Furcifer labordi
Encyclopedia
Labord's chameleon is a species of chameleon
endemic to Madagascar
. Like other Furcifer species (F. antimena, F. lateralis), it has obligate year-long lifecycle. It lives for only about 4 to 5 months making it the shortest lifespan ever recorded for a four legged vertebrate., In their natural habitat, eggs hatch with the first rains
in November, the growth is rapid, and adulthood is reached by January, at which time they breed. By later February or early March, females have deposited the eggs which will hatch next year, and the entire population dies until the next hatching.
In captivity
, eggs of F. labordi have hatched after 4 months of incubation at 26 °C (78.8 °F). Juveniles grow very rapidly, reaching adulthood after 3 months. Females that were properly fed grew with eggs and a vivid coloration, whereas females that were fed a less caloric diet grew thinner and only showed a green coloration.
Males outlive females in the wild, as many females die soon after the oviposition
. Many males live longer by digging burrow
s in the soil as the ambient air becomes drier. They will sit quiet for months before coming out again with the rains, at the start of the rainy season.
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 Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. Like other Furcifer species (F. antimena, F. lateralis), it has obligate year-long lifecycle. It lives for only about 4 to 5 months making it the shortest lifespan ever recorded for a four legged vertebrate., In their natural habitat, eggs hatch with the first rains
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
in November, the growth is rapid, and adulthood is reached by January, at which time they breed. By later February or early March, females have deposited the eggs which will hatch next year, and the entire population dies until the next hatching.
In captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
, eggs of F. labordi have hatched after 4 months of incubation at 26 °C (78.8 °F). Juveniles grow very rapidly, reaching adulthood after 3 months. Females that were properly fed grew with eggs and a vivid coloration, whereas females that were fed a less caloric diet grew thinner and only showed a green coloration.
Males outlive females in the wild, as many females die soon after the oviposition
Oviposition
Oviposition is the process of laying eggs by oviparous animals.Some arthropods, for example, lay their eggs with an organ called the ovipositor.Fish , amphibians, reptiles, birds and monetremata also lay eggs....
. Many males live longer by digging burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
s in the soil as the ambient air becomes drier. They will sit quiet for months before coming out again with the rains, at the start of the rainy season.