The Two Horned Dwarf - Furcifer willsii
17/11/2024
Furcifer willsii is a smaller chameleon species, measuring 15 to 17 cm in total length. Males feature two noticeable, upward-curved nose extensions, which females lack. Males are green with a thin white stripe and white lips, while females show more variation in color, ranging from yellow-green to dark brown with bright yellow or white spots when pregnant. Both sexes have a white line along their abdomen.
This chameleon resides in the mountain forests of central-eastern Madagascar, particularly in Analamazaotra, part of the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, at elevations up to 1,200 meters. They prefer humid, dense primary forests and are rarely found in secondary vegetation. Notably, in 2018, a Furcifer willsii was discovered in the stomach of a Mahafaly snake in the Andringitra Mountains.
The species is named after missionary James A. Wills, as the first specimens described were part of a collection made by him in Madagascar's highlands.
Author: Petr Nečas