The canopy chameleon (''Furcifer willsii''), also known commonly as Wills's chameleon or incorrectly as Will's chameleon, is a species of

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. The species was originally described by Albert Günther in 1890.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''willsii'', is in honour of English ornithologist Rev. James Wills (1836–1898), who was a missionary in Madagascar from 1870 to 1898.

Geographic range and habitat

''Furcifer willsii'' is endemic to east-central and northeastern Madagascar, along with an isolated range in the north-central part of the island. The

type locality Type locality may refer to: * Type locality (biology) * Type locality (geology) See also * Local (disambiguation) * Locality (disambiguation) {{disambiguation ...

of west Imerina Imady, in a forest region. The species can be found at between above sea level and is estimated to be found over an area of . Records show that this species has been found Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve. ''F. willsii'' may have been sighted once in western Madagascar at Ankarafantsika National Park, although this observation has not been verified as of 2007. Reports from Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve are uncertain: they may be of ''F. willsii'', '' F. petteri'', or a similar, undescribed species.

Conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) believe that the population of the canopy chameleon is declining. However, it is rated as Least Concern as there is not enough evidence that this species is declining fast enough to become endangered or threatened. ''Furcifer willsii'' is threatened by agricultural clearance and logging. ''Furcifer willsii'' is an arboreal species often found high in the canopy mostly in humid forests. It seems to be able to adapt to degraded habitats at the edge of native forests. Large numbers of this species were exported from Madagascar between 1989 and 1993 before the trade from Madagascar was banned by the CITES multilateral treaty.

Description

''Furcifer willsii'' is green and white in colour, sometimes with a hint of brown along the back and head.

Reproduction

''F. willsii'' is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...

Taxonomy

''Furcifer willsii'' was initially described in 1890 by Albert Günther as ''Chamaeleon willsii''. In 1986, it was transferred to the genus ''Furcifer'' by Charles Klaver &

Wolfgang Böhme Wolfgang Böhme (born 17 December 1949) is an East German former handball player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (germa ...

. It is commonly known as the canopy chameleon.