Photo taken; Tommy's Living Desert Tours Swakopmund

Nikon D5200; F6; 1/800

NAMAQUA CHAMELEON

Chamaeleo namaquensis is one of the largest chameleon species in southern Africa, and reaches up to 25cm in length. Its tail is far shorter than its body and than those of other arboreal species of chameleon.

The Namaqua chameleon has EVOLVED several adaptations to cope with desert conditions; they excrete salt from nasal glands to conserve water, and dig holes to aid in THERMOREGULATION

They also use their ability to change colour to aid in controlling temperature, becoming black in the cooler morning to absorb heat more efficiently, then a lighter grey color to reflect light during the heat of the day - or showing both colours at the same time, neatly separated left from right by the spine.