Question

A prehensile tail as in chameleon is an adaptation for
A.Swimming
B.Grasping
C.Sliding
D.Climbing

Answer 1

Hint: Chameleon belongs to the class Reptilia of Animal kingdom. Chameleon is a color-changing, arboreal lizard. They have a sticky tongue, zygodactylous feet, and a prehensile tail. Chameleon shows the phenomenon of metachrosis.

Complete step by step answer: Biological classification of Chameleon is as follows:
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum – Chordata
Class - Reptilia
Order – Squamata
Suborder – Iguania
Family – Chamaeleonodae
Chameleon is the color-changing tree lizard, having zygodactylous feet( in which two toes point forwards, and two to the rear), used for climbing the trees. They have a protrusible, sticky tongue to catch their prey(insects). They are arboreal organisms and show metachrosis, the ability to rotate the eyeball in all directions (stereoscopic vision).
They have a prehensile tail used for grasping or holding the objects.
So, the correct answer is option B. grasping.

Note: Study of lizards is known as Saurology. Following are some features of lizards-
Calotes/ Garden lizards are blood-sucking and show mimicry.
Phrynosoma/ Horned lizard – on irritating it, emits a jet of blood from eyes by contracting blood sinuses at the base of the nictitating membrane.
Heloderma/ The Gila Monster – only poisonous lizard. Also named a beaded monster because its scales resemble beads.
Varanus komodoensis/ Ferocious Dragon is the largest lizard.
Hemidactylus/ The wall lizard/ Gecko – produce sound by striking tongue against palate. Digits bear adhesive pads or lamellae.
Varanus monitor/ Goya/ monitor lizard.
Draco/ flying lizard/ flying dragon – skin fold and patagia is supported by ribs, helps in flying and gliding.
Uromastyx/The Spiny-tailed lizard- their fat bodies yield oil to cure potency. Femoral glands secretion hardens to form temporary spines used as a copulatory organ.