Furcifer antimena: Antimena Chameleon

Antimena Chameleon - Furcifer antimena
( Grandidier, 1872 )


Subspecies:	Unknown
Est. World Population:

CITES Status:
IUCN Status:	Vulnerable
U.S. ESA Status:	Not Listed

Body Length:
Tail Length:
Shoulder Height:
Weight:

Top Speed:
Jumping Ability:	(Horizontal)

Life Span:	in the Wild
Life Span:	in Captivity

Sexual Maturity:	(Females)
Sexual Maturity:	(Males)
Litter Size:
Gestation Period:

Habitat:

The Antimena chameleon is considered a forest species by Raselimanana and Rakotomalala (2003) and is known to occur in both relatively intact and degraded areas (Raselimanana 2004).

Range:

This species is restricted to the southwest of Madagascar at elevations between 5 and 80 m above sea-level (Raselimanana and Rakotomalala 2003, Raselimanana 2004). The most easterly known location is around Antsokay and the airstrip at Toliara (Brygoo 1971) and the most northerly at Ankotapiky, near Morombe (Raselimanana 2004). The lizard's extent of occurrence is estimated to be around 6,310 km²; the Onilahy and Mangoky Rivers appear to form natural boundaries to this species' distribution (Brygoo 1971), and so it is not thought to be more widespread than is currently known.

Conservation:

The Antimena Chameleon has been recorded from PK32 Ranobe New Protected Area and from Parc National Mikea. It also occurs in a private reserve (Arboretum Antsokay). This lizard is listed as a protected species under Category I, Class II, which permits authorized collection from the wild. Other areas within its extent of occurrence are currently been designated as new protected areas. Karsten et al. (2009) recommended that this chameleon be considered a conservation priority because of its restricted distribution, susceptibility to extirpation, low population densities, and lack of formal habitat protection. More information is need on this species' ecological requirements and susceptibility to threats from forest degradation and land clearance, and population trends should be monitored to establish whether reported declines are widespread and long-term in nature.