Calumma parsonii Parson’s Chameleon
Subspecies I've seen:
C. p. cristifer
Parson’s Chameleon
C. p. parsonii
Parson’s Chameleon
Calumma parsonii cristifer Parson’s Chameleon
Analamazaotra Special Reserve (Perinét), Alaotra-Mangoro region, MadagascarApril 24, 2007
Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii cristifer) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii cristifer) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii cristifer) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii cristifer)
Calumma parsonii is generally considered either the largest or second-largest species of chameleon. Furcifer oustaleti can get a little longer, but Calumma parsonii gets a little heavier.

We saw two individuals. The first, orangeish one is an adult female that our guide found in the middle of the forest. It was heading straight up a vine when we momentarily detained it for a few photos. The second, turquoise one is an adult male that was just off a trail. It's busy munching a grasshopper. The fourth photograph here was taken by my wife Monica Rua.

Here is a list of all the reptiles and frogs I saw on this 2007 trip to Madagascar.

Andasibe area, Alaotra-Mangoro region, MadagascarApril 24, 2023
Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii cristifer) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii cristifer) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii cristifer)
On this night we found a few individuals of the world's largest chameleon for the first time on this trip. But so far, only young, small ones. I wonder whether we found bigger ones later?

Here is a list of all the reptiles and frogs I saw on this 2023 trip to Madagascar.

Andasibe area, Alaotra-Mangoro region, MadagascarApril 26, 2023
Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii cristifer)
Bigger than any of the ones from yesterday, but still not all that big.
Calumma parsonii parsonii Parson’s Chameleon
Andasibe area, Alaotra-Mangoro region, MadagascarApril 27, 2023
Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii parsonii) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii parsonii) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii parsonii)
Our Madagascar guide Rainer Dolch took us to a small farm where he knew there was a healthy population of this species as well as Furcifer pardalis. When we arrived, a troop of villagers greeted us, then disappeared into the hedges and trees for a few minutes, then began bringing out chameleons, including a few monster full-sized Calumma parsonii parsonii.

Here is a list of all the reptiles and frogs I saw on this 2023 trip to Madagascar.

Akanin'ny Nofy, Atsinanana region, MadagascarApril 30, 2023
Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii parsonii) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii parsonii)
Here's a humongous male and female found near each other, close to the edge of the Pantagenes canal.
Ranomafana area, Vatovavy region, MadagascarMay 7, 2023
Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii parsonii) Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii parsonii)
Emile Rajeriarison walked us to a small vanilla plantation that belongs to him and his wife. He knew there were a pair of Calumma parsonii somewhere around. He found the male quickly, but it took another ten or fifteen minutes for his wife to find the female.
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