{"id":2336,"date":"2015-02-19T15:04:25","date_gmt":"2015-02-19T14:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madcham.com\/?p=2336"},"modified":"2025-01-29T14:41:06","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T13:41:06","slug":"furcifer-major","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.madcham.de\/en\/furcifer-major\/","title":{"rendered":"Furcifer major"},"content":{"rendered":"
\r\n\t\tCITES quotas<\/strong>
\nup to date no legal export possible
\n2011-16 each 1000 specimens under the old species name Furcifer lateralis major<\/em> for legal export\t<\/div>\r\n\t\n

<\/h4>\n

First description:\"IUCN<\/a><\/h4>\n

(Brygoo, 1971)<\/p>\n

Origin of the species name:<\/h4>\n

The French zoologist \u00c9douard-Raoul Brygoo described the species at the Institute Pasteur in Antananarivo, Madagascar. He considered it to be a subspecies of the carpet chameleon and therefore called it Furcifer lateralis major<\/em>, whereby the Latin word major<\/em> (= big) should indicate the larger body size of the animals.<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n

Distribution:<\/h4>\n

Furcifer major<\/em> is native to Madagascar’s dry, hot south. Its distribution area reaches from the Mangoky river to Andringitra mountains, down to Faux Cap and Fort Dauphin. The inhabited altitudes are correspondingly variable: Furcifer major<\/em> occurs a few meters above sea level as well as at about 1000 m above sea level. It lives in spiny forests, and sometimes even in residues of dry forests, e.g. in Zombitse-Vohibasia and Isalo national parks. Some years ago, someone claimed to have seen Furcifer major<\/em> in the environment of Sambava in north Madagascar, an area completely contrary to its original habitat – we have never seen an individual of this species there.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Appearance & size:<\/h4>\n
\"Furcifer<\/a>

Two male Furcifer major<\/em> meet near Toliara – unusual here: Both are on the ground, although the species lives mainly in shrubs and trees<\/p><\/div>\n

This species is uniformly grass green or pale green-colored, with white, sparsely interrupted lateral stripe (may even lack) and white markings all over the body. Females can be more colorful but still remain pale compared to other species. With a body length of approximately 11 cm, Furcifer major <\/em>belongs to middle-sized chameleons but is larger than the similar species Furcifer lateralis<\/em> and viridis<\/em>. The parietal crest in both genders wears only 10 to 13 cone scales, and they lack axillary pits. The helmet is more developed than in Furcifer lateralis<\/em>, but the snout is comparably short.<\/p>\n

Good to know:<\/h4>\n

Until 2012, Furcifer major<\/em> rated as subspecies of Furcifer lateralis<\/em>, but has been stated to be an own species then. For some years, this species is bred in captivity in small numbers, but there are still often uncertainties between owners by identifying single individuals. It is questionable whether this confusion might have led to hybrids between Furcifer lateralis<\/em> and major<\/em> in captivity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t