis.
Chameleons do have taste buds on their tongue but overall they have a poor sense of taste.
The word Bradypodion comes from the latin “bradus podos” or slow foot.
The word Kinyongia is from the Swahili word for chameleons: Kinyonga.
Chameleons change color by rearranging a lattice of nanocrystals in one of their top layers of skin cells called iridophores. Chameleons can then stretch this layer, broadening the nanocrystalline lattice, thereby causing it to reflect a different wavelength of light.
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.
The word Rhampholeon is taken from the Latinized Greek “rhamphos leon” meaning crawling lion.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).