Furcifer is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of chameleon

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...

s whose members are mostly endemic to Madagascar

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

, but F. cephalolepis and F. polleni are endemic to the Comoros

Comoros

The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...

. Additionally, F. pardalis has been introduced

Introduced species

An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...

 to Réunion

Réunion

Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...

 and Mauritius

Mauritius

Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...

, while F. oustaleti has been introduced to near Nairobi

Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...

 in Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

. Following CITES, it is now illegal to import most of the species from this genus from their native countries, the only exceptions being F. lateralis, F. oustaleti, F. pardalis and F. verrucosus.

Taxonomy

The generic

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 name (Furcifer) is derived from the Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 root furci meaning "forked" and refers to the shape of the animal's feet.

Species

• Angel's Chameleon, Furcifer angeli
• White-lined Chameleon, Furcifer antimena
• Rainforest Chameleon, Furcifer balteatus
• Belalanda Chameleon, Furcifer belalandaensis
• Two-horned Chameleon, Furcifer bifidus
• Madagascar Forest Chameleon, Furcifer campani
  Furcifer campani
  Furcifer campani is a species of lizard in the Chamaeleonidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Madagascar Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 28 July 2007....
  
  
• Comoro Islands Chameleon, Furcifer cephalolepis
• Labord's Chameleon, Furcifer labordi
  Furcifer labordi
  Labord's chameleon is a species of chameleon endemic to Madagascar. Like other Furcifer species , it has obligate year-long lifecycle...
  
  
• Carpet Chameleon, Furcifer lateralis
• South-central Chameleon, Furcifer minor
  Furcifer minor
  Furcifer minor is a species of lizard in the Chamaeleonidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Madagascar Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 28 July 2007....
  
  
• One-horned Chameleon, Furcifer monoceras
• Furcifer nicosiai
• Malagasy Giant Chameleon, Furcifer oustaleti
• Panther Chameleon, Furcifer pardalis
• Petter's Chameleon, Furcifer petteri
• Mayotte Chameleon, Furcifer polleni
• Rhinoceros Chameleon, Furcifer rhinoceratus
• Ambiky Chameleon, Furcifer timoni
• Ambiky Chameleon, Furcifer tuzetae
• Madagascar Giant Chameleon, Furcifer verrucosus
  • Furcifer verrucosus verrucosus
  • Furcifer verrucosus semicristatus
• Canopy Chameleon, Furcifer willsii