The species used to be only known as Furcifer oustaleti, but Jean-Francois Mocquard in 1894 noticed some morphological differences in the crests of the two chameleons.

[3] The warty chameleon is a large species with males growing to a total length of 56 centimetres (22 in) and females reaching 21 cm (8 in).

The general colour of this chameleon is grey or brown variously blotched or indistinctly banded, with a white intermittent streak along each side.

[3] The warty chameleon is found only on the island of Madagascar including Manderano in the Tulear region.

It is seldom found in primary rainforest but favours arid disturbed land, including near the sea.