Calumma Temporal range: | |
---|---|
Calumma parsonii | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Iguania |
Family: | Chamaeleonidae |
Subfamily: | Chamaeleoninae |
Genus: | Calumma Gray, 1865 |
Type species | |
Chamaeleon cucullatus Gray, 1831 | |
Diversity | |
41 species |
Calumma is a genus of chameleons, highly adapted and specialised lizards, in the family Chamaeleonidae. The genus is endemic to the island of Madagascar. One species, formerly known as Calumma tigris (the Seychelles tiger chameleon), was transferred to the genus Archaius in 2010, upon the discovery of its closer relation to Rieppeleon —one of several genera referred to collectively as "leaf" or "pygmy" chameleons—rather than to Calumma. [1] The earliest known fossil of the genus is of Calumma benovskyi , from early Miocene Kenya, showing that the genus likely originated on mainland East Africa. [2] The genus includes one of the heaviest and longest chameleon species, the Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii). [3]
Four species groups are recognised within the genus Calumma (originally proposed by Glaw & Vences in 1994 [4] ), some of which may be only phenetic, while others are phylogenetically supported: [5] [6]
Contents: Calumma furcifer, C. gastrotaenia, C. marojezense, C. guillaumeti, C. andringitraense, C. glawi, C. vencesi
Species characterised by typically green body colouration, sleek body form, and generally no occipital lobes (flaps of skin posterior to the head; present only in C. glawi) and no rostral appendage (present only in males of C. furcifer). [4]
Contents: Calumma cucullatum, C. crypticum, C. amber, C. tsaratananense, C. hafahafa, C. hilleniusi, C. peltierorum, C. malthe, C. brevicorne, C. jejy, C. tsycorne
Species characterised by distinct occipital lobes and generally a single bony rostral appendage that is larger in males than females. [4]
Contents: Calumma nasutum, C. fallax, C. gallus, C. guibei, C. boettgeri, C. linotum, C. gehringi, C. uetzi, C. lefona, C. juliae, C. vatosoa, C. vohibola, C. peyrierasi, C. roaloko
Species characterised by a soft dermal rostral appendage (generally present in males and absent in females). [4] The following members possess occipital lobes: C. guibei, C. boettgeri, C. linotum, C. gehringi, C. uetzi, C. lefona, C. roaloko, and C. juliae. [7] [8] These taxa are collectively referred to as the C. guibei species complex. [5] [7] Occipital lobes are absent from all other species. [4] The assignment of C. peyrierasi to this group remains a subject of uncertainty. [9]
Contents: Calumma globifer, C. ambreense, C. oshaughnessyi, C. parsonii, C. capuroni
Species characterised by large body size, males with paired rostral appendages, and some species with small occipital lobes. [4]
The following 41 species are recognized as being valid as of October 2020:
Nota bene : A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Calumma.
Paroedura is a genus of geckos, endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros. These geckos are typically terrestrial, though the young of most species can climb until they are too heavy for their feet to support.
Uroplatus is a genus of geckos, commonly referred to as leaf-tail geckos or flat-tailed geckos, which are endemic to Madagascar and its coastal islands, such as Nosy Be. They are nocturnal, insectivorous lizards found exclusively in primary and secondary forest.
Brookesia is a genus of chameleons, lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. The genus is endemic to Madagascar. Member species range from small to very small in size, and are known collectively as leaf chameleons. Brookesia includes species considered to be the world's smallest chameleons, and are also among the smallest reptiles. Members of the genus Brookesia are largely brown, and most are essentially terrestrial.
Brookesia peyrierasi is a species of diminutive chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to north-eastern Madagascar. It is known commonly as Peyrieras's pygmy chameleon, named after the herpetologist André Peyriéras.
Brookesia betschi, commonly known as Blanc's leaf chameleon or the Marojejy leaf chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
The naturelle leaf chameleon is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It was rated as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on its Red List of Threatened Species. The species was described by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo, Charles Pierre Blanc, and Charles Domergue in 1970.
Brookesia griveaudi, commonly known as the Marojejy leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to northeastern Madagascar. It was described as a species new to science by Brygoo, Blanc, and Domergue in 1974. It is listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Brookesia therezieni, also known as the Perinet leaf chameleon, is a species of lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to eastern Madagascar. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classed the species as Least Concern. B. therezieni was initially described as a species new to science by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Antoine Domergue in 1970.
Brookesia thieli, commonly also known as Domergue's leaf chameleon or Thiel's pygmy chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to eastern Madagascar, with a type locality of Ambodimanga, Andapa. It was first described in 1969 by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Antoine Domergue, and it was ranked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as "least concern". B. thieli is thought to be found over an area of 43,865 km2 (16,936 sq mi) at 875–1,200 m (2,871–3,937 ft) above sea level.
Calumma amber, commonly known as the Amber Mountain chameleon, is a species of chameleons endemic to Antsiranana Province, Madagascar. The species was first observed in 1989 and was first described in 2006, and can only be found in the northernmost portion of the northern Diana Region of Madagascar, on and around Montagne d'Amber National Park. C. amber was originally considered to be a population of C. brevicorne.
Calumma nasutum, the Madagascar pimple-nose chameleon, is a small species of chameleon found in Madagascar. The taxonomic identity of the species is currently uncertain and in need of revision, and this revision is likely to result in several newly described species. Several different data sets indicate that C. nasutum is a complex of several species.
Calumma crypticum, commonly known as the cryptic chameleon or blue-legged chameleon, is a species of chameleon found in eastern Madagascar.
Vences's chameleon is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Calumma andringitraense is a species of chameleon endemic to Madagascar. It was originally considered a subspecies of Calumma gastrotaenia, the Perinet chameleon.
Calumma boettgeri is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Calumma capuroni is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Calumma guibei, also known commonly as Guibé's chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Calumma guillaumeti is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Calumma hilleniusi is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
The longest chameleon in the world is Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii), which may grow up to 69.5 cm (about 27 inches) long.