| Furcifer verrucosus | |
|---|---|
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| male, Arboretum d'Antsokay | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Chamaeleonidae |
| Genus: | Furcifer |
| Species: | F. verrucosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Furcifer verrucosus | |
 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
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Furcifer verrucosus, also known as the warty chameleon, spiny chameleon or crocodile chameleon, is a species of reptile endemic to Madagascar. It was first described by Georges Cuvier in 1829.
There are two subspecies, Furcifer v. verrucosus and Furcifer v. semicristatus, the latter being found mainly in the southernmost part of the island. This chameleon is closely related to Oustalet's chameleon Furcifer oustaleti (Malagasy giant chameleon), the pair forming a species complex, but each member of the group may be a cryptic species (two species indistinguishable in the field and currently believed to be a single species) and the exact taxonomical relationship between members of the group is unclear. New evidence has come to light that suggest that the two species are sister species and have differentiated as early as the Plio-Pleistocene Era. The species used to be only known as Furcifer oustaleti , but Jean-Francois Mocquard in 1894 noticed some morphological differences in the crests of the two chameleons. [3]
The warty chameleon is a large species with males growing to a total length of 56 centimetres (22 in) and females reaching 21 cm (8 in). On its head it has a casque, a helmet-like crest formed from scales. A small crest runs along a raised ridge from its eyes to its snout. There are further low crests running along the flanks, down the throat and along the belly. A distinctive crest of up to forty 4 millimetres (0.16 in) spines runs along the back in males but this is cut short in females, continuing along the spine as tubercles. Both sexes have a row of large scales forming a lateral line. The long tail is prehensile. The general colour of this chameleon is grey or brown variously blotched or indistinctly banded, with a white intermittent streak along each side. Females are usually paler in colour and males are often tinged with green on the belly, tail and limbs. [3]
The warty chameleon is found only on the island of Madagascar including Manderano in the Tulear region. It occurs over much of the west part of the island and in drier parts of the south. It is seldom found in primary rainforest but favours arid disturbed land, including near the sea. It is a terrestrial species and also climbs around in low bushes. In hot weather it sometimes retreats into a sandy burrow to keep cool. Both the Furcifer v. verrucosus and Furcifer v. oustaleti species are considered CITES species (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and are protected from animal trafficking worldwide. [3] [4]
The warty chameleon feeds largely on insects which it catches with its long sticky tongue. The female lays one clutch of 30 to 60 eggs a year and these are incubated for about 200 days. They hatch into juvenile chameleons which may take six months to a year to become mature. [4]
Chameleons or chamaeleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colours, being capable of colour-shifting camouflage. The large number of species in the family exhibit considerable variability in their capacity to change colour. For some, it is more of a shift of brightness ; for others, a plethora of colour-combinations can be seen.
Calumma is a genus of chameleons, highly adapted and specialised lizards, in the family Chamaeleonidae. The genus is endemic to the island of Madagascar. One species, formerly known as Calumma tigris, was transferred to the genus Archaius in 2010, upon the discovery of its closer relation to Rieppeleon—one of several genera referred to collectively as "leaf" or "pygmy" chameleons—rather than to Calumma. The earliest known fossil of the genus is of Calumma benovskyi, from early Miocene Kenya, showing that the genus likely originated on mainland East Africa. The genus includes one of the heaviest and longest chameleon species, the Parson's chameleon.
Furcifer is a genus of chameleons whose member species are mostly endemic to Madagascar, but F. cephalolepis and F. polleni are endemic to the Comoros. Additionally, F. pardalis has been introduced to Réunion, Mauritius and Florida, while F. oustaleti has been introduced to Kenya and Florida.
The panther chameleon is a species of chameleon found in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar in a tropical forest biome. Additionally, it has been introduced to Réunion and Mauritius, as well as the state of Florida within the United States.
Parson's chameleon is a species of chameleon in the family Chamaeleonidae that is endemic to eastern and northern Madagascar. It is found from lowlands to an altitude of 1,195 m (3,920 ft) above sea level and mainly inhabits humid primary forest, but can also occur in disturbed habitats with trees. For a chameleon, it is very large, long-lived and slow-reproducing.
The Malagasy giant chameleon or Oustalet's chameleon is a large species of chameleon which is native to entire Madagascar, but also has been introduced near Nairobi in Kenya and in Miami-Dade County in the United States. It occurs in a wide range of habitats, even among degraded vegetation within villages, but is relatively rare in the interior of primary forest.
The jeweled chameleon, also commonly known as Campan's chameleon or the Madagascar forest chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to the central highlands of Madagascar, where it is threatened by bush fires and habitat loss.
The Javan warty pig, also called Javan wild pig, is an even-toed ungulate in the family Suidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian islands Java and Bawean, and is considered extinct on Madura. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1996.
Brookesia minima,, is a diminutive chameleon that was regarded as the smallest lizard of the Chamaeleonidae until a smaller species, Brookesia nana, was described in 2021.
The brown leaf chameleon or stump-tailed chameleon is a small chameleon found along the eastern coast of Madagascar, as well as the island of Nosy Boraha. Its appearance mimics that of a dead leaf. The taxonomy is in need of revision.
The rhinoceros chameleon is a species of chameleon that gets its common name from its horn-like nose which is most prominent in males. It is endemic to dry forests in Madagascar.
Furcifer balteatus, also known as the two-banded chameleon or the rainforest chameleon, is a species of chameleon that is endemic to Madagascar. It was described by André Marie Constant Duméril and Gabriel Bibron in 1851.
The canopy chameleon, also known commonly as Wills's chameleon or incorrectly as Will's chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. The species was originally described by Albert Günther in 1890.
The carpet chameleon, also known as the jewel chameleon or white-lined chameleon, is a species of chameleon that is endemic to eastern Madagascar. It is a relatively small chameleon and especially females tend to have bright markings in many colours, whereas males are mostly green and whitish or green and yellowish.
The Antimena chameleon is a species of chameleon that is endemic to southwest Madagascar. It was initially described by French naturalist Alfred Grandidier in 1872.
Furcifer nicosiai is a large species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to western Madagascar. Described as new to science in 1999, it was ranked as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has only been found in the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park at levels of 57 and 571 metres above mean sea level.
The Petter's chameleon is a species of chameleon, which is endemic to northern Madagascar. Furcifer petteri was initially described as the subspecies Chamaeleo willsii petteri by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Domergue in 1966, but later transferred to the genus Furcifer and given full species status by Frank Glaw and Miguel Vences in 1994.
Furcifer timoni is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Furcifer viridis, the green chameleon, is a species of chameleon found widely in forest, scrub and grasslands in western and northern Madagascar. Females are up to 19 cm (7.5 in) in total length and typically mottled or banded in pinkish and green, whereas males are up to 28 cm (11 in) in total length are mostly greenish, typically with pale edging to their mouth and a pale horizontal stripe along the middle of their body. It was formerly considered a part of F. lateralis, but was recognized as a separate species in 2012.
Chameleon ranching is the action of releasing chameleons into an area with the intent of establishing them and later collecting them to sell for a profit. This type of ranching has existed since the 1970s, but has become more widespread around the early 2000s. It is an example of people intentionally releasing a foreign species.
