THE ANIMAL FILES

Common chameleon

Chamaeleo chamaeleon

A chameleon’s changing colour is also a signal, not a background-copying machine.

Common chameleons climb among trees and shrubs using grasping feet and a prehensile tail. A fast tongue captures insects while much of the body moves slowly. Colour responds to conditions and social context as well as contributing to the animal’s appearance.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Common chameleon
Image: Benny Trapp · Commons · CC BY 3.0
Feet
Toes grouped to grasp branches[1]
Tail
Prehensile, assisting stability[1]
Food
Insects captured with the tongue[1]

A secure hold

Five toes are arranged in opposing groups on each foot, gripping branches. The tail adds support and balance. Slow, slightly swaying movement is common, although faster motion occurs in disputes. A leisurely climb therefore does not reveal the maximum speed of every movement the animal can make.[1]

A fast meal from a slow position

The long tongue extends quickly, with a terminal pad adhering to prey. Flies, beetles, true bugs and other insects are foods. Most of the body can remain relatively still during this reach. Adults also have occasional records of other food, so insectivory should not be phrased as an absolute ban on every non-insect item.[1]

Colour with a context

Colour changes accompany light and temperature differences and interactions with other chameleons. A darkening individual is not necessarily matching a darker branch. During breeding, colour contributes to communication. Observing the surroundings and nearby animals is therefore necessary before assigning one explanation to a visible change.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Does every colour change copy the background?

No. Temperature, light and social signals also matter.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why can a slow body still capture a moving fly?

Reveal the explanation

Rapid tongue extension reaches prey without requiring an equally fast whole-body chase.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Chamaeleo chamaeleon (adapted and translated; exact revision)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Chamaeleo chamaeleon (identity and game lineage)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Green iguanaLiving in trees does not rule out a swim.Iguana iguana ↗Marine iguanaA seaweed meal ends with time in the sun.Amblyrhynchus cristatus ↗Gila monsterBeaded skin, a searching tongue and a fat-storing tail.Heloderma suspectum ↗