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Description
Chameleons have some typical physical characteristics. Its compact torso, high back and compact skull are striking. The characteristic features also include their specialized, independently movable eyes, their grasping hands, the distinctive color-changing ability of most species and their long tongue that can be used for hunting. Chameleons can partially vary their body shape by inflating themselves or by spreading the lobes on the head (physiophrenia). This makes it difficult to pinpoint some species. The body shapes and characteristics are also highly variable within a species and depend on age and gender.

In chameleons, the color change is not primarily used for camouflage, but primarily for communication with conspecifics. The willingness to courtship, for example, is often accompanied by more conspicuous colors and patterns. The color also depends on external factors such as temperature, solar radiation, time of day or humidity. At high temperatures, the animals turn bright in color to reflect the incident light. At low temperatures, they turn dark in color to absorb the energy of the light. However, if it is exposed to excessive solar radiation, it turns black due to UV-absorbing melanins. At night it takes on very light colors.

Description
Chameleons have some typical physical characteristics. Its compact torso, high back and compact skull are striking. The characteristic features also include their specialized, independently movable eyes, their grasping hands, the distinctive color-changing ability of most species and their long tongue that can be used for hunting. Chameleons can partially vary their body shape by inflating themselves or by spreading the lobes on the head (physiophrenia). This makes it difficult to pinpoint some species. The body shapes and characteristics are also highly variable within a species and depend on age and gender.

In chameleons, the color change is not primarily used for camouflage, but primarily for communication with conspecifics. The willingness to courtship, for example, is often accompanied by more conspicuous colors and patterns. The color also depends on external factors such as temperature, solar radiation, time of day or humidity. At high temperatures, the animals turn bright in color to reflect the incident light. At low temperatures, they turn dark in color to absorb the energy of the light. However, if it is exposed to excessive solar radiation, it turns black due to UV-absorbing melanins. At night it takes on very light colors.