Furcifer viridis | |
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male | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Iguania |
Family: | Chamaeleonidae |
Genus: | Furcifer |
Species: | F. viridis |
Binomial name | |
Furcifer viridis Florio, Ingram, Rakotondravony, Louis Jr., & Raxworthy, 2012 | |
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Furcifer viridis, the green chameleon, is a species of chameleon found widely in forest, scrub and grasslands in western and northern Madagascar. [1] 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. [2] [3]
They have three toes stuck together on one side of their foot, and on the other side, they have two stuck together toes. They rely on camouflage to catch their food with a long sticky tongue. Their tail is prehensile (Prehensile meaning: their tail can curl up like a spiral and hang onto branches) like most other chameleons in the Furcifer genus. They are arboreal, which means that they climb in trees. [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 colors, being capable of shifting to different hues and degrees of brightness. The large number of species in the family exhibit considerable variability in their capacity to change color. For some, it is more of a shift of brightness ; for others, a plethora of color-combinations can be seen.
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.
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.
Labord's chameleon is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to dry and deciduous forests, including spiny forests, in lowlands of western Madagascar. It is considered vulnerable because of ongoing habitat loss.
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.
Brookesia stumpffi, also known as the plated leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon found in some parts of Madagascar. It can be found in Nosy Bé, north-west Madagascar, Nosy Komba, and Nosy Sakatia.
The Angel's chameleon, initially described as Chamaeleo angeli, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar, and was originally described by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Antoine Domergue in 1968.
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 belalandaensis, also commonly known as the Belalanda chameleon or the Sangoritan'i Belalanda, is a species of chameleon that is endemic to Madagascar. It was identified and described by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Domergue in 1970. The International Union for Conservation of Nature rated this species as Critically Endangered on their Red List of Threatened Species. The World Wide Fund for Nature is trying to save this species from extinction.
Furcifer tuzetae is a species of chameleon that is endemic to Madagascar. It is only known from its type locality, Andrenalamivola near Befandriana Sud. It was described by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo, Robert M. Bourgat and Charles Antoine Domergue in 1972. The International Union for Conservation of Nature have rated this species as "data deficient".
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 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.
The African chameleon or Sahel chameleon is a species of chameleon native to the Sahel and Nile Valley, with an introduced population present in Greece. An average size may be around 34 cm (13 in) long, including its tail.
O'Shaughnessy's chameleon is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It was named after the British poet and herpetologist Arthur O'Shaughnessy.
The long-nosed rhinoceros chameleon is a species of chameleon endemic to Madagascar. It is capable of changing colors, but usually only displays one color all throughout their body. They can be all-orange, all light brown, all-purple, all red with some green lines, and all green with brown stripes.
Furcifer major, the southern carpet chameleon, is a species of chameleon found in various dry habitats of southern Madagascar. It was formerly considered a part of Furcifer lateralis.