{"id":929,"date":"2014-09-05T20:42:38","date_gmt":"2014-09-05T18:42:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madcham.com\/wordpress\/?p=929"},"modified":"2025-11-15T18:06:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T17:06:41","slug":"furcifer-rhinoceratus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.madcham.de\/en\/furcifer-rhinoceratus\/","title":{"rendered":"Furcifer rhinoceratus"},"content":{"rendered":"
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First description:\"IUCN<\/a><\/h4>\n

(Gray, 1845) \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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

The English zoologist John Edward Gray described the species very briefly and named it after the Latin rhinoceros<\/em>. By this, he meant the different pronounced nasal processes of the two sexes. Gray has never been to Madagascar himself. He categorized the reptile collection of the zoological department of the British Museum in London (Great Britain). The first specimens of Furcifer rhinoceratus<\/em> had come to London on intricate routes with the British navigator Sir Edward Belcher.<\/p>\n

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Distribution:<\/h4>\n

This chameleon species is found almost exclusively in the forests of Ankarafantsika and Ampijoroa in north-western Madagascar, about 150 kilometers from the coastal town of Mahajanga. The animals live in the deciduous dry forests of this region, at a height of 1.5 – 4 meters. Especially small lianas and climbing plants, as well as tall shrubs, are populated as habitats. In our experience, they are mainly found in shrubs or trees with very thin branches and abundant small foliage.<\/p>\n

Appearance and size:<\/h4>\n

With approximately 28 cm with the males and approximately 12 cm with the females, this chameleon-type belongs to the middle-sized types. The males show a single, big, rounded off nose-process, that turns out clearly smaller with the females. The helmet is flat, the dorsal scales are pronounced only in the front area. The males are mostly grey with white lateral stripes, partly also light green with turquoise accents. They are grey-brown with a dark ribbon pattern when stressed. Only when a female comes very close to them do the males show their full-color splendor: then they shine turquoise green and light blue with yellow lines. However, we have only been able to observe this splendid coloring for a few minutes – if the female turns away and runs, the great coloring of the male disappears very quickly. The females of Furcifer rhinoceratus<\/em> are altogether more colorful. They are simply relaxed pink, sometimes with green, ring-shaped patterns, and always with a bright orange tail. Excited or pregnant females are deep purple with dark bands.<\/p>\n

The following photos show juveniles of the species, all-male.<\/p>\n

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