Page 19 - Chameleon

Nevertheless, a chameleon’s hue-shifting
skills are some of nature’s best—and most
multifaceted.
Though incapable of matching certain de-
tails in their environments, such as bright
flowers or individual blades of grass, cha-
meleons can, in fact, make small color
adjustments to blend into their surround-
ings. And the more dramatic color trans-
formations—which have made species
like the panther chameleon famous—help
these lizards defend territory and attract
mates.
So while they may not live up to their
common portrayal in entertainment me-
dia, their use of color is far more impres-
sive than most people imagine. Let’s take a
closer look.
surroundings.

Size

According to the Integrated Taxonomic
Information System (ITIS), there are 171
species of chameleons. With so many
different species, there are many differ-
ent sizes.
The largest chameleon is the Parson’s
chameleon, according to Encyclope-
dia Britannica. It can grow up to 27
inches (69.5 centimeters) long. The
Madagascan, also known as the Oust-
alet's chameleon, is also very large and
grows up to 23 inches (60 cm) long.
The smallest chameleon has a spe-
cial distinction. It is also one of the
smallest vertebrates ever discov-
ered. The leaf chameleon grows
to just 0.5 inches (16 millime-

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