Classification: Introduced Species

Description: Panther chameleons grow 16 to 20 inches long, with females typically being smaller than males. In a form of sexual dimorphism, males 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, and those from Ambilobe, Antsiranana, and Sambava are red, green or orange. The areas of Maroantsetra and Tamatave yield primarily red specimens. Numerous other color phases and patterns occur between and within regions. Females generally remain tan and brown with hints of pink, peach, or bright orange, no matter where they are found, but there are slight differences in patterns and colors among the different color phases.

Like all chameleons, panther chameleons exhibit a specialized arrangement of toes. On each foot, the five toes are fused into a group of two and a group of three; 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. On the forelimbs, there are two toes on the outer (distal) side of each foot and three on the inside (medial). On the hind legs, the arrangement is reversed: two toes are fused medially and three distally.

Habitat: The panther chameleon lives in regions of rainforest in the east and drier broken forest/savannah in the northwest. The original primary plant communities within their range has been degraded by human activity; panther chameleons appear to thrive in degraded habitat and are frequently found near roads, homes, and in plantations.

Range: Panther chameleons are native to Madagascar; this species is widespread in lowland areas of the eastern and northeastern sections of the country.

Found in these States: CA | FL

Diet: Furcifer pardalis are considered opportunistic hunters because they wait for prey to pass within range of their long tongues. They feed mostly on terrestrial invertebrates and very rarely, plant material. They have the ability to rotate and focus their eyes separately to observe two different objects simultaneously. This allows them a full 360-degree arc of vision around their body while staying completely still and camouflaged. When prey is located in sight, both eyes can be focused in the same direction, giving sharp stereoscopic vision and depth perception.

Reproduction: Courtship often begins with displays by males. This usually includes the display of bright colors and a series of jerking or bobbing head movements while advancing on a female. Some males advance slowly with a halting or jerky gait, but others move very rapidly and can be aggressive toward females. Females that are unreceptive or gravid may flee or may face the pursuing male with a gaping mouth while hissing, rearing up on the hind legs, and rocking to discourage the male's advances. If the female seems interested, the male will mount the female by grasping her flanks and position himself on the right or left side of her body. Copulation takes place when the male everts the nearest of his two hemipenes and inserts it in the female's cloaca. Some species copulate for a few minutes and others for as long as several hours, after which they typically go their separate ways.

Limited information exists on the mating systems of Furcifer pardalis but some researchers have observed mating behavior consistent with serial polygyny. Captive studies of Furcifer pardalis have shown males to have larger home ranges than females. Females will often stay within a small area and will be visited by roaming males during the breeding season. This species exhibits slight pair-bonding, consisting of males choosing to remain within the female's territory for a period post-breeding and likely defend this female from other males. Females that have already mated have exhibited aggressive behaviors to successive, roaming males. The successful male will stay with the female for a short period post-breeding and then continue roaming, likely in search of another mate.

In most locations, breeding occurs between January and May but this may vary geographically. Females of some areas are able to breed multiple times per year. After mating, the gestation period lasts 3 to 6 weeks. The females excavate burrows by digging with their front feet and then backing into them to deposit 10 to 46 eggs. When they are finished, they bury the eggs, fill in the tunnel, and stomp the soil down to conceal the location of the nest. Some females drag leaves and twigs over the site. This is the final act of motherhood for a chameleon, and her young will be independent at birth. The young emerge by slitting a star-shaped opening in the end of the eggshell with the egg tooth, a sharp, calcified protrusion on the tip of the upper jawbone that later falls off. The young weigh 0.25 to 0.75 g upon hatching. Juveniles reach reproductive maturity at 6 months old.

Female and male Furcifer pardalis show no further parental investment beyond creating and depositing eggs. The mother will attempt to protect the buried eggs from predators by concealing the location of the nest with twigs and leaves but that is her final involvement and the young will be independent immediately upon hatching.

Female panther chameleons invest significant time and energy in ensuring her young will fully develop. Producing successful chameleon offspring depends heavily on adequate vitamin D amounts within the mother during gestation. Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is known to produce vitamin D in the skin of many vertebrates such as the panther chameleons. UV-induced vitamin D serves as a signal in the body to help adjust the calcium-phosphorus balance in the body. Its main function is to stimulate the uptake of calcium from the gut and reduce calcium re-absorption from bone. Eggs fail to hatch if the mother does not have adequate vitamin D from either UV exposure or dietary intake because she cannot supply enough vitamin D to their eggs to facilitate the developing embryos to form their skeletons. An important discovery made in the last few years was that females seem to be able to sense their internal vitamin D-condition, recognize an external UV source and voluntarily expose themselves to that source when they are vitamin D deficient. Alternatively, they choose to avoid high UV sources when they are vitamin D sufficient.

Status: Furcifer pardalis is one of the most sought after species of chameleon in the international pet trade due to the beautiful coloration and success of breeding in captivity. From 1977 to 2001 exported Furcifer pardalis chameleons accounted for almost eight percent of total exports of chameleon species to the United States. Stricter trade quotas have been enforced and the recent export levels are within a sustainable range. Currently there is little risk to this chameleon species besides the threat of ongoing habitat loss and modification.

Subspecies: None in our region

Taxonomy: