Hidden in the Leaf Litter: Life and Ecology of the Plated Leaf Chameleon

Brookesia stumpffi, the Plated Leaf Chameleon of Nosy Be, is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, yet it remains one of Madagascar's most fascinating pygmy chameleons. Its hatchlings are especially remarkable, with a lichen-like camouflage and a distinctive white spot between the eyes, and they share their microhabitat with the even smaller Brookesia minima in the leaf litter of Lokobe's rainforest.

Basic Data:

Scientific name: Brookesia stumpffi (Boettger, 1894)

Common name: Plated Leaf Chameleon

Range: Northwestern Madagascar and offshore islands including Nosy Be, Nosy Komba, and Nosy Sakatia iucnredlist.org.

Elevation: Found up to 150 m above sea level iucnredlist.org.

Etymology: Named after Anton Stumpff, a German collector who explored Nosy Be in the 1880s.

IUCN Red List: Least Concern (2011 assessment).

Extent of occurrence: ~61,884 km².

Threats: Habitat loss and collection for the pet trade. Export quotas have been regulated under CITES, ranging from 200 to 1000 specimens annually in recent decades.

Adaptability: Tolerates some disturbed habitats but thrives best in intact rainforest.

Morphology and Ecology: Adult Brookesia stumpffi are small, cryptic chameleons that blend into leaf litter and understory vegetation. At night, they perch on low branches up to 150 cm above the ground, while during the day they descend to forage for small insects. Their camouflage makes them difficult to detect in the forest floor environment.

The Remarkable Hatchlings

The juveniles of B. stumpffi are strikingly unusual. They exhibit a lichen-like appearance, mottled and irregular, mimicking patches of moss or lichen clinging to bark and leaves. A distinctive white spot between the eyes on the crown of the head further disrupts their outline, enhancing camouflage. This adaptation is vital for survival, as hatchlings are extremely vulnerable to predators. Observers often describe them as resembling moving fragments of lichen, so perfect is their disguise.

Syntopy with Brookesia minima

In Lokobe National Park, B. stumpffi occurs syntopically with Brookesia minima, one of the smallest chameleons in the world. When very young, B. stumpffi shares the same microhabitat as B. minima: the forest floor and leaf litter along streams. Both species forage for tiny invertebrates, hiding among detritus and moss. As B. stumpffi grows, it tends to occupy slightly higher perches at night, while B. minima remains closer to the ground, reducing direct competition.