Chamaeleo dilepis Leach, 1819

Common Name and Taxonomy

Chamaeleo dilepis, commonly known as the flap-necked chameleon, is a large chameleon species.

Adult Size

Adults reach a total length of 35 cm (14 in) when including the tail.

Base Body Colouration

Its body colouration spans various shades of green, yellow, and brown.

Flank Markings

Most individuals have a pale stripe along their lower flanks, plus one to three pale patches on the upper portions of the flanks.

Distribution Range Extent

This species has an extremely broad distribution across most of sub-Saharan Africa.

Range Boundaries

Its range extends north to Ethiopia and Somalia, reaches its western limit in Cameroon, and extends south to northern South Africa.

Habitat Types

It can live in coastal forest, moist or dry savannah, woodland, and bushy grasslands, and it sometimes enters rural and suburban areas.

Female Egg Laying Behavior

Adult female flap-necked chameleons dig holes in soil to lay clutches of 10 to 40 eggs.

Egg Incubation Period

Eggs require 10 to 12 months to hatch.

Diet Composition

The diet of C. dilepis consists primarily of a wide range of invertebrates, though large individuals may also prey on geckos and other chameleons.

Known Predators

This species is a common prey item for snakes, specifically the boomslang and the twig snake.