Veiled chameleon

Chamaeleo calyptratus

TAXONOMY

Chamaeleo (Chamaeleo) calyptratus Duméril & Bibron, 1851, Yemen and southwestern Saudi Arabia. One subspecies is recognized.

OTHER COMMON NAMES

English: Cone-head chameleon, Yemen or Yemeni chameleon; German: Jemen-Chamäleon.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The species grows to 10–24 in (254–610 mm) in length. The most prominent feature is a high, prominent casque that is much larger in males than females and the tallest of any chameleon species. Male coloration is shades of green, turquoise, yellow, orange, white, and black with bold stripes and spots. Nongravid females are green with pale patterning, but gravid females display vivid yellow, blue, and green spots and patterns against a dark background. Juveniles are green at birth, and their sex is distinguished easily by the presence of a short, fleshy projection called a tarsal spur on the hind feet of males. It produces audible sounds.

Although the subspecies Chamaeleo calyptratus calcarifer (Peters, 1871) was still considered valid in 1997, there is anecdotal evidence that it is a hybrid of Ch. calyptratus and Ch. arabicus (Matschie, 1893); this requires further investigation.

DISTRIBUTION

Ch. c. calyptratus occurs in Yemen, centered around Ta'izz and Ibb. Ch. c. calcarifer inhabits Saudi Arabia and possibly Yemen.

HABITAT

The veiled chameleon primarily utilizes Acacia species in areas of heavy cultivation and exotic plantations, such as Catha edulis. The climate is arid, but the habitat is the greenest part of the Arabian Peninsula, and these chameleons usually are found near a water source.

BEHAVIOR

The veiled chameleon is considered very aggressive and defensive toward members of its species (conspecifics) and humans. Males can inflict serious injuries or death in territorial or courtship disputes. An adult at the Dallas Zoo attacked a mirror and regularly coiled and uncoiled his tail while threatening his image.

FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET

The species feeds on insects, some vertebrates, and significant amounts of vegetation, particularly acacia.

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Courtship consists of head bobbing, intensified coloring, and approaching the female with a jerky gait. Females unreceptive to mating may gape, swing from side to side, hiss, or even attack the males. Receptive females slowly move off but allow the male to mount and copulate. Males may become aggressive and are known to head butt or bite, sometimes causing grave injury to females.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Not listed by the IUCN, but listed on CITES Appendix II. In 2001 it was not considered rare within its range and is adapted to highly disturbed habitat in close proximity to humans. Reports of increasing use of agricultural pesticides may have a detrimental impact on future abundance.

SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS

Fewer than 10,000 wild-taken specimens were exported for the commercial pet trade from 1985 to 1999. The species reproduced consistently in captivity and is well established in herpetoculture.

Veiled Chamaeleon
Veiled Chameleon
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Sauria Family: Chamaeleonidae Genus: Chamaeleo Species: C. calyptratus
Binomial name
Chamaeleo calyptratus Duméril & Bibron, 1851

The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus), is a large species of chameleon found in the mountain regions of Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It is also sometimes referred to as the Yemen Chameleon.

A young adult male veiled chameleon, with a characteristically masculine casque. Foot spurs are present, though not clearly visible in this photograph.

The male veiled chameleon has a green base color and, depending on mood, this green will range from a bright lime green to a dark olive drab. The green base color is marked with stripes and spots of yellow, brown, and blue. Non breeding females and juvenile chameleons are generally a uniform green color with some white markings. Breeding and gravid females are a very dark green with blue and yellow spots. The prominence of these markings is dependent on several factors including health, mood, and temperature of the lizard.

This species is sexually dimorphic, meaning it is possible to tell the gender of an individual by looking at physical traits. Aside from the previously mentioned color differences, adult male veiled chameleons are large animals. It is possible for them to reach an over all length of 24 inches (60 cm). Most specimens usually reach between 14 to 18 inches (35-45 cm). Females are smaller with the average overall length being just under 12 inches (30 cm). Males and females both have a decorative growth called a "casque" on their heads. The casque of a male chameleon is much taller than the female's. Males also have a spur on each hind leg that the females do not have.

An adult male displaying defensive posture.

Like most chameleons, veiled chameleons are specialized tree dwellers. They have a flattened body meant to mimic a leaf and feet specially designed for grasping limbs and branches. They have a prehensile tail that acts as a fifth appendage and aids in climbing. Their eyes work independently of one another allowing the chameleon to look in front of and behind itself at the same time. They have a long sticky tongue that they use to capture their insect prey. Veiled chameleons are ambush predators and are capable of lying still for very long periods of time waiting for an unsuspecting locust to wander by.

An adult female, with a relatively small casque.

Veiled Chameleons are omnivores. While their main diet consists of insects, they will occasionally consume the leaves and blossoms of various plants. This is especially true in times of drought when water is scarce. Like all chameleons, veiled chameleons prefer to drink water that is in drops. They do not always recognize standing water and may dehydrate if that is their only source.

Female veiled chameleons can produce up to 3 clutches of eggs a year. Each clutch may contain 20-70 eggs. The eggs usually take 6-9 months to hatch. All the eggs in the same clutch will hatch simultaneously, as long as they are incubated together. Female veiled chameleons will produce multiple clutches of eggs, with one male encounter.

Veiled Chameleons are often kept in captivity due to the fact that they are relatively hardy when compared to other chameleon species often offered for sale.

External links

• The Chameleon Forums
• Veiled Chameleon Care Sheet
• Veiled Chameleon information and care

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)