Chameleons: Masters of Colour, Patience and Bad Aim

Chameleon gripping a branch with curled tail — A common chameleon. Colour change is social signalling more than camouflage. Photo: Charles J. Sharp — CC BY-SA 4.0

A chameleon changes colour in seconds, fires its tongue further than its own body length and moves its eyes independently. Most of what looks like camouflage is actually social signalling.

Chameleon with mouth open displaying colour — A gaping display: chameleons settle disputes with colour, not contact. Photo: Rod Waddington — CC BY-SA 2.0

Open the article in Zoo magazine →

Photography credits: Charles J. Sharp (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons