Chameleon facts

Chameleons are Old World lizards with prehensile tails. They are best known for their coloring, which is sometimes determined by changes in light or temperature, fear, aggression and defeat or victory in battle. The chameleon catches its prey, mostly insects, with its long tongue, which can shoot out extremely fast. The muscular tongue is usually curled around the tongue bone, but when the muscles contract and then relax, the tongue shoots out of the mouth under pressure and catches insects on its split tongue.

The name 'chameleon' is given to lizards of the family Chamaeleonidae. They are small to medium sized reptiles, living mainly in Africa and the island of Madagascar.

Chameleons are noted for their changes in color; this is apparently related to environmental temperatures and other external stimuli. The ability to change color allows the animal to send signals and protect itself. When the chameleon become excited due to danger for example  it turns its color on. The color change is made possible by the existence of skin cells that contain pigment granules of red, black and yellow (chromatophores). The pigments are contained in star-shaped color cells whose branches expand when the animal is stimulated. The pigments diffuse and become visible, thus creating the col­or change. When the cells contract, the pigments concentrate and appear as small, indefinite spots of color.