Chameleons can project their tongue up to 2.2 times their body length.
Chameleons do not have external ears or a tympanic membrane, but they do have internal ears as well as degenerated middle ears. They do not hear well but they can detect low frequency sounds.
Chameleons have acrodont teeth meaning they are an extension of the jawbone. They are not set in sockets nor are they replaced.
There are currently 202 recognized chameleon species and 85 of them are found on the island of Madagascar.
The oldest known chameleon fossil is from the extinct species Chamaeleo caroliquarti. It was found in Europe and is 26 million years old.
Chameleon fossils have been found in central Europe and China, indicating they were once much more widespread than they are now.
The largest chameleon species by weight is Calumma parsonii (Parson’s Chameleon).
The word Bradypodion comes from the latin “bradus podos” or slow foot.
Chameleons have laterally compressed bodies. This enables them to warm up quickly by presenting a larger surface area to the sun. It also helps some chameleon species blend in among the similarly shaped leaves in their environment.
The word Calumma comes from the Latin word for covering. This genus consists of chameleons from Madagascar with occipital lobes.