Panther Chameleon

Furcifer pardalis

Range

Native to Madagascar, especially its northern, northeastern, eastern, and northwestern regions; introduced to La Réunion, while occurrence on Mauritius is disputed.

Habitat

Primarily arboreal in lowland dry deciduous and other relatively open forests, including vegetation along rivers and roads; also associated with riparian and coastal settings.

Diet

Primarily an insectivore and opportunistic predator, taking mainly terrestrial invertebrates and only rarely plant material; ReptTraits classifies the species as omnivorous.

Facts

• Males are typically larger and more vividly colored than females. The species has a shorter casque than the veiled chameleon, with ridges extending over the eyes and snout into a shovel-like projection.
• During daylight, individuals spend their active hours in vegetation. They are generally solitary and territorial rather than living in groups.
• Females bury their eggs in ground nests, linking this tree-dwelling species to the forest floor during reproduction.
• Its diet is centered on terrestrial invertebrates, although plant material is taken occasionally. This contrasts with the broader “omnivorous” classification recorded by ReptTraits.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Furcifer pardalis
• Furcifer pardalis | Animal Diversity Web
• Florida's Introduced Reptiles: Veiled Chameleon, Oustalet’s Chameleon, and Panther Chameleon
• reptile-database.reptarium.cz
• www.gbif.org