Chamaeleo

Chamaeleo is a genus of chameleons in the family Chamaeleonidae. Most species of the genus Chamaeleo are found in sub-Saharan Africa, but a few species are also present in northern Africa, southern Europe, and southern Asia east to India and Sri Lanka.

Chamaeleo Temporal range: Early Miocene- present, 26–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Chamaeleo calyptratus, veiled chameleon
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Chamaeleonidae
Subfamily:	Chamaeleoninae
Genus:	Chamaeleo Laurenti, 1768[1]
Type species
Chamaeleo parisiensium Laurenti, 1768
Diversity
14 species

Chamaeleo dilepis, flap-necked chameleon

Description

Species in the genus Chamaeleo are slow moving, with independently movable eyes, the ability to change skin colouration, a long tongue, usually a prehensile tail, and special leg adaptations for grasping vegetation. Males are generally larger and more colorful than females. Almost all species have a maximum snout-vent length (SVL) between 15 and 40 centimetres (5.9 and 15.7 in).

Behavior

The vast majority of Chamaeleo species are arboreal and typically found in trees or bushes, but a few species (notably the Namaqua Chameleon) are partially or largely terrestrial.

Reproduction

The genus Chamaeleo includes only oviparous species.

In captivity

With few exceptions, the chameleons most commonly seen in captivity are all members of the genus Chamaeleo, notably the common, Senegal, and veiled chameleons, but even they require special care.

Taxonomy

Chamaeleo is the type genus of the family Chamaeleonidae.

All other genera of the subfamily Chamaeleoninae (Bradypodion, Calumma, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, and Trioceros) have at some point been included in the genus Chamaeleo, but are now regarded as separate genera by virtually all authorities.

Species

14 species are recognized as being valid, and subspecies are recognized for some species.[2]

• Chamaeleo africanus Laurenti, 1768 – African chameleon
• Chamaeleo anchietae Bocage, 1872 – Angola double-scaled chameleon
• Chamaeleo arabicus Matschie, 1893 – Arabian chameleon
• Chamaeleo calcaricarens Böhme, 1985 – Awash spurless chameleon
• Chamaeleo calyptratus A.M.C. Duméril & A.H.A. Duméril, 1851 – veiled chameleon
  • Chamaeleo calyptratus calyptratus A.M.C. Duméril & A.H.A. Duméril, 1851 – veiled chameleon
  • Chamaeleo calyptratus calcarifer W. Peters, 1871 – short-casqued chameleon
• Chamaeleo chamaeleon (Linnaeus, 1758) – common chameleon
  • Chamaeleo chamaeleon chamaeleon (Linnaeus, 1758) – European common chameleon
  • Chamaeleo chamaeleon musae Steindachner, 1900 – Sinai Peninsula common chameleon
  • Chamaeleo chamaeleon orientalis Parker, 1938 – Arabian common chameleon
  • Chamaeleo chamaeleon rectricrista Boettger, 1880 – Middle East common chameleon
• Chamaeleo dilepis Leach, 1819 – flap-necked chameleon
  • Chamaeleo dilepis dilepis Leach, 1819 – flap-necked chameleon
  • Chamaeleo dilepis idjwiensis Loveridge, 1942 - Idjwi Island flap-necked chameleon
  • Chamaeleo dilepis isabellinus Günther, 1893 - Isabelline flap-necked chameleon
  • Chamaeleo dilepis martensi Mertens, 1964 – Pemba Island flap-necked chameleon
  • Chamaeleo dilepis petersii Gray, 1865 – Peters' flap-necked chameleon
  • Chamaeleo dilepis quilensis Bocage, 1866 - Quilo River flap-necked chameleon or Bocage's chameleon
  • Chamaeleo dilepis roperi Boulenger, 1890
  • Chamaeleo dilepis ruspolii Boettger, 1893 – Ruspoli's flap-necked chameleon
• Chamaeleo gracilis Hallowell, 1844 – graceful chameleon
  • Chamaeleo gracilis gracilis Hallowell, 1844 – graceful chameleon
  • Chamaeleo gracilis etiennei K.P. Schmidt, 1919 – Etienne's slender chameleon
• Chamaeleo laevigatus Gray, 1863 – smooth chameleon
• Chamaeleo monachus Gray, 1865 – Socotran chameleon
• Chamaeleo namaquensis A. Smith, 1831 – Namaqua chameleon
• Chamaeleo necasi Ullenbruch, P. Krause & Böhme, 2007 – Nečas' flap-necked chameleon
• Chamaeleo senegalensis Daudin, 1802 – Senegal chameleon
• Chamaeleo zeylanicus Laurenti, 1768 – Indian chameleon

Nota bene: A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Chamaeleo.

References

1. Genus "Chamaeleo ". ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
2. Genus Chamaeleo at The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

• Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Genus Chamaeleo, p. 227).
• Laurenti JN (1768). Specimen medicum, exhibens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austriacorum. Vienna: "Joan. Thom. Nob. de Trattnern". 214 pp. + Plates I-V. (Chamaeleo, new genus, p. 45). (in Latin).
• Spawls S, Howell K, Drewes R, Ashe J (2002). A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa. Köln, Germany: Academic Press. 544 pp. ISBN 0-12-656470-1.

External links

• http://www.chameleoninfo.com/Species_Profiles.html