Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 105, 8980–8984 (2008) Doi:10.1073/pnas.0802468105

Credit: C. J. RAXWORTHY

The Madagascan chameleon Furcifer labordi has an annual life cycle, and spends most of its short life in the egg.

Kristopher Karsten of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and his colleagues monitored individuals from the time of hatching until death during several cycles. They found that they hatch in November; grow at astonishing rates; reach maturity by January; battle fiercely over mates, breed and lay their eggs by February; and then promptly drop dead. For the next nine months, the entire species is represented by eggs.

This is the shortest lifespan ever recorded for a four-legged vertebrate animal.