The Blue‑Dotted Marvel of Ranomafana

Calumma glawi is a small eastern‑rainforest chameleon of Madagascar, restricted to the mid‑elevation humid forests of the Ranomafana–Vohiparara region. Its known distribution lies between roughly 1,030 and 1,200 m a.s.l., in dense, closed‑canopy forest where constant humidity and filtered light define its ecological niche. The type locality is Vohiparara, Ranomafana, west of Ifanadiana, and all verified records come from this general sector of the southeastern escarpment.

The species belongs to the Calumma gastrotaenia group, a lineage of slender, cryptic chameleons adapted to the mid‑story vegetation of eastern Madagascar. Males of C. glawi are distinctive: their flanks and turret margins carry scattered blue dots, which intensify during aposematic or breeding display. These punctate markings form a constellation‑like pattern over the otherwise subdued green‑brown body, giving the animal a fine, jewel‑like appearance when signalling. The rostral profile is modest, the casque low, snout sharp, occipital lobes present. 

One of the unusual traits observed in C. glawi is the black interior of the mouth. When the male gapes laterally in threat display, the mouth cavity appears strikingly dark, producing a high‑contrast warning signal in the dim understory light. 

This feature is rare among Malagasy chameleons and contributes to the species' distinctive behavioural repertoire. It is universal across all individuals and is characteristic enough to be noted.

The name glawi is a patronym. It is dedicated to Frank Glaw, German herpetologist and collector of the type series, whose work has been central to modern Malagasy herpetology. The species was described by Wolfgang Böhme in 1997. The epithet is simply the genitive of Glaw's surname, commemorating his contribution to fieldwork and taxonomy.