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General information
General information
Chameleons are also known by their scientific name, Trioceros Melleri. They are reptiles that are part of the iguana subcategory ("Chameleon" 2015).
Range map of the chameleon population (Tilbury and Tolley 2009)
Chameleons most likely originated in mainland Africa, and they mostly live in the rain forests and deserts of Africa. The image of the map to the left shows a range map of where chameleons are found throughout the world. As shown, the population of chameleons are highly concentrated in Madagascar and Africa. The rest are found typically in the Middle East, with few on the islands in the Indian Ocean (Tilbury and Tolley 2009)
Something very unique about chameleons is how they change the color of their skin in order to help them blend in with any specific habitat. So, for example, chameleons that live in deserts are typically brown, such as the image shown to the right, but those that live in trees are usually green ("Chameleon" 2015).
A Namaqua chameleon in the desert (Sousa 2015)
Feeding Behaviors
Feeding Behaviors
What do chameleons eat?
How do chameleons eat?
Chameleons are mostly omnivores and generally eat insects. This includes locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, and mantids.
However, due to their environment, which can sometimes be food-scarce, they will also consume vegetation occasionally. Greens like dandelions provide chameleons with a good source of hydration, vitamins, and minerals (Kraus et al. 2011).
Shown in the video below, is a visual representation of how chameleons eat.
They move very slowly to approach their prey. Then, once they are within a close enough distance, they shoot out their sticky tongues to capture their meal. Some chameleons tongues go from 0 to 60 miles per hour is just a hundredth of a second!
Chameleons diet relies of their size. Smaller species, like the veiled chameleon, primarily consume small insects. Some larger chameleons even eat small birds or other lizards!
The amount of food that chameleons consume depends on their age. Up until their first birthday, chameleons actually require more food than adults do! These baby chameleons eat around 12-18 insects per day, spread out in two feedings (Kraus et al. 2011).
Although, adult chameleons eat opportunistically. This means that they only eat as often as they can find prey. In the event that they are unable to find food, adult chameleons can survive for many weeks without eating, as long as they have access to water (Kraus et al. 2011).
Chameleon eating a grasshopper (Eitan 2012)
Chameleons do not drink water from pools or dishes of water. They actually prefer to drink from water droplets that fall off of leaves, or water that drips from leaves after rainstorms (Kraus et al. 2011).
Chameleon drinking water droplets from a leaf (Kraus et al. 2011)
Nutritional Ecology Classification
Nutritional Ecology Classification
Chameleons are generally omnivorous animals, although it depends on the specific species. Some chameleon species are known to have a more carnivorous diet, while other chameleon species actually prefer to be vegetations (Brau et al. 2016).
Despite their nonchalant appearance, chameleons fall into the predatorial category. They capture prey by using their incredibly long tongues to snatch insects ("Chameleons' Sticky Spit Grabs Prey" 2016).
A Meller's Chameleon catching food with its long tongue (Brau et al. 2016).
Digestive Anatomy and Anatomical Classification
Digestive Anatomy and Anatomical Classification
Digestive tract of chameleons (Long)
Chameleons have very many small peg-like teeth. Their tongue is very unique, as they can project it from their mouth to far distances to catch insects, and the tip of their tongue is like an adhesive sticker.
Leading from the mouth is the esophagus that leads to the stomach. The digestive tract of chameleons consist of the mouth, stomach, intestines, and vent (Williams and Jackson).
Chameleons are identified as mono-gastric, and they are hind-gut fermenters, as they have a single chambered stomach.
Close up of the chameleons teeth and eyes (Dugal 2021)
References
References
Brau, Fabian, Déborah Lanterbecq, Leïla-Nastasia Zghikh, Vincent Bels, and Pascal Damman. 2016. “Dynamics of Prey Prehension by Chameleons through Viscous Adhesion.” Nature Physics, no. 10 (June): 931–35. https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys3795.
“Chameleon.” 2015. Animals. October 16, 2015. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/chameleon.
“Chameleons’ Sticky Spit Grabs Prey.” 2016. Nature, no. 7608 (June): 438–438. https://doi.org/10.1038/534438a.
Dugal, Genevieve. 2021. “Do Chameleons Have Teeth? What You Need To Know! | Pet Keen.” Pet Keen. https://www.facebook.com/PetKeen/. November 12, 2021. https://petkeen.com/do-chameleons-have-teeth/.
Eitan, Or. 2012. “Chameleon Eating a GrassHopper.” YouTube. October 13, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=fiy5vzn7cxo.
Kraus, Fred, Arthur Medeiros, David Preston, Catherine S. Jarnevich, and Gordon H. Rodda. 2011. “Diet and Conservation Implications of an Invasive Chameleon, Chamaeleo Jacksonii (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) in Hawaii.” Biological Invasions, no. 3 (September): 579–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-011-0099-3.
Long, S. n.d. “Approach to Reptile Emergency Medicine. | Semantic Scholar.” Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Approach-to-Reptile-Emergency-Medicine-Long/c76dd5fe54de306544e3bd6a2053787eacff3657.
Sousa, Gregory. 2017. “Native Reptiles Of Angola - WorldAtlas.” WorldAtlas. WorldAtlas. January 26, 2017. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/native-reptiles-of-angola.html.
Tilbury, Colin R., and Krystal A. Tolley. 2009. “A Re-Appraisal of the Systematics of the African Genus Chamaeleo (Reptilia: Chamaeleonidae).” Zootaxa, no. 1 (April): 57–68. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2079.1.2.
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