The specific name, fischeri, is in honor of German herpetologist Johann Gustav Fischer.

[2][4] Chameleons found in other parts of the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania as well as Kenya are now classified as separate species.

[4][5] The preferred natural habitat of K. fischeri is forest, at altitudes up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft).

[1] A number of other species (K. boehmei, K. matschiei, K. multituberculata, K. tavetana, K. uluguruensis, and K. vosseleri) have formerly been included as subpopulations of K. fischeri or classified as its subspecies.

[2] Although formerly considered common in captivity, virtually all "Fischer's chameleons" historically exported out of Tanzania were instead its close relatives (especially K. multituberculata, but also K. matschiei and K. vosseleri, and possibly a couple of other species).