Leaf-nosed Lizard

C. tennentii has a leaf-like appendage on the end of its nose. The species can reach lengths of over 8 inches (20 cm) including the tail. Males usually have more green in their coloration than females have, although they can change color to a reddish brown. Females usually have a shorter appendage on the nose. C. tennentii is not very agile and relies more on coloration than speed to avoid predators. The head is oval, and longer than wide. The rostral appendage is fleshy, laterally compressed, leaf-like with a bluntly conical scale at the tip. The lamellae under fourth toe number 23-30. The dorsum is reddish brown to olive green. The larger flank scales are more green. The gular region and sides of the neck have dark markings. The tail has 20 dark brown cross-bands. The venter is cream-coloured.

C. tennentii is found in the wet tropical montane cloud forests of the Knuckles mountains in Sri Lanka at elevations of 760–1,220 m (2,490–4,000 ft). It has also been recorded in several other forest habitats.

C. tennentii is diurnal, and therefore is usually only active in the day. Very little is actually known about the behaviour of this unusual lizard.

The generic name, Ceratophora, means horn bearer. The specific name, tennentii, is in honour of Irish politician James Emerson Tennent, who was Colonial Secretary of Ceylon (1845–1850).