The karyotype of the Namaqua chamaeleon, Chamaeleo namaquensis Smith, 1831, has 24 chromosomes consisting of 12 macro- and 12 microchromosomes. This chromosome pattern is characteristic of the C. chamaeleon (Linnaeus, 1758) species group and indicates that C. namaquensis is a member of that taxon. It is hypothesized that C. namaquensis and C. chamaeleon are the most ecologically specialized and recently evolved taxa in the chamaeleon group.