Furcifer viridis: Winter Colors of the Morondava Chameleon

In the rainy season, Furcifer viridis from the Morondava region shows a saturated, vivid green. The flanks may carry thin blue strikes, and the dorsal surface keeps a fresh leaf‑green tone. In photographs taken during peak rains, individuals appear almost luminous against the wet understory.

In the dry winter months, the same animals shift into a markedly duller palette. The green collapses into olive, then into a dusty brown‑green that mirrors the desiccated leaf litter. The blue elements fade first, leaving only a faint turquoise trace along the ribs. Some individuals photographed in July show an almost entirely matte brown body with only a residual green wash on the head.

This seasonal change is adaptive rather than pathological: Furcifer viridis tracks the forest floor. When Morondava turns dry and pale, the chameleon follows.