Blue Chameleon

Product Information

Townsend, T. M.; Tolley, K. A.; Glaw, F.; etal. (2011). "Eastward from Africa: Palaeocurrent-mediated chameleon dispersal to the Seychelles islands". Biological Letters. 7 (2): 225–228. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0701. PMC 3061160. PMID 20826471. The English word chameleon ( / k ə ˈ m iː l i ə n/ kuh-MEEL-ee-un) is a simplified spelling of Latin chamaeleōn, [4] a borrowing of the Greek χαμαιλέων ( khamailéōn), [5] a compound of χαμαί ( khamaí) "on the ground" [6] and λέων ( léōn) "lion". [7] [8] [9] Classification a b c Teyssier, Jérémie; Saenko, Suzanne V.; van der Marel, Dirk; Milinkovitch, Michel C. (10 March 2015). "Photonic crystals cause active colour change in chameleons". Nature Communications. 6 (1): 1–7. Bibcode: 2015NatCo...6.6368T. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7368. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 4366488. PMID 25757068. The feet of chameleons are highly adapted to arboreal locomotion, and species such as Chamaeleo namaquensis that have secondarily adopted a terrestrial habit have retained the same foot morphology with little modification. On each foot, the five distinguished toes are grouped into two fascicles. The toes in each fascicle are bound into a flattened group of either two or three, giving each foot a tongs-like appearance. On the front feet, the outer, lateral, group contains two toes, whereas the inner, medial, group contains three. On the rear feet, this arrangement is reversed, the medial group containing two toes, and the lateral group three. These specialized feet allow chameleons to grip tightly onto narrow or rough branches. Furthermore, each toe is equipped with a sharp claw to afford a grip on surfaces such as bark when climbing. It is common to refer to the feet of chameleons as didactyl or zygodactyl, though neither term is fully satisfactory, both being used in describing different feet, such as the zygodactyl feet of parrots or didactyl feet of sloths or ostriches, none of which is significantly like chameleon feet. Although "zygodactyl" is reasonably descriptive of chameleon foot anatomy, their foot structure does not resemble that of parrots, to which the term was first applied. As for didactyly, chameleons visibly have five toes on each foot, not two. Daza et al. (2016) described a small (10.6mm in snout-vent length), probably neonatal lizard preserved in the Cretaceous ( Albian- Cenomanian boundary) amber from Myanmar. The authors noted that the lizard has "short and wide skull, large orbits, elongated and robust lingual process, frontal with parallel margins, incipient prefrontal boss, reduced vomers, absent retroarticular process, low presacral vertebral count (between 15 and 17) and extremely short, curled tail"; the authors considered these traits to be indicative of the lizard's affiliation with Chamaeleonidae. The phylogenetic analysis conducted by the authors indicated that the lizard was a stem-chamaeleonid. [32] However, Matsumoto & Evans (2018) reinterpreted this specimen as an albanerpetontid amphibian. [33] This specimen was given the name Yaksha perettii in 2020, and was noted to have several convergently chameleon-like features, including adaptations for ballistic feeding. [34]

Brown and green, Werner’s chameleon is native to the forests of Udzungwa and the mountains of Tanzania’s Eastern Arc. They usually grow to be around a foot long and have a distinctive fused occipital lobe. Males have three annulated horns on their heads. Females have just one. Rhinoceros Chameleon Also referred to as the Two-Striped or Side-Striped chameleon, this species is endemic to Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is often brownish in color, showing a set of broken white stripes down each side of its body. Veiled Chameleon Chameleons can also eat a wide variety of plants and will particularly do so if their nutrition is a bit low. Larger species will also eat rodents and some have been known to catch small birds as prey. Only insects are recommended for captive chameleons though. 33. Chameleons can’t drink standing water

Teaching about the latest events?

Chameleons inhabit all kinds of tropical and mountain rain forests, savannas, and sometimes deserts and steppes. The typical chameleons from the subfamily Chamaeleoninae are arboreal, usually living in trees or bushes, although a few (notably the Namaqua chameleon) are partially or largely terrestrial. Most species from the subfamily Brookesiinae, which includes the genera Brookesia, Rieppeleon, and Rhampholeon, live low in vegetation or on the ground among leaf litter. Many species of chameleons are threatened by extinction. Declining chameleon numbers are due to habitat loss. [52] Reproduction a b Tilbury, Colin (2010). Chameleons of Africa, An Atlas including the chameleons of Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Frankfurt: Edition Chimaira. ISBN 978-3899734515.

The following species of chameleons are the ones you’re more likely to find in a pet shop or through a breeder. Each has its own unique traits and qualities, and all make excellent pets for lizard enthusiasts. Carpet Chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) Carpet Chameleon by Bernard Dupont

A crisis of conservation

The chameleon, literally translated as “ground lion” from the ancient Greek, is one of the most unique reptiles on the planet. Throughout Africa and Asia, chameleons sport spiralled prehensile tails and odd, tong-like feet, as well as a wide decorative variety of horns and crests. The largest species, the Parson’s chameleon ( Calumma pasonii) and Oustalet’s chameleon ( Furcifer oustaleti) come close to the size and weight of a small house cat. In contrast, the smallest species, the dwarf leaf chameleon ( Brookesia micra) can comfortably crouch on the head of a match. Left: A Parson’s chameleon (Calumma parsonii) is the largest chameleon species in the world – the size of a house cat. Right: A Brookesia micra chameleon – the smallest chameleon in the world Blending in and standing out This bluish green chameleon species is found in lowlands throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, and is distinguished by being very slender compared to many other chameleon species.

Scientists discovered the Smith’s Dwarf Chameleon can fine-tune its coloration to match the visual system of their main predators. Baby Panther chameleons for sale are starting to become more and more popular. We actually recommend purchasing a juvenile or young adult panther chameleon, as they are much easier to care for, but if you are interested in a baby panther chameleon hatchling for sale we do have them available. Something else chameleons are known for, of course, is their ability to change color. Every chameleon species is capable of changing color to some extent, though some varieties do it more dramatically than others.

African origins

Sometimes called a Giant One-Horned chameleon, the Meller’s chameleon is the largest chameleon species not native to Madagascar. It is found in the savannas and interior mountains of East Africa, and can also be found in Tanzania, Malawi, and northern Mozambique. Generally reaching around 24 inches in length, specimens as large as 30 inches have been documented. This species is usually a lovely deep green with white stripes, with a stubby nose-like growth on its face. Meller’s are known to be especially aggressive, and usually don’t do well when placed with other lizards. Like its three and four-horned relatives, this chameleon belongs to the Trioceros sub-genus. Panther Chameleon Which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense given most chameleons live in the trees and they don’t act much like lions! But the word chameleon is derived from ancient Greek. Also known as the Short-Horned chameleon, this species has large occipital lobes that resemble oversized ears. Males display a short, bony appendage which extends from their nose area. Their coloring ranges from a dull gray to striking shades of blue and green. There is much variation between Elephant-Eared chameleons found in different localities, including notable size differences, which has led some researchers to believe that this species may actually be comprised of several closely related – but different — species. High Casqued Chameleon The oviparous species lay eggs three to six weeks after copulation. The female will dig a hole—from 10–30cm (4–12in), deep depending on the species—and deposit her eggs. Clutch sizes vary greatly with species. Small Brookesia species may only lay two to four eggs, while large veiled chameleons ( Chamaeleo calyptratus) have been known to lay clutches of 20–200 (veiled chameleons) and 10–40 (panther chameleons) eggs. Clutch sizes can also vary greatly among the same species. Eggs generally hatch after four to 12 months, again depending on the species. The eggs of Parson's chameleon ( Calumma parsoni) typically take 400 to 660 days to hatch. [54] It is thought that as many chameleons have some sort of casque or crest on their heads it resembles the mane of a lion, hence the name ground lion. Perhaps the main species living in ancient Greece were ground-dwelling desert species? Rawwr! I’m a ground lion! 5. Chameleons evolved 65 million years ago