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Question:

A reptilian looks like house lizard is sitting on a plant with its tail coiled around a twig in your garden. Can you identify the animal?

Chamaeleon showing protective colouration

Varanus showing mimicry

Garden lizard (Calotes) showing camouflage

Hemidactylus showing sexual dimorphism

Solution:

The common chameleon, like others of its family, enjoys an arboreal habitat, scrambling about in trees and bushes with feet that have four toes, two on each side for grasping branches. It also uses its prehensile tail to maintain balance and stability. Movement is usually leisurely, often with a slight swaying motion to avoid detection by predators. The colour of the common chameleon is variable, between yellow/brown through green to a dark brown. Whatever the background colour is, the common chameleon will have two light-coloured lines along its side.