A chameleon is a distinctive lizard known for remarkable features such as a projectile tongue, zygodactylous feet, a prehensile tail, color-changing skin, binocular vision, and stereoscopic depth perception. Around 202 species are recognized.
Chameleons live primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and parts of southern Europe and the Middle East. Their range extends as far south as Malawi and as far southwest as South Africa’s Western Cape. One species reaches southern Spain and Portugal, while others have been introduced to locations including California, Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, and Texas.