Jackson's Chameleon

🦎 Color Means Communication

Chameleons don't change color mainly to hide. A study of dwarf chameleons found their most striking color shifts evolved for social signaling to other chameleons, not camouflage, while smaller changes in brightness help with temperature control and, yes, sometimes blending in.

🦎 Color Talk, Not Camouflage

Chameleons are famous for changing color, but did you know it's less about hiding than about talking? A study of southern African dwarf chameleons found that the species with the boldest color changes use them to flash social signals in male contests and courtship, and found no evidence the trick evolved for camouflage.

🦎 Chameleon Color Change

Chameleons are famous for their color-changing abilities. They change colors in response to mood, such as fear or anger, plus light, temperature and humidity. Color also sends social signals: brighter males are more dominant and attract more females, while a submissive male shows brown or gray.

🦎 More G's Than a Fighter Jet

A tiny chameleon, Rhampholeon spinosus, launches its sticky tongue with an acceleration of up to 264 times the force of gravity. For comparison, the space shuttle hit 3 g on its way to orbit, and F-16 fighter jets reach only 7 g when pulling out of a dive.