|
| | Natural History |
|
Chameleons are believed to have originated in the Eastern portion of the African
continent. Scientists have dated many chameleon fossil remains to the tertiary period. The tertiary period is the
time period between the end of the dinosaurs and the most recent ice age. Chameleons are classified in the Agamidae
family which is also an ancient group of lizards. Although the oldest known chameleon fossil, described as Chamaeleo
caroliquarti is dated at 26 million years old, chameleons are believed to have been in existence for about double that
amount of time. While chameleon species previously roamed a larger portion of the Earth, they have since migrated to
warmer locations when the temperatures in the North started to decline.
|
|
