[2] Furcifer nicosiai is relatively large, and has a high parietal crest (a central ridge down the front of the casque), but lacks appendages on its snout (rostrum).

It features canthi rostrales that are separated, a poorly developed gular crest (a row of small spines running down the centre of the throat), a distinctive rostral profile, a complete ventral crest (a row of small conical scales extending down the centre of the belly) and a poorly developed dorsal crest extending from the neck region to the tail.

Furcifer nicosiai can be distinguished from F. verrucosus by its smaller size, different colour patterns, and the orientation of its hemipenis.

[3] Furcifer nicosiai is found in the limestone outcrops in a small area of west Madagascar, in the Melaky Region, north of the Manambolo River.

The major threat to the species is the fragmentation, loss and degradation of the forest it lives in, which includes damaging human activities like agriculture, logging,[1] and the clearing of land by fire.