Panther chameleon
Encyclopedia
The Panther Chameleon is a species of chameleon
. It lives in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar
in a tropical forest biome
. Additionally, it has been introduced
to Réunion
and Mauritius
.
in 1829. Its generic
name (Furcifer
) is derived from the Latin
root furci meaning "forked" and refers to the shape of the animal's feet. The specific
name pardalis refers to the animals markings as it is Latin for "leopard" or "spotted like a panther". The English word chameleon (also chamaeleon) derives from Latin
chamaeleō, a borrowing of the Ancient Greek
χαμαιλέων (khamailéōn), a compound
of χαμαί (khamaí) "on the ground" and λέων (léōn) "lion". The Greek word is a calque
translating the Akkadian
nēš qaqqari, "ground lion". This lends to the common English name of "Panther chameleon".
male Panther Chameleons are more vibrantly colored than the females. Coloration varies with location, and the different color patterns of Panther Chameleons are commonly referred to as 'locales', which are named after the geographical location in which they are found. Panther Chameleons from the areas of Nosy Be
, Ankify
and Ambanja
are typically a vibrant blue, while those from Antsiranana
and Sambava
are red, green or orange. The areas of Maroantsetra
and Tamatave yield primarily red specimens. There are numerous other color phases, and patterns differ between and within regions. Female Panther Chameleons generally remain tan and brown with hints of pink peach or bright orange, no matter what region they are from, but there are slight differences in patterns and colors among the different color phases.
: on each foot the five toes are fused into a group of two and a group of three, giving the foot a tongs
-like appearance. These specialized feet allow the Panther chameleon a tight grip on narrow branches. Each toe is equipped with a sharp claw to gain traction on surfaces such as bark when climbing. The claws make it easy to see how many toes are fused into each part of the foot — two toes on the outside of each front foot and three on the inside.
Their eyes are the most distinctive among the reptiles and function like a gun turret
. The upper and lower eyelids are joined, with only a pinhole large enough for the pupil to see through. They can rotate and focus separately to observe two different objects simultaneously, this lets their eyes move independently from each other. It in effect gives them a full 360-degree arc of vision around their body. When prey is located, both eyes can be focused in the same direction, giving sharp stereoscopic vision and depth perception
. They have keen eyesight for reptiles, letting them see small insects from a long (5–10 m) distance.
The Panther chameleon lacks a vomeronasal organ
. Like snake
s, they do not have an outer or a middle ear
.
Panther chameleons have very long tongue
s (sometimes longer than their own body length) which they are capable of rapidly extending
out of the mouth. The tongue extends at around 26 body lengths per second. The tongue hits the prey in about 30 thousandths of a second. The tongue of the chameleon is a complex arrangement of bone, muscle and sinew. At the base of the tongue there is a bone and this is shot forward giving the tongue the initial momentum it needs to reach the prey quickly. At the tip of this elastic tongue there is a muscular, club-like structure covered in thick mucus that forms a suction cup. Once the tip sticks to a prey item, it is drawn quickly back into the mouth, where the Panther chameleon's strong jaws crush it and it is consumed. Ultraviolet light is part of the visible spectrum for chameleons.
Like most species of chameleons, the Panther Chameleon is very territorial. They spend the majority of their life in isolation, apart from mating sessions. When two males come into contact, they will change color and inflate their bodies, attempting to assert their dominance. Often these battles end at this stage, with the loser retreating, turning drab and dark colors. Occasionally, the displays result in physical combat if neither contender backs down.
When gravid, or carrying eggs, females turn dark brown or black with orange striping to signify to males they have no intention of mating. The exact coloration and pattern of gravid females varies depending on the color phase of the chameleon. This provides a way to distinguish between locales.
Females usually only live 2–3 years after laying eggs (between 5 and 8 clutches) because of the stress put on their bodies. Females can lay between 10 and 40 eggs per clutch, depending on the food and nutrient consumption during the period of development. Eggs typically hatch in 240 days.
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
. It lives in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
in a tropical forest biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
. Additionally, it has been introduced
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
to Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
and Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
.
Taxonomy
The Panther chameleon was first described by French Naturalist Georges CuvierGeorges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
in 1829. Its generic
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
name (Furcifer
Furcifer
Furcifer is a genus of chameleons whose members are mostly endemic to Madagascar, but F. cephalolepis and F. polleni are endemic to the Comoros. Additionally, F. pardalis has been introduced to Réunion and Mauritius, while F. oustaleti has been introduced to near Nairobi in Kenya...
) is derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
root furci meaning "forked" and refers to the shape of the animal's feet. The specific
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
name pardalis refers to the animals markings as it is Latin for "leopard" or "spotted like a panther". The English word chameleon (also chamaeleon) derives from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
chamaeleō, a borrowing of the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
χαμαιλέων (khamailéōn), a compound
Compound (linguistics)
In linguistics, a compound is a lexeme that consists of more than one stem. Compounding or composition is the word formation that creates compound lexemes...
of χαμαί (khamaí) "on the ground" and λέων (léōn) "lion". The Greek word is a calque
Calque
In linguistics, a calque or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal, word-for-word or root-for-root translation.-Calque:...
translating the Akkadian
Akkadian language
Akkadian is an extinct Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest attested Semitic language, it used the cuneiform writing system derived ultimately from ancient Sumerian, an unrelated language isolate...
nēš qaqqari, "ground lion". This lends to the common English name of "Panther chameleon".
Description
Male Panther Chameleons can grow up to 20 inches (50 cm) in length, with a typical length of around 17 inches (45 cm). Females are smaller, at about half the size. In a form of sexual dimorphismSexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
male Panther Chameleons are more vibrantly colored than the females. Coloration varies with location, and the different color patterns of Panther Chameleons are commonly referred to as 'locales', which are named after the geographical location in which they are found. Panther Chameleons from the areas of Nosy Be
Nosy Be
Nosy Be is an island located off the northwest coast of Madagascar. Nosy Be is Madagascar's largest and busiest tourist resort. It has an area of 312 km2 and its population was officially estimated at 36,636 in 2001....
, Ankify
Ankify
Ankify is a peninsula located in the district of Ambanja, region of Diana, province of Antsiranana in Madagascar.It is located at and faces Nosy Be and Nosy Komba islands. A small harbour allows boardings to these destinations. At its very north end, the village named Doany is bordered by a coral...
and Ambanja
Ambanja
Ambanja is a city and commune in northern Madagascar. It is located approximately 500 km north of Antananarivo. The town belongs to the district of Ambanja, which is a part of Diana Region. According to 2001 census the population of Ambanja was 28,468....
are typically a vibrant blue, while those from Antsiranana
Antsiranana
Antsiranana , named Diego-Suarez prior to 1975, is a city at the northern tip of Madagascar.Antsiranana is the capital of Diana Region.-Transports:...
and Sambava
Sambava
Sambava is a city and commune at the east coast of northern Madagascar. It is the capital of Sambava District and Sava Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 40,000 in 2001 commune census....
are red, green or orange. The areas of Maroantsetra
Maroantsetra
Maroantsetra is a market town and domestic seaport in Analanjirofo Region, Madagascar. It is located on the Bay of Antongil near .Maroantsetra is the main point of access to Masoala National Park and the Nosy Mangabe special reserve, and the headquarters of the park authority.Access to the town is...
and Tamatave yield primarily red specimens. There are numerous other color phases, and patterns differ between and within regions. Female Panther Chameleons generally remain tan and brown with hints of pink peach or bright orange, no matter what region they are from, but there are slight differences in patterns and colors among the different color phases.
Biology
Panther chameleons are didactylDactyl
Dactyl may refer to:* Dactyl , a creature in Greek mythology* Dactyl , a metrical foot consisting of one long syllable and two short* Dactyl , the small natural satellite orbiting the asteroid Ida...
: on each foot the five toes are fused into a group of two and a group of three, giving the foot a tongs
Tongs
Tongs are used for gripping and lifting tools, of which there are many forms adapted to their specific use. Some are merely large pincers or nippers, but the greatest number fall into three classes:...
-like appearance. These specialized feet allow the Panther chameleon a tight grip on narrow branches. Each toe is equipped with a sharp claw to gain traction on surfaces such as bark when climbing. The claws make it easy to see how many toes are fused into each part of the foot — two toes on the outside of each front foot and three on the inside.
Their eyes are the most distinctive among the reptiles and function like a gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
. The upper and lower eyelids are joined, with only a pinhole large enough for the pupil to see through. They can rotate and focus separately to observe two different objects simultaneously, this lets their eyes move independently from each other. It in effect gives them a full 360-degree arc of vision around their body. When prey is located, both eyes can be focused in the same direction, giving sharp stereoscopic vision and depth perception
Depth perception
Depth perception is the visual ability to perceive the world in three dimensions and the distance of an object. Depth sensation is the ability to move accurately, or to respond consistently, based on the distances of objects in an environment....
. They have keen eyesight for reptiles, letting them see small insects from a long (5–10 m) distance.
The Panther chameleon lacks a vomeronasal organ
Vomeronasal organ
The vomeronasal organ , or Jacobson's organ, is an auxiliary olfactory sense organ that is found in many animals. It was discovered by Frederik Ruysch and later by Ludwig Jacobson in 1813....
. Like snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, they do not have an outer or a middle ear
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
.
Panther chameleons have very long tongue
Tongue
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
s (sometimes longer than their own body length) which they are capable of rapidly extending
Projectile use by living systems
Although projectiles are commonly used in human conflict, projectile use by living systems other than humans is relatively rare.-Liquid projectiles:...
out of the mouth. The tongue extends at around 26 body lengths per second. The tongue hits the prey in about 30 thousandths of a second. The tongue of the chameleon is a complex arrangement of bone, muscle and sinew. At the base of the tongue there is a bone and this is shot forward giving the tongue the initial momentum it needs to reach the prey quickly. At the tip of this elastic tongue there is a muscular, club-like structure covered in thick mucus that forms a suction cup. Once the tip sticks to a prey item, it is drawn quickly back into the mouth, where the Panther chameleon's strong jaws crush it and it is consumed. Ultraviolet light is part of the visible spectrum for chameleons.
Behaviour and ecology
It is a common misconception that chameleons of any kind can change colour to match any colour they are up against. All chameleons have a natural colour range with which they are born and is dictated by their species. Colour change is, for the most part, subconscious. It is affected by temperature, mood, and light. If, for example, the colour purple is not within the range of colours their particular species can change, then they will never turn purple.Like most species of chameleons, the Panther Chameleon is very territorial. They spend the majority of their life in isolation, apart from mating sessions. When two males come into contact, they will change color and inflate their bodies, attempting to assert their dominance. Often these battles end at this stage, with the loser retreating, turning drab and dark colors. Occasionally, the displays result in physical combat if neither contender backs down.
Reproduction
Panther Chameleons reach sexual maturity at a minimum age of 7 months.When gravid, or carrying eggs, females turn dark brown or black with orange striping to signify to males they have no intention of mating. The exact coloration and pattern of gravid females varies depending on the color phase of the chameleon. This provides a way to distinguish between locales.
Females usually only live 2–3 years after laying eggs (between 5 and 8 clutches) because of the stress put on their bodies. Females can lay between 10 and 40 eggs per clutch, depending on the food and nutrient consumption during the period of development. Eggs typically hatch in 240 days.