First description:

Angel, 1838

Brookesia decaryi

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Ankarafantsika: -16.206762, 46.998138

Ankarafantsika: -16.325411, 46.700134

Distribution:

This leaf chameleon lives in the dry forests of Ankarafantsika national park in northwest Madagascar. It is not easy to find between foliage and shrubs. We have seen it sometimes along the circuit around lake Ravelobe.

Typical back of Brookesia decaryi

Appearance & size:

Among leaf chameleons, Brookesia decaryi is one of the larger species with 8 cm total length. Compared to the body, the tail is relatively small and begins behind a well developed pelvic shield. Along the back, there is one row of ten spiny scales on each side that are continued on half of the tail. Typically in Brookesia decaryi, when you look at the animals from above, you can see a “division” of the back into a front and a rear part, which is then followed by the hip shield. Around the cloaca, this species has enlarged scales. Most Brookesia decaryi wear light beige colours on the upper body, while belly, throat, eyes and legs are dark coloured. Some have a dark linke along the back.

Good to know:

This chameleon knows how to play dead when attacked, but it may also vibrate softly as a warning – like all Brookesia.

• Climate table
• More about climate
• UVB indices
• Ground temperatures

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average temperature	27	27	27	27	26	24	23	24	25	26	27	27
Minimum temperature	23	23	23	22	20	18	17	18	19	21	22	23
Maximum temperature	31	31	31	32	31	30	30	30	31	32	31	31
Rain days	25	24	19	8	4	4	6	6	4	6	12	21

We have collected the data given above over several years with thermometers and hygrometers at the finding places of the chameleons. "Average temperature" means that values of a whole month have been calculated to one average value per month. For example all measured minimum temperature values of February have been calculated to one average minimum temperature for February. In plain language, this means single peak values of a day may be a little higher or lower than the average minimum and maximum temperatures. It is possible that a location has an average maximum temperature of 29°C, but one day during that month it had 33°C or even 35°C there.

Climate in Ankarafantsika is hot and dry during most time of the year. Temperatures above 30°C during daytime are usual. Rainy season is rather short and only covers November until March. In this time, it is raining a lot and the whole forest blooms.

In April, the rainy season is over and precipitation is only measured few days per month. Many trees lose their leaves. There is morning dew and occasionally some rainfall, but that's it. During daytime, temperatures are a little lower than in rainy season, but temperatures still easily reach 25°C. At night, temperatures drop some degrees.

Tageszeit = day time, Sonne = sun, Halbschatten = half shade, Schatten = shade

We have measured UVB data with a Solarmeter 6.5 in spring (beginning of April) at the peak of activity of chameleons in Madagascar. We always measured the values that a chameleon could maximally reach in its habitat.

Unfortunately, we have no ground temperatures for Ankarafantsika available yet.

Habitat:

The following pictures show the habitat of Brookesia decaryi at the end of the rainy season in Ankarafantsika. These animals occur in the thick foliage of certain parts of the dry forest. Low entwined shrubs with very small leafed plants, pieces of bark, dead wood and small branches and twigs cover the soil, and there are many termite nests. Only during the rainy season, there are small green plants like those in the pictures – during dry saison, most of the plants are bare.

Hereinafter you can find some 360° pictures from Ankarafantsika that we took during rainy season. You can move inside these pictures via mouse click in all directions. If you click on the Theta logo, a new window with an enlarged view will open. You will also have the opportunity to look at the pictures in full screen mode. Enjoy!

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