CHINA POSTCARDS COLLECTION

CHAMELEONS or CHAMAELEONS

(family Chamaeleonidae)

Thanks to Zhang Weifeng

Received: Sept. 23, 2016

     - are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015.  These species come in a range of colors, and many species have the ability to change colors. Color change in it has functions in camouflage, but most commonly in social signaling and in reactions to temperature and other conditions. The relative importance of these functions varies with the circumstances, as well as the species. Color change signals a chameleon's physiological condition and intentions to other chameleons.  Chameleons tend to show brighter colors when displaying aggressively to other chameleons, and darker colors when they submit or "give up".

     Some species, adjust their colors for camouflage in accordance with the vision of the specific predator species (bird or snake) by which they are being threatened.

     All chameleons are primarily insectivores that feed by ballistic projecting their long tongues from their mouths to capture prey located some distance away. 

    Most species, the larger ones in particular, also have a prehensile tail. Chameleons have the most distinctive eyes of any reptile. Each eye can pivot and focus independently, allows it to observe two different objects simultaneously. Chameleons are adapted for climbing and visual hunting. They live in warm habitats that range from rain forest to desert conditions, various species occurring in Africa, Madagascar, southern Europe, and across southern Asia as far as Sri Lanka. They also have been introduced to Hawaii, California, and Florida, and often are kept as household pets.