The Tongue

The tongue is not bífida, as in the majority of the lizards, but adopts the form of a catapult, very gross in the extreme, and can be projected with enormous rapidity to a distance over the length of the head and the trunk of the animal juntos once trapped and adhered the prey to the tip of the tongue, this disappears with the same rapidity in the interior Of the mouth. Said mechanism expands largely the Food capture action field. The size of the prey depends on the dimensions of the own one camaleón: the small and medium hunt mainly insects; the large capture also Other lizards, small mamíferos and fowls. The bone lingual is well developed in all they and it performs an important paper in the mechanism of projection of the tongue. In the position of rest, this, very musculada, is found rolled in around al bone. Before to be projected, the muscles you circulate situated in its subsequent extreme itself they contract violently accumulating it It further possible of the sharp extreme of the bone. Without embargo, this operation only is possible when the muscles longitudinales are relaxed, moment in that they lose every efficacy in their paper of oponentes of You circulate them. As this relaxation is produced in a sudden way, the tongue itself unlike out of the mouth under the effects of the resultant pressure; something as well as if one it projected a seed of naranja Pressing it with the tips of the fingers. Follow, thanks to the elasticity of the weave and to a new contraction of the muscles longitudinals, the tongue returns al point of departure with the prey adhered her.

The extremities of the camleón, long and thin, they maintain the body to certain height. The fingers of each foot itself unite in two groups separated: two outsides and three interior in the previous extremities; three exterior and two interiors in the subsequent. It it does of the feet a species of tenacious that they permit al Animal to be grasped firmly to the branches. By addition, the species of the kind Chameleon count on a queue prensil, capable including of bearing for itself alone the weight of the body. 

Mimicry and Temperament

Is well acquaintance the capacity of the camaleón to change of color, though the not specialists are done with Frequency an idea very exaggerated of her. With all, the physiological change of color is a very notorious process and quick in the majority of the camaleones. What not means that always they be able mimetizarse with what It surrounds them. During the day, the corporeal coloring of the arborícolas active constitutes a good protection; for example the green one or the color bark, according to the Medium. Very often, however, the coloring and the you stain they play a specific role in the disputes among individuals of the same species. Some times only They reflect a specific physiological state. A important number of camaleones they acquire during the dream a pale coloring, blancuzca, that, as a luminous appliance, permits to discover them easily among the dark one ramaje where during the day its color It would protect them perfectly. The male, and to times the females, they dominate a territory, that defend jealously against other individuals. But only in rare occasions true fight is produced, although the horns and crests of some species would constitute probably some very effective elements of battle. When two rival they are found to the distance of the view, they are threatened mutually doing ostentation of their brilliant colors and, inflating the body, they expose it of side al enemy So that their aspect be more more impressive. Some characteristic movements oscilatorios underline the attitude of challenge, and some times their mouth is opened of pair in pair to show the coloring contrastante of The membrana mucosa. In liberty, this psychological war suffices normally So that one of the oponentes choose for being retired. Only in them limited conditions of the captivity occur authentic fights, and the bite they can inflict Serious injuries and, to times, including to kill al rival. The male defeated leaves constancy of its submission singiness with the colors of a female or of a youth and retires slowly. The victorious one leaves it to go, without the smaller opposition: by the change of color is evident that have left of to offer interest as adversary.

In Danger

Proper to its strange aspect and to its interesting biology, the Chameleons they are favorite attraction in the terrarios. But the consequences of the captivity are not very Alentadoras. Generally, and still in the case that since a principle they accept the food, they die to the few months. These conditions of life and of breeding only they are admitted of occasional way by some that another exemplary of specific species. One of the many reasons of this incompatibility resides in the strict one I distribute of territories, that does impossible to put to a male inside the visual radio from another of the same one species. The majority they put eggs that the female it places in pits excavated previsoramente by her Same. The assembly of the operation encloses, for the Camaleón arborícola, a great danger. Some species, above all in the climate subtropical of Africa southern and in zones of greater altitud, they have themselves become viviparous. You raise them, completely developed, they are born inside the membrana of the egg; themselves they free of this so they are born and they begin their life Independent. Not they need the guide of the parents for To be become expert hunters.