Taxonomic notes: Formally elevated to species level having previously been included within F. lateralis (Florio et al. 2012).

This taxon is endemic to Madagascar and is restricted to the arid south of Madagascar at relatively low elevations (Florio et al. 2012).

This species occurs in a variety of habitats, including spiny forest, semi-deciduous forest edge, shrubby areas, plantations, grasslands and more disturbed areas of vegetation associated with agriculture and settlements (Raselimanana and Rakotomalala 2003, Florio et al. 2012).

This is a relatively widespread species that is generally common.There is no quantitative information on population abundance or trends.

Furcifer major was recently elevated to a full species, from the subspecies Furcifer lateralis major. Exports of the subspecies would have been included in international trade under the name Furcifer lateralis, for which there is an annual export quota of 2000 animals under CITES Appendix II. The level of actual export for F. major therefore, is unknown because the trade statistics were not broken down to sub-species. At present, there are no exports under the name F. major.

This species inhabits degraded habitats over a wide geographic area and is not thought to be facing any current threats.

This species occurs in a number of protected areas throughout its range. It is assumed that CITES exports of this species will be made, and therefore the Malagasy CITES authorities will require some training to identify this species, once it becomes formally accepted by the CITES convention.

• 4.2 Training

Listed as Least Concern because of its widespread occurrence in the south of Madagascar where it is commonly found in disturbed and degraded habitats.

• Florio AM, Ingram CM, Rakotondravony HA, Louis EE, Raxworthy CJ. 2012. Detecting cryptic speciation in the widespread and morphologically conservative carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) of Madagascar. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 25: 1399-1414.
• IUCN. 2014. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 13 November 2014).
• Raselimanana, A. P. and D. Rakotomalala. 2003. Chamaeleonidae, Chameleons. In: S. M. Goodman and J. P. Benstead (eds), The Natural History of Madagascar, pp. 961-969. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London.