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Marojejy leaf chameleon, master of stealth
Our guide couldn't name it exactly, other than it being a brookesia. With only 3 brookesia species known to occur in the Marojejy area, I've narrowed it down based on this reference:
http://www.biolib.cz/en/taxonimage/id94510/?taxonid=187158
As you can see, like all brookesia species the body is shaped flat with a rigid texture and twig-like legs to blend into the forest floor. The camouflage tactic goes beyond just looks though, and extends into behavior. It does not actively hunt or chase prey, it ambushes pray. Even when threatened it will not flee, it probably can't, it will play dead instead.
Hence, once found (good luck with that), it is a thankful photography subject:
''Brookesia griveaudi'', commonly known as the Marojejy leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon endemic to northeastern Madagascar. It was described initially by Brygoo, Blanc, and Domergue in 1974. It was listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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