| Calumma Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Calumma parsonii | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Chamaeleonidae |
| Subfamily: | Chamaeleoninae |
| Genus: | Calumma Gray, 1865 |
| Type species | |
| Chamaeleon cucullatus Gray, 1831
| |
| Diversity | |
| 41 species | |
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Calumma is a genus of chameleons, highly adapted and specialised lizards, in the family Chamaeleonidae. The genus is endemic to the island of Madagascar. One species, formerly known as Calumma tigris (the Seychelles tiger chameleon), was transferred to the genus Archaius in 2010, upon the discovery of its closer relation to Rieppeleon—one of several genera referred to collectively as "leaf" or "pygmy" chameleons—rather than to Calumma.[1] The earliest known fossil of the genus is of Calumma benovskyi, from early Miocene Kenya, showing that the genus likely originated on mainland East Africa.[2] The genus includes one of the heaviest and longest chameleon species, the Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii).[3]
- ^ Townsend TM, Tolley KA, Glaw F, Böhme W [in German], Vences M (2010). "Eastward from Africa: palaeocurrent-mediated chameleon dispersal to the Seychelles islands". Biology Letters. 7 (2): 225–228. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.0701. PMC 3061160. PMID 20826471.
- ^ Čerňanský, Andrej; Herrel, Anthony; Kibii, Job M.; Anderson, Christopher V.; Boistel, Renaud; Lehmann, Thomas (December 2020). "The only complete articulated early Miocene chameleon skull (Rusinga Island, Kenya) suggests an African origin for Madagascar's endemic chameleons". Scientific Reports. 10 (1): 109. Bibcode:2020NatSR..10..109C. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-57014-5. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 6954250. PMID 31924840.
- ^ Vitt, Laurie. "Chameleon". www.Britannica.com. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
The longest chameleon in the world is Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii), which may grow up to 69.5 cm (about 27 inches) long.