Chameleons or chamaeleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colors, being capable of shifting to different hues and degrees of brightness. The large number of species in the family exhibit considerable variability in their capacity to change color. For some, it is more of a shift of brightness ; for others, a plethora of color-combinations can be seen.
Chamaeleo is a genus of chameleons in the family Chamaeleonidae. Most species of the genus Chamaeleo are found in sub-Saharan Africa, but a few species are also present in northern Africa, southern Europe, and southern Asia east to India and Sri Lanka.
Jackson's chameleon, also known as Jackson's horned chameleon, three-horned chameleon or Kikuyu three-horned chameleon, is a species of chameleon native to East Africa, but also introduced to Hawaii, Florida, and California.
The Indian chameleon is a species of chameleon found in Sri Lanka, India, and other parts of South Asia. Like other chameleons, this species has a long tongue, feet that are shaped into bifid claspers, a prehensile tail, independent eye movement, and the ability to change skin colour. They move slowly with a bobbing or swaying movement and are usually arboreal. Strangely, they do not choose the background colour and may not even be able to perceive colour differences. They are usually in shades of green or brown or with bands. They can change colour rapidly and the primary purpose of colour change is for communication with other chameleons and for controlling body temperature by changing to dark colours to absorb heat.
Trioceros is a genus of lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. Trioceros was considered a subgenus of the genus Chamaeleo until 2009, when it was elevated to full genus level.
Trioceros melleri, with the common names Meller's chameleon and giant one-horned chameleon, is the largest species of chameleon from the African mainland.
The flap-necked chameleon is a species of arboreal chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is native to sub-Saharan Africa. There are eight recognized subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Trioceros hoehnelli, commonly known as von Höhnel's chameleon, the helmeted chameleon, and the high-casqued chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to eastern Africa.
The spiny-flanked chameleon, also known as the spiny-sided chameleon, is a species of chameleon endemic to the United Republic of Tanzania, East Africa. It was first described in 1932 by Arthur Loveridge.
The crested chameleon, Trioceros cristatus, is a species of chameleon endemic to Africa. The species was first described by Samuel Stutchbury in 1837.
The African chameleon or Sahel chameleon is a species of chameleon native to the Sahel and Nile Valley, with an introduced population present in Greece. An average size may be around 34 cm (13 in) long, including its tail.
The graceful chameleon is a species of chameleon native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is commonly around a foot long. Because of its abundance, it is heavily exploited by the pet trade.
The smooth chameleon is a species of chameleon native to Africa. It is bluish-green and has small scales. Its body is very slender, and it looks similar to Chamaeleo senegalensis.
The four-horned chameleon is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is native to highland areas in western Cameroon and southeastern Nigeria.
Calumma boettgeri is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Trioceros chapini, also known commonly as Chapin's chameleon, the gray chameleon, and the grey chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is native to Central Africa.
Trioceros ellioti, also known commonly as Elliot's chameleon, Elliot's groove-throated chameleon, and the montane side-striped chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is indigenous to Africa.
Trioceros feae, also known commonly as the Bioko montane chameleon and Fea's chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to the island of Bioko.
Trioceros serratus is a species of chameleon found in Cameroon.
Chamaeleo intermedius is an extinct species of chameleon from the Miocene of Kenya. It was given its name based on the fact that it shares traits with both species of the genus Chamaeleo and those of Trioceros, which at the time were placed in the same genus. This belief that it was an intermediate form was however rejected by later research.
