Tuesday 21 May Crested chameleon (Trioceros cristatus) What’s
the World’s Favourite Species?Find out here. Crested chameleon
fact file - Find out more - Print factsheet Crested chameleon
description With a high, fanlike crest running along the top of
its body, the crested chameleon is one of the most easily
recognisable chameleon species. Although the female is the
larger of the sexes, the male’s crest is significantly taller
and more pronounced. The crested chameleon’s head extends, at
the rear, into a bony prominence called a “casque”, formed from
ridges that run along either side of the head. In the male,
these ridges are outlined with vibrant blue scales, which
brighten during territorial displays. Like other chameleon
species, the crested chameleon has the remarkable ability to
change the colour of its body. Females generally adopt greenish
hues, while males most commonly appear grey, brown or tan, but
both sexes can assume a range of colours, even becoming maroon
(3). Unlike chameleon species which live