The Perinet chameleon also known as the Malagasy Side-striped chameleon, is a small species of chameleon

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...

 endemic to humid primary forests, particularly along rivers, in eastern and central Madagascar

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

 at elevations between 600 and 1,530 metres. It is listed on CITES Appendix II, and as such trade in the Perinet chameleon is regulated. Exporting the species from Madagascar has been banned since 1995.

Description

Perinet chameleons are small and slender, reaching 15–20 cm, with an elongated head and body. They have smooth, uniformly green, brown or yellow skin with a white underside. A thin stripe runs from the tail base along the side of the body and through the eye, and may include white spots. There are three subspecies, Calumma gastrotaenia andringitraensis with a dorsal crest, C. g. marojezensis and C. g. guillaumeti. Male Perinet chameleons are larger and have a bony head crest.