There are numerous animals in Mother Nature that sparkle as brightly as any precious stone. Meet some of the jewels of the reptile world.

People expect to see vibrantly colored exotics in rainforests and the island of Madagascar doesn’t let them down.  The animal-rich jungles of Madagascar are home to half the world’s chameleon species, and the multi-colored panther chameleon is one of the most beautiful.

Panther chameleons are popular pets, and their color probably has a lot to do with this, because chameleons are not low-maintenance.  Males can grow to be more than a foot and a half long, tail length included.  Although modern culture has distorted the word “chameleon” to mean something that blends into its surroundings prodigiously well, the reptile’s name is actually derived from two Greek words which mean “earth lion.”   

Like many animals, it is the males of the species that are endowed with brilliant colors.  The females are drab in comparison, only having varying shades of brown to show off.  Although the panther chameleon has a mix of colors on it, different parts of the island are known for having panther chameleons of a specific color.  For instance, Nosy Be chameleons are blue, and Sambava chameleons are some derivative of red, green or orange.  Tamatave chameleons sport mostly red colorations. 

Like all of their kind, panther chameleons are very territorial, even females.  Chameleons are loners, tolerating members of the opposite sex only to mate.  Males will fight over territory, which results in a great color display for anyone watching. 

Despite years of gaining a reputation for blending in with their surroundings, it’s more accurate to say that chameleons change color according to mood, temperature and weather.  Surroundings are a far secondary reason for color changes.  Fighting males try to intimidate the other by puffing themselves up and changing colors.  A male who has lost a fight will turn a dark shade.  Chameleons are more like living mood rings than chimaeras. 

The biological reason behind chameleon’s changing color has to do with the type of light their skin reflects.  The layer of skin on the outside of the chameleon is actually transparent.  There are two layers of skin underneath that; the top contains chromatophores and the bottom contains guanine, which reflects only blue light.  Depending on the color of the upper layer of skin, the bottom layer will reflect any blue light and change color accordingly.  Because the outermost layer of skin is transparent, the chameleon shows both colors.  The lowest layer of skin is composed of melanin which controls how dark or light the colors are.

The Malagasy people have many sayings and proverbs regarding chameleons.  Ironically, one of them is “ugly as a chameleon.”  Obviously the Malagasy are referring to the chameleon’s coloration.  With its bulging, telescope-like eyes, the chameleon isn’t a contender for reptile GQ.  The panther chameleon’s fashionable dress more than makes up for what it lacks in physique though, cementing its place as a gem among reptiles.