Vences's chameleon
Vences's chameleon (Calumma vencesi) is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
The specific name, vencesi, is in honor of German herpetologist Miguel Vences.
An insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
Ambush predators are carnivorous animals that capture or trap prey by stealth, luring, or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an elemen...
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starts withThe geographic range of Vences' chameleon is not well understood; it is thought that the total area is around 591 square kilometers (228 square miles). What is certain is that specimens have been collected from several forests in the northeastern corner of Madagascar. The species mostly inhabits the understories of humid forests in the lowlands, at altitudes of 600–1,000 m (2,000–3,300 ft).
C. vencesi is oviparous.
The main threat to Vences' chameleon is habitat loss and degradation. While having a sizable range, the species is extremely intolerant of damaged habitat. Also, it has not been recorded in any protected areas, making it all the more vulnerable to logging and slash and burn agriculture. Fortunately, the illegal trade of this species seems to be virtually nonexistent.