A chameleon is a lizard that can change the color of its body. Belongs to the class Reptiles, order Scaly, family chameleons (Chamaeleonidae).

Yours Russian name The animal got its name thanks to the German word Chamaleon, borrowed from the ancient Greek language, where chameleons were literally called “earth lion.”

In addition to insects, their larvae and other protein foods, the chameleon will not refuse to feast on and happily eats cherries, kiwis and persimmons, eats any vegetables with an unsteady consistency, and eats green leaves of dandelions and lettuce.

• (Trioceros jacksonii)

A bright green chameleon that very quickly turns blue or yellow. Males are distinguished by 3 brown horns: one grows on the nose, two between the eyes. The body length of adults is 30 cm.

Prefers moist, cool forested areas eastern part of the African continent.

• (Chamaeleo namaquensis)

Lives exclusively in the desert in the territories of Namibia and Angola on the African continent. Adapted to living in arid conditions, representatives of the species change color to a greater extent to regulate body temperature.

The body length of adult females reaches 16 cm, males are slightly smaller. The diet of the desert chameleon consists of insects, small ones, lizards, etc.

• (Chamaeleo chamaeleon)

One of the most common species, inhabiting the forests and deserts of northern Africa, Syria, India, Arabia and Sri Lanka. The chameleon's body length reaches 30 cm, and its skin color can be solid or spotted: dark green, bright red or yellow.

The food of chameleons of this species is all kinds of insects and invertebrates, which live in abundance on grassy dunes.

• Calumma tarzan

A rare species of green chameleon, discovered in the northeast of Madagascar near the village of Tarzanville. The scientists who discovered the lizard deliberately named the species after Tarzan, hoping to create awareness among the local population regarding the preservation of the rare species' habitat. The body length of adult individuals including the tail is 11.9-15 cm.

• Furcifer labordi

A unique species of Madagascar chameleons, the newborn cubs of which are capable of increasing in size by 4-5 times in 2 months, thus holding the record for the fastest growth rate among animals that walk on 4 legs.

Males grow up to 9 cm, females up to 7 cm in length. Furcifer labordi chameleons live only 4-5 months, laying eggs and dying before their offspring are born.

• Brookesia micra

The smallest chameleon in the world. In addition, this chameleon is the smallest lizard and the smallest reptile on the planet.

Body length of adults varies from 2.3 to 2.9 cm, with females being slightly larger than males. The species was discovered only in 2007 on the island of Nosu-Hara. IN calm state The chameleon is dark brown in color; in case of danger, its tail turns yellow and its body is covered with gray-green spots.

• Giant chameleon(Furcifer oustaleti)

One of the largest chameleons in the world. The total body length of adult individuals is 50-68 cm. The brown body of the lizards is strewn with yellow, green and red spots.

Endemic species from the island of Madagascar. The chameleon lives in dense wet forests, where it readily eats small mammals, small birds, lizards and insects.

Chameleon is an animal which stands out not only for its ability to change colors, but also for its ability to move its eyes independently of each other. Not only these facts make him the most amazing lizard in the world.

Features and habitat of the chameleon

There is an opinion that the name chameleon comes from the Greek language and means “earth lion.” The chameleon's habitat is Sri Lanka and Southern Europe.

Most often found in savannas and forests of the tropics, some live in the foothills and a very small amount occupies steppe zones. Today there are about 160 species of reptiles. More than 60 of them live in Madagascar.

The remains of the oldest chameleon, which is approximately 26 million years old, were found in Europe. The length of an average reptile is 30 cm. The largest individuals type of chameleon Furcifer oustaleti reach 70 cm. Representatives of Brookesia micra grow only up to 15 mm.

The chameleon's head is decorated with a crest, tubercles or elongated and pointed horns. Such features are characteristic only of males. By its appearance chameleon look like lizard, but in reality they have little in common.

The sides of the chameleon’s body are so flattened that it seems as if it has been under pressure. The presence of a jagged and pointed ridge makes it resemble a small dragon; the neck is practically absent.

On long and skinny legs there are five fingers, which are fused in the opposite direction to each other by 2 and 3 fingers and form a kind of claw. Each finger has a sharp claw. This allows the animal to perfectly hold and move along the surface of trees.

The chameleon's tail is quite thick, but towards the end it becomes narrow and can curl into a spiral. This is also the grasping organ of a reptile. However, some species have a short tail.

The reptile's tongue is one and a half to two times longer than the body. They use it to catch prey. With lightning speed (0.07 seconds), throwing out their tongues, chameleons capture the victim, leaving virtually no chance of salvation. Animals lack an outer and middle ear, which makes them practically deaf. But they can still perceive sounds in the range of 200–600 Hertz.

This disadvantage is compensated by excellent vision. Chameleons' eyelids constantly cover their eyes because... are fused. There are special holes for the pupils. The left and right eyes move uncoordinated, which allows you to see everything around you from a 360-degree angle.

Before attacking, the animal focuses both eyes on the prey. The quality of vision makes it possible to find insects at a distance of ten meters. Chameleons see perfectly under ultraviolet light. Being in this part of the light spectrum, reptiles are more active than in the normal part.

The photo shows the eye of a chameleon

Particularly popular chameleons acquired due to their ability to change color. There is an opinion that by changing the color the animal camouflages itself with its surroundings, but this is wrong. Emotional mood(fear, feeling of hunger, mating games etc.), as well as environmental conditions (humidity, temperature, light, etc.) are factors that affect the change in color of the reptile.

The color change occurs due to chromatophores - cells that contain the corresponding pigments. This process lasts several minutes, and the color does not change significantly.

Character and lifestyle of a chameleon

Chameleons spend almost their entire lives in tree branches. They only go down to mating season. It is in this environment that it is easier for the chameleon to maintain camouflage. It is difficult to move on the ground with clawed paws. That's why they have a swaying gait. Only the presence of several points of support, including a grasping tail, allows animals to feel great in the thickets.

The activity of chameleons manifests itself in daytime. They move little. They prefer to be in one place, wrapping their tail and paws around a tree branch. But they run and jump quite quickly if necessary. Carnivores and mammals, large lizards and some types of snakes can pose a danger to the chameleon. When it sees an enemy, the reptile puffs up like balloon, its color changes.

As it exhales, the chameleon begins to snort and hiss, trying to scare the enemy. It may even bite, but since the animal has weak teeth, it does not cause serious wounds. Now many people have a desire buy an animal chameleon. At home they are kept in a terrarium. Chameleon as a pet will not cause much trouble if you create comfortable conditions for him. It is better to consult a specialist on this issue.

Nutrition

The chameleon's diet consists of various insects. While in ambush, the reptile sits on a tree branch for a long time, only its eyes are in constant motion. True, sometimes a chameleon can very slowly creep up on its prey. The insect is captured by throwing out the tongue and pulling the victim into the mouth.

This happens instantly; up to four insects can be caught in just three seconds. Chameleons hold food with the help of the extended end of the tongue, which acts as a suction cup, and very sticky saliva. Large objects are fixed using a movable process on the tongue.

Water is consumed from standing reservoirs. When moisture is lost, the eyes begin to droop and the animals practically “dry up.” At home chameleon prefers crickets, tropical cockroaches, fruits, leaves of some plants. We must not forget about water.

Reproduction and lifespan

Most chameleons are oviparous. After fertilization, the female carries the eggs for up to two months. Some time before laying eggs, the expectant mother shows extreme anxiety and aggression. They develop bright colors and do not allow males to approach them.

Future mom descends to the ground and looks for a place to dig a hole and lay eggs. Eggs of each type different quantities and can be from 10 to 60. There can be about three clutches throughout the year. The development of the embryo can take from five months to two years (also depending on the species).

The babies are born independent and, as soon as they hatch, run to the plants to hide from enemies. If the male is absent, the female may lay "fat" eggs, from which the young will not hatch. They disappear after a few days.

The birth principle of viviparous chameleons is not very different from oviparous chameleons. The difference is that the female carries the eggs inside herself until the babies are born. In this case, up to 20 children may appear. Chameleons do not raise their offspring.

The lifespan of a chameleon can be up to 9 years. Females live much shorter lives, as their health is undermined by pregnancy. Price for chameleons Not very tall. However, the unusualness of the animal, the charming appearance and funny habits can please the most picky fauna lover.

Chameleons are widely known for their unique ability among land animals to change skin color; they even got their name from the name mythical creature, capable of changing appearance - Chameleon. These animals form a separate family in the suborder Squamate, their closest relatives are iguanas and agamas. There are 85 known species of chameleons.

Panther chameleon.

The body length of most chameleons is 20-30 cm, the largest species - the Ostaleti chameleon - reaches a length of 50-60 cm, and the tiniest chameleon is considered to be Brookesia minor, whose body length barely reaches 3.5-4.5 cm.

African dwarf chameleon (Rhampholeon temporalis).

Although chameleons are systematically close to lizards, they have so many unique structural features that they bear little resemblance even to closely related species.

The body of chameleons is flattened from the sides, the back is noticeably arched and decorated with a crest, which is why chameleons give the impression of being eternally hunched over.

Their head is even more intricately decorated: in some species it is crowned with a crest, in others there are outgrowths on the muzzle resembling horns, in others the occipital outgrowths give the head the shape of a helmet. True, such decorations are clearly visible only in males; in females they are weakly expressed.

Jackson's chameleon (Chamaeleo jacksonii).

The eyelids of chameleons are tightly fused and close their eyes almost completely, leaving only a small hole in the center for the pupil, which makes the eyes of these animals seem bulging. Chameleons rotate them like telescopic tubes in all directions (360° viewing angle), moreover, the rotation of the eyes can be carried out independently of each other. This eye structure allows chameleons to focus on small moving objects with the highest accuracy. But chameleons, like snakes, do not have ears. However, they perceive sounds with a frequency of 200-600 Hz.

Eye of Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii).

Another hunting device is its unusual tongue. In chameleons it can reach the length of the body; the tongue has the shape of a stalk with an extension at the end. Insects stick to this “spoon,” which the chameleon pulls into the oral cavity along with its tongue.

The tail of most chameleons is long and, when at rest, curled into a characteristic spiral.

Only a few small species have very short, stubby tails that cannot curl. This bizarre portrait is completed by the unusual structure of the paws. Chameleons have five-fingered fingers, with the toes located perpendicular to the axis of the limb and opposed to each other: on the front paws, two toes are directed outward, and three inward, and on the hind paws, vice versa. Chameleons have rough skin, with individual sharp scales forming ridges and serrations on the chin, neck and back.

Chameleons' feet are ideal grasping tools, allowing them to hold onto thin branches.

It is believed that chameleons can change color randomly to match the color environment. This statement is only partly true. In fact, each type of chameleon has its own specific coloring, which changes relatively little under normal conditions. Among chameleons there are solidly colored, spotted and striped species. Natural coloring can be very inconspicuous (brown, gray) or bright (green, greenish-blue); in variegated species, certain parts of the body can be orange or red.

Male Yemen chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) in natural coloring.

The color is due to the presence of special pigmented cells in the skin - chromatophores. They have a branched shape and can change their size (shrink, expand). When chromatophores of one color contract, others expand at the same time, so the area of ​​​​body parts of different colors can change. Each type of chameleon can change color only within color range given to him by nature. For example, a brown chameleon can darken to almost black or fade to almost white, but it cannot turn blue or striped, and conversely, a striped chameleon will show subtle stripes with any change in color. Despite such limitations, chameleons' ability to transform is amazing. Typically, chameleons only slightly change the shade of their natural coloring, adjusting it in accordance with the environment, but are “overwhelmed” strong feelings can be radically transformed. A frightened chameleon often turns pale, while an aggressive one can darken to black or become covered with a bright pattern.

The female Yemen chameleon does not have a "helmet". On the body of the actively “greening” female, traces of the original “calm” coloring are visible - small specks and very pale stripes.

Chameleons are residents warm countries. The center of species diversity is Madagascar, where many endemic and rare species, not found outside its borders, many chameleons also live in Africa. Outside this region, chameleons can only be found in India, Sri Lanka, the Middle East and Southern Europe(1-2 types each). Most chameleons live in damp tropical forests and keeps in the crowns of trees, some African chameleons are terrestrial and live on the forest floor or dig burrows in the desert. Chameleons are settled, they occupy small area, which is protected from neighbors. Males allow females into their area, but drive away other males. Chameleons move very slowly, they slowly clasp branches with their paws, often swaying back and forth, sometimes they freeze on the branches, motionless long time.

Chameleons move clumsily on land and cannot swim at all.

Chameleons feed on insects (ants, butterflies, caterpillars, praying mantises, crickets), worms, snails; large species can sometimes eat small birds and lizards. Their diet may occasionally include shoots and buds of plants. Chameleons first stalk their prey from ambush, rotating their eyes in all directions, then slowly creep up to it, at the last moment pointing both eyes at it, and then throw out their tongue at a speed of 0.04-0.05 s! The tearing force can reach 50 g; the chameleon grabs heavier prey with its jaws.

The victim is glued to the tongue thanks to sticky saliva and a notch at the end that creates a vacuum effect (suction cup principle).

Chameleon mating fights come down to psychological warfare. Having met, the males are covered with very bright, quickly changing war paint, open their mouths, hiss loudly, in a word, in every possible way they frighten the opponent. Often, after watching such a “movie,” the weaker opponent takes to his heels. If this does not happen, then the chameleons begin to butt with horns and bite, but do not injure each other. Females of some species have special seminal receptacles in which sperm can be stored for a long time, therefore, having mated once, the female can bear offspring several times. Females lay 4-80 small eggs covered with a parchment shell. To do this, they descend to the ground and dig a hole.

A female chameleon can spend several days digging a hole.

Two-striped and motley chameleons are ovoviviparous: after 5-7 months of pregnancy, they lay eggs in a transparent sticky shell on the surface of the leaves and chameleons immediately hatch from them. Chameleon eggs do not begin to develop immediately; at first they are in a “sleeping” state and only then does the development of the embryo begin. Therefore, the total duration of incubation is enormous - 3-12 months! Newborn chameleons are fully developed, independent, and grow rapidly, reaching adult size in about a year.

The bizarre Labordi chameleon (Furcifer labordi) spends 8 months of its life in an egg, and dies 4-5 months after birth. This is one of the shortest living species.

Chameleons have neither sharp teeth nor poison, so they are attractive prey for many predators (snakes, birds). Interestingly, Smith's dwarf chameleon uses different patterns of camouflage coloration against different predators—color-blind birds and color-blind snakes.

Ostaleti's chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti) demonstrates perfect camouflage.

Due to relatively low fertility and limited range, many chameleon species have become rare. The chameleons of Madagascar are especially in need of protection; many Madagascan species are listed in the Red Book. At the same time, chameleons are often kept in home terrariums as unpretentious and very attractive pets.

The panther chameleon is one of the favorite inhabitants of home terrariums.

Chameleons are a family of scaly lizards that stand out clearly from other species with a number of very unusual features unique to them.

The name "" has very ancient roots: in the mythology of some countries this was the name strange creature, which could quickly change its appearance.

general characteristics

On this moment 193 species of these unusual lizards are known, most of them are native to the island Madagascar. The remaining members of the family live in Africa, in the extreme south and extreme north of the Arabian Peninsula, on the west coast of India, as well as on small islands in Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. More recently, several new species of chameleons living in the steppes of California and Florida have been discovered, leaving scientists confused.

The natural habitat of chameleons is trees; they live, sleep, and hunt on the branches. Only a few species decided to move to land and now live in forests, African savannas, steppes and deserts.

Chameleons are medium-sized lizards, their body length ranges from 17 to 30 cm. However, there are exceptions: the Madagascar Chamaeleo oustaleti grows to 60 centimeters or more, and representatives of the genus Brookesia are not only the smallest chameleons, but also one of the tiniest reptiles on Earth - only 1.3-4.5 centimeters.

The body of chameleons is strongly flattened on the sides and in many species resembles an oval in shape. Males have various formations on their heads: horns, combs, drills. In females, these “decorations” are either rudimentary in nature or do not appear at all. The limbs are long, adapted for climbing trees. The fingers of chameleons are more like claws - grouped in groups of 2-3 and covered with solid skin up to the penultimate phalanges, they are directed in opposite directions. This finger shape is great for climbing tree branches. The tail often serves as a fifth limb; lizards can wrap it around branches.

Change in body color

This unique ability has made chameleons famous throughout the world and made them probably the most popular lizard. Which, in principle, is not strange, because few people are able to change their appearance so dramatically and even do it so quickly. The secret of this amazing ability of chameleons lies in the special structure of their skin. The skin consists of several separate layers, which differ in structure from each other. Most upper layer is transparent and serves to refract light, and also performs a protective function. The deeper layers of the skin contain special cells - chromatophores, which contain pigments different colors(black, dark brown, red and yellow), with each layer containing chromatophores of different colors. During the contraction of chromatophores, they contain a concentration of colored pigments in the center of the cell. This causes the lizard's skin color to change. The combination of colors from different layers gives the chameleon different color shades.

The color change occurs very quickly - less than half a minute. Interestingly, chameleons can change the color not only of the entire body, but also of individual parts, for example, the eyelids or tail.

But what makes a chameleon quickly change its color? It was previously believed that lizards needed this feature primarily for camouflage against the background of the environment. However, recent studies have shown that changing color for a chameleon is primarily a means of communication with its own kind, and not a means of protection and camouflage.

Also, many other external factors (high or low temperature, bright light) and internal (fear, irritation, hunger) origin.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the chameleon’s reaction during a threat - the lizard’s body swells, increasing slightly in size, the body acquires a menacing black (less often dark brown) color, and at the same time also hisses like a snake.

Vision device

The structure of a chameleon's eyes is also of considerable interest. Their eyes are quite large and complex; they are covered with a continuous eyelid, in which there is only a small hole for the pupil. However, this did not prevent the chameleon from acquiring the most accurate vision focusing system among lizards. Thanks to this, lizards are incredibly capable of determining the distance to objects around them, and just as clearly see objects at a very close distance from the eye.

Another very interesting feature- the eyes of the reptile master of camouflage are capable of moving independently of each other, so, for example, the left eye can look forward, and the right one back or to the right. Thanks to this, the animal receives a picture with a viewing angle of 360 degrees.

Ideal language

When you first look at a chameleon, thoughts like: how can such a slow and clumsy animal feed itself and generally survive in this world? But upon closer acquaintance with him, these questions begin to disappear. Yes, he doesn't look like a successful predator, but he is one. The chameleon knows how to perfectly camouflage and wait, and its unique vision allows it to see literally everything that is happening around. All that was left was the fishing weapon (the murder weapon, if you like). This very tool is the tongue.

As researchers and scientists say, the chameleon's tongue is the world's most advanced "catapult", it is incredibly effective, simple and also easy to control. Quote: “It has no analogues either in biology or mechanics” - this is an ideal fishing tool!

We will not go into details of the device of the “miracle of the tongue” (since you can find many publications on this topic on the Internet), we will just list its key features:

• the tongue can “shoot” over a distance of one and a half lengths of the lizard’s body and catch the victim using a special suction cup;
• It takes one twentieth of a second for the tongue to reach an insect!
• in 3 seconds a chameleon can catch 4 insects with its tongue!
• tongue acceleration is an incredible 50g!

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Chameleon: Interesting Facts, photos and short description to compile a report or presentation for children in grades 2-3-4.

Habitat

First of all, chameleons can be found on the African continent. They are also common on the Madagascar island. Often these animals were found in Southern Europe, the USA (California, Florida) and also in the Middle East. In general, cases of this animal being found in other, more distant places from its places have been recorded. natural environment habitats in corners of the globe.

Appearance

On average, the body length of a chameleon is 30 centimeters, but in large species it can reach 60 centimeters, and in the smallest species only 3-5 centimeters. The chameleon's legs are long. They are well adapted for climbing. The tail is quite long, thick at the base and tapering towards the end. While climbing, the chameleon wraps its tail around branches, which also helps it move.

The chameleon has unique visual organs. His eyes are permanently covered with fused eyelids, which have a hole for the pupil. The eyes do not work synchronously, which means that they move independently of each other.

Reproduction and lifespan

Chameleons breed in calm conditions. Since chameleons are primarily oviparous animals, they hide their eggs in the ground or sand. One clutch can contain up to 35 eggs, but in the future only a few of them will produce hatchlings. However, sometimes chameleons have up to 14 babies. The incubation period lasts 9 months. Chameleons live up to 9 years.

Behavior and nutrition

Chameleons spend most of their lives in trees. They are absolutely not dangerous, and even harmless.

This animal feeds on various insects; large individuals often eat birds and lizards. The hunting process appears to be quite passive. A chameleon waits for its prey on a tree for hours, but its eyes work hard in search of prey.