Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Lacertilia Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Infraorder Iguania Higher classification Furcifer | |
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Similar Chameleons, Furcifer, Reptile, Rhinoceros chameleon, Lesser chameleon | ||
Live fast die young labord s chameleon madagascar bbc
Etymology
The specific name, labordi, is in honor of French adventurer Jean Laborde.
Life cycle
Like other Furcifer species (F. antimena, F. lateralis), F. labordi has an 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
In captivity, eggs of F. labordi have hatched after 4 months of incubation at 26 °C (79 °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.
