Chamaeleo hoehnelii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chamaeleo hoehnelli is the scientific name for the Von Hohnel's Chameleon which is found in Uganda and Kenya.
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[edit] Identification
The Von Hohnel's, Helmeted or High-casqued Chameleon is small to medium in size growing up to 10 inches in total length. Coloration is highly variable across their range. During morning hours, this chameleon may be seen basking in the sunlight almost completely black in color in order to capture heat energy from the sunlight. This species has a single horn on the rostrum. Males are typically larger then females with a larger casque, horn and enlarged tail base.
[edit] Behavior
Most chameleons in east Africa tend to be territorial and the Von Hohnel's Chameleon is no different. If males are placed together, they will hiss at each other, turn black, and compress their bodies to make them look larger.
The Von Hohnel's chameleon enjoys eating most small insects and spiders and does so by extending the tongue to capture the insect. They are capable of extending the tongue more than a complete body length.
