Carpet chameleon

Furcifer lateralis

Range

Madagascar, Eastern Madagascar, Central Madagascar, Central plateau, Some southeastern lowlands

Habitat

Arboreal, Saxicolous, Terrestrial, Grassland, Savanna

Diet

Primarily insectivorous, with some plant material also reported; recorded prey includes flies, grasshoppers, crickets, insect larvae, and—especially in captivity—occasional very small lizards and newborn rodents.

Facts

• Its diet is centered on insects such as flies, grasshoppers, crickets, and insect larvae, but plant material is also reported. Captive individuals have additionally been recorded taking very small lizards and newborn rodents.
• This is a daylight-active chameleon: it warms in sunlight early in the day, then hunts through the remaining daylight hours.
• Females bury their eggs in soil. Reported clutches range from approximately 8–23 eggs, although another dataset gives a broader 4–23-egg range.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Furcifer lateralis
• Furcifer lateralis (Carpet Chameleon, Jewel Chameleon)
• Detecting cryptic speciation in the widespread and morphologically conservative carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) of Madagascar