page_title: Chameleon
section_title: Etymology
hierarchical_section_title: Chameleon / Etymology
caption_attribution_description: English: A work by the 17th century Mughal natural artist Ustad Mansur. From the British Royal Collection. Assumed to be a Flap-necked Chameleon or possibly Indian chameleon on account of the highly detailed view showing a the feet of the animal where each foot exhibits fused digits in opposed groups, a lighter band by the edge of the mouth, and a line of white scales on the underside of the belly. &#91;1&#93;
context_page_description: Chameleons or chamaeleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015. These species come in a range of colors, and many species have the ability to change color.
  Chameleons are distinguished by their zygodactylous feet; their very extensive, highly modified, rapidly extrudable tongues; their swaying gait; and crests or horns on their brow and snout. Most species, the larger ones in particular, also have a prehensile tail. Chameleons' eyes are independently mobile, but in aiming at a prey item, they focus forward in coordination, affording the animal stereoscopic vision.
  Chameleons are adapted for climbing and visual hunting. They live in warm habitats that range from rain forest to desert conditions, with various species occurring in Africa, Madagascar, southern Europe, and across southern Asia as far as Sri Lanka. They also have been introduced to Hawaii, California, and Florida, and often are kept as household pets.
context_section_description: The English word chameleon (/kəˈmiːliən/ kuh-MEEL-ee-un) is a simplified spelling of Latin chamaeleōn, a borrowing of the Greek χαμαιλέων (khamailéōn), a compound of χαμαί (khamaí) "on the ground" and λέων (léōn) "lion".
caption: Mughal era painting of a chameleon by Ustad Mansur.
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