Forest guide holding a brookesia chameleon in his hands. They are some of the world's smallest reptiles—one species reaches a maximum length of just o
Forest guide holding a brookesia chameleon in his hands. They are some of the world's smallest reptiles—one species reaches a maximum length of just over an inch (30 mm). Also known as stumped-tailed or leaf chameleons, these diminutive creatures are found in the leaf litter of rainforests and dry deciduous forests in much of Madagascar. Brookesia feed on small insects and rely on their cyptic coloration to evade predators. When disturbed, these chameleons will play dead in an effort to resemble a fallen leaf. Madagascar is home to about half the world's 150 or so species of chameleons, which are small to mid-size reptiles that are famous for their ability to dramatically change colors. Contrary to popular belief, a chameleon typically does not change colors to match its surroundings. Instead color is usually used to convey emotions, defend territories, and communicate with mates.
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Photo credit: © Diana Mrazikova / VWPICS / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: africa, animal, arm, chameleon, closeup, color, continent, endemic, forest, green, horizontal, island, lemur, madagascar, malagasy, national, nocturnal, park, primate, rainforest, ranomafana, species, tree, vakoma
