chameleon (redirected from Chameleons)

chameleon (kəmē`lēən, –mēl`yən), small- to medium-sized lizard of the family Chamaeleonidae. About eighty species are found in sub-Saharan Africa, with a few in S Asia. The so-called common chameleon, Chamaeleo chamaeleon, is found around the Mediterranean. Chameleons have laterally flattened bodies and bulging, independently rotating eyes. They are variously ornamented with crests, horns, and spines. The toes are united into one bunch on either side of the foot, forming a pair of grasping tongs. Chameleons feed on small animals, chiefly insects, and they are unique among lizards in possessing very long, sticky tongues with which they capture their prey. Typical chameleons (members of the very large genus Chamaeleo) are arboreal and have long, prehensile tails. They move very slowly, with a rocking movement, grasping a branch with feet and tail. The changes in skin color, seen in certain other lizards as well, are under hormonal and nervous control. They are not affected by the color of the background but by stimuli such as light, temperature, and emotion. However, the shades of brown, gray, and green assumed by chameleons do generally blend with the forest surroundings. The American chameleon, or anole (Anolis carolinensis), is not a true chameleon, but a small lizard of the iguana family, found in the SE United States and noted for its color changes. True chameleons are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Reptilia, order Squamata, family Chamaeleonidae.

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chameleon

Any member of a group of Old World, primarily tree-dwelling lizards in the family Chamaeleontidae, characterized chiefly by their ability to change body colour. Other traits include toes fused into opposite bundles of two and three, teeth attached to the jaw edge, and a long, slender, extensile tongue. About half of the 89 species are found only in Madagascar; the others live mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. A few are found elsewhere. Most are 7–10 in. (17–25 cm) long, with a body flattened from side to side. The bulged eyes move independently. Each species can undergo a particular range of colour change. Insects are the main diet, but larger species also eat birds.

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chameleon

lizard able to change the color of its skin to match brown or green surroundings; has come to mean ‘inconstant person.’ [Western Culture: Misc.]

See : Mimicry