The chameleon is the reptile known for changing skin color and moving its eyes independently.
A chameleon’s eyes are mounted in turret-like structures and can rotate separately, allowing the animal to scan different directions. When it focuses on prey, the eyes can align to provide binocular vision and improve depth perception.
Color change is controlled by specialized skin cells and is not simply a way to copy every background. Chameleons change color for communication, temperature regulation, stress, and camouflage. Different species have different ranges of possible colors.
Chameleons also have grasping feet, a prehensile tail in many species, and a rapidly projected tongue for catching prey. Their distinctive features make them easy to recognize, although not every color change should be interpreted as deliberate disguise.