Currently it is believed that 134 chameleon species exist, 33 Brookesiini species and 100 Chamaeleonini species. Eight new species of dwarf chameleons have been recently discovered since 1990. Chameleons have many other features that distinguish them from their lizard cousins. They are the only lizards with zygodactyle feet, or pincers. These grasping feet are ideal for tree climbing. Chameleons also have an extremely extensile tongue. The tongue is used to snap up insects and out-of-reach food, and can be up to twice the length of a chameleon’s body. Also distinctive are the independently moveable eyes, which allow chameleons the ability to survey the world with nearly 360-degree vision.
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