Common chameleon

Ordinary chameleon ( Chamaeleo )

The Common or European chameleon ( Chamaeleo ) lives in North Africa along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the southern and western Turkey. In Europe, there are few, isolated occurrence. It lives in the south of the Iberian peninsula in the Portuguese province of Faro and the Spanish provinces of Huelva, Cadiz, Malaga, Granada and Almeria, Malta, Crete, Chios and Samos. The chameleons in the south of the Peloponnese are not European, but the larger African chameleons (Chamaeleo africanus). The European populations are probably due to introductions by humans. They are threatened with extinction.

Habitat

Ordinary chameleons live primarily in coastal areas rich in vegetation, as well planted dunes, but also in light forests and bushland, often in the vicinity of water. In North Africa, they also come in sparsely vegetated areas alive on the floor, in the province of Málaga you can find them even at altitudes of 900 meters, outside Europe up to altitudes of 2600 meters. In the Iberian Peninsula are the ordinary chameleon culture follower, which are also set in olive groves, eucalyptus plantations, agricultural plantations and gardens that are regularly sprayed with water to be found. In their habitat temperature differences between day and night can occur up to 40 ° C.

Features

Ordinary chameleons are 20 to 30 inches long. They usually reach a length of 25 centimeters, of which ten to twelve on the prehensile tail. Your body is flattened high backs and sides. On the back there is a low ridge on the back of the head a flashy, helmet-like curvature. As with all chameleons her toes are partially fused into Tongs and protruding eyes move independently. The ordinary chameleon is usually light or olive green, with two irregular, white longitudinal bands, but can change color quickly and gray, blackish or brown and get black spots. At night, the animals are light brownish gray, when energized, they are more defined.

Reproduction

Ordinary chameleons mate in the months of August to September. The female lays in October or November, at the beginning of the cooler, rainier season, 40 to 60 days after mating 20 to 50 eggs in self-dug burrows. The eggs are 10 to 19 x 8 up to 12.5 mm in size. During the winter the germ development rests. The young hatch after eight to nine months in July or August of the following year.

Swell

• M. Rogner: lizards. Ulmer Verlag, ISBN 3-8001-7248-8
• G. Diesner, J. Reichholf: Steinbach nature guide, amphibians and reptiles. Mosaik Verlag, 1996, Munich, ISBN 3-576-10697-9
• A. Kwet: reptiles and amphibians of Europe. Franckh - Kosmos Verlag, 2005, ISBN 3-440-10237-8