Stats

Lifespan: 2-7 yrs
Size: Large
Diet: Insectivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Tropical rainforest
Range: Madagascar
Movement: Climbing
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Uncommon

About

The panther chameleon is a brilliantly coloured lizard endemic to Madagascar, where isolated populations display wildly different colour palettes — electric blue in the north, orange and red on the east coast. Their ballistic tongue accelerates at over 2,500 m/s² and can snatch an insect in under 0.07 seconds.

Life cycle

1.
hatchling
A miniature lizard cuts itself free from its egg and starts hunting tiny insects within days.
2.
juvenile
A juvenile sheds repeatedly as it grows, often duller-colored than adults and quick to dart for cover.
3.
adult
Fully grown with adult coloration and size.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Chamaeleonidae
Genus: Furcifer
Species: Furcifer pardalis