Golden Signals in the Forest: Courtship Colors of Calumma (parsonii) cristifer

Calumma parsonii cristifer is a subspecies of the Parson's chameleon, notable for its striking courtship displays. For most of the year, both sexes remain cryptically colored in shades of green, bluish tones, and browns, blending seamlessly into their forest environment. During the breeding season, however, coloration shifts dramatically. Yellow becomes the dominant signal, used briefly but powerfully to indicate hormonal and behavioral readiness. Dominant males adopt vivid yellow hues to assert status and attract females, while gravid females also display yellow, signaling reproductive condition and deterring further male advances. This sudden transformation is so pronounced that individuals appear almost like a different species compared to their usual cryptic state. The interplay of color serves as both communication and regulation of social interactions, ensuring that courtship, mating, and reproductive timing are clearly signaled within the dense forest habitat where visual cues are paramount.