Brown leaf chameleon

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Brown leaf chameleon
Brown leaf chameleon (Brookesia superciliaris), Andasibe, Madagascar (10115526024).jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Chamaeleonidae
Genus: Brookesia
Species:
B. superciliaris
Binomial name
Brookesia superciliaris
(Kuhl, 1820)
Brookesia superciliaris distribution.png

The brown leaf chameleon or stump-tailed chameleon (Brookesia superciliaris) is a small chameleon found along the eastern coast of Madagascar, as well as the island of Nosy Boraha. Its appearance mimics that of a dead leaf. The taxonomy is in need of revision. [3]

Contents

Description

The brown leaf chameleon is distinguished by its elongated, high, laterally squashed body that resembles a rolled-up, dead leaf. The size and appearance of this chameleon varies considerably over its vast range, and it may be any shade of brown, beige, grey, olive, green, or dark red, but usually display colours and patterns that mimic a dead leaf. Despite its tiny size, the brown leaf chameleon has an imposing appearance due to two pronounced horns that protrude from the head above each eye and four spiny scales that jut from the throat. [4]

Distribution and habitat

The brown leaf chameleon occurs in eastern Madagascar (including the island of Nosy Boraha), [5] from sea level up to elevations of over 1,250 metres (4,100 ft). [6] The floor of evergreen primary forest is the preferred habitat of the brown leaf chameleon, but it may also be found in secondary forest and adjacent overgrown plantations. [7] It seems to prefer closed-canopy forest, and climbs higher in the forest (up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft)), more often than other species of Brookesia. [4]

Ecology and behavior

The brown leaf chameleon spends its days foraging among dead leaves on the forest floor, [4] searching for prey with its independently moving, protruding eyes and catching insects with its long, sticky tongue. [8] If threatened, the lizard's first reaction is to stay still and rely on its remarkable camouflage, but it may also exhibit other defence behaviours. This includes the 'freeze-and-roll' technique, in which the chameleon folds its legs underneath its belly, rolls over to one side and remains very still, mimicking a dead leaf on the forest floor. [9] Alternatively, the brown leaf chameleon may also thrust its spines to ward off predators. [10]

Brown leaf chameleons have an interesting courtship ritual in which a male approaches a female with pronounced nodding and rocking movements. An unreceptive female repels a male by reacting with jerky movements, while a receptive female walks with the male. After some time walking together, and before dusk, the male mounts the female and is carried on her back until the pair copulates in the late evening or at night. This species is known to store sperm. [4] Between 30 and 45 days after copulation, the female lays two to five eggs, which she hides under dead leaves, moss, and pieces of bark on the forest floor. Sometimes, a true nest is excavated and the clutch is laid on to the ground. The eggs hatch after 59 to 70 days; the brown leaf chameleon reaching sexual maturity within one year. [4]

Threats and conservation

Like other Brookesia chameleons, the brown leaf chameleon is threatened primarily by habitat destruction, [5] which is the result of agricultural expansion, timber extraction, and small-scale mining. [11] Harvesting for the international pet trade does occur, but is unlikely to be threatening its survival. [12] Since 2005, export quotas have been set at 200 individuals per year. [13]

The brown leaf chameleon is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning that trade in this species should be carefully controlled to be compatible with their survival. [14] It is also known to occur in a number of protected areas, including Befotaka-Midongy National Park, [15] Mantadia National Park, [7] Analamazoatra Special Reserve, [7] and Kalambatitra Special Reserve. [16] Although illegal harvesting and other activities that degrade the forest habitat may lessen any benefits this bestows, this species is more tolerant of forest disturbance than other leaf chameleons.

Related Research Articles

<i>Brookesia</i> Genus of lizards

Brookesia is a genus of chameleons, endemic to Madagascar, that 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antsingy leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

The Antsingy leaf chameleon is a species of lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is also referred to as Armoured leaf chameleon.

<i>Brookesia peyrierasi</i> Species of lizard

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount d'Ambre leaf chameleon</span> Species of reptile

The Mount d'Ambre leaf chameleon is a diminutive chameleon from far northern Madagascar.

<i>Brookesia minima</i> Species of reptile

Brookesia minima,, is a diminutive chameleon that was regarded as the smallest lizard of the Chamaeleonidae until a smaller species, Brookesia nana, was described in 2021.

<i>Brookesia ebenaui</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia ebenaui is a chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species, which is endemic to Madagascar, can rapidly change color among various earth hues.

<i>Brookesia micra</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia micra, also known as the Nosy Hara leaf chameleon is a species of chameleons from the islet of Nosy Hara in Antsiranana, Madagascar. At the time of its discovery, it was the smallest known chameleon and among the smallest reptiles, until the 2021 discovery of the even smaller B. nana. Adult B. micra can grow up to 29 mm (1.1 in) in length.

<i>Brookesia stumpffi</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia stumpffi, also known as the plated leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon found in some parts of Madagascar. It can be found in Nosy Bé, north-west Madagascar, Nosy Komba, and Nosy Sakatia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiny leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

Brookesia decaryi is a species of chameleon, which is endemic to Madagascar, and is ranked as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It was initially described in 1939 by Fernand Angel. B. decaryi is commonly known as Decary's leaf chameleon, spiny leaf chameleon, or Decary's pygmy chameleon.

<i>Brookesia betschi</i> Species of lizard

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naturelle leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

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.

<i>Brookesia bonsi</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia bonsi is a species of chameleons, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar, and was initially described by Guy A. Ramanantsoa in 1980. The International Union for Conservation of Nature ranked this species as Critically Endangered.

<i>Brookesia brygooi</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia brygooi, commonly known as Brygoo's chameleon, Brygoo's pygmy chameleon, and the leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chameleonidae. The species, which is endemic to Madagascar, was first described in 1995 by Raxworthy and Nussbaum and named in compliment to French herpetologist Édouard-Raoul Brygoo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toothed leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

The toothed leaf chameleon, Brookesia dentata, is a species of chameleons endemic to northwestern Madagascar. It was first described by Mocquard in 1900: 345, and has been described numerous times since then, most recently by Townsend et al. in 2009. It is affected by the collection of charcoal, forest fires, and the grazing of cattle. Its holotype provides from Maevatanana (Suberbieville).

<i>Brookesia therezieni</i> Species of lizard

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.

<i>Brookesia thieli</i> Species of lizard

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.

<i>Brookesia valerieae</i> Species of lizard

Brookesia valerieae is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It was first described by Raxworthy in 1991. The IUCN have classed this species as endangered, and it is affected by slash-and-burn agriculture. It is not a protected species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vences's chameleon</span> Species of lizard

Vences's chameleon is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iaraka River leaf chameleon</span> Species of lizard

The Iaraka River leaf chameleon, also commonly known as the mossy pygmy leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.

<i>Brookesia nana</i> Extremely small chameleon

Brookesia nana, also known as the nano-chameleon, is a species of chameleon endemic to montane rainforests in northern Madagascar. Described in 2021, it could represent the world's smallest reptile. Unlike some chameleons, Brookesia nana does not change colors.

References

This article incorporates text from the ARKive fact-file "Brown leaf chameleon" under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License and the GFDL .

  1. ↑ Jenkins, R.K.B., Andreone, F., Andriamazava, A., Anjeriniaina, M., Brady, L., Glaw, F., Griffiths, R.A., Rabibisoa, N., Rakotomalala, D., Randrianantoandro, J.C., Randrianiriana, J., Randrianizahana , H., Ratsoavina, F. & Robsomanitrandrasana, E. (2011). "Brookesia superciliaris ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . IUCN. 2011: e.T172741A6909334. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T172741A6909334.en . Retrieved 13 January 2018.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  2. ↑ "Brown leaf chameleon". CITES. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  3. ↑ Glaw, Frank; Vences, Miguel (2007). A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar (3rd ed.). Cologne, Germany: Vences & Glaw Verlags. ISBN   978-3929449037.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Nečas, P. and Schmidt, W. (2004) Stump-tailed chameleons. Miniature Dragons of the Rainforest. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt.
  5. 1 2 Carpenter, A.I. and Robson, O. (2005) A review of the endemic chameleon genus Brookesia from Madagascar, and the rationale for its listing on CITES Appendix II. Oryx, 39(4): 345-380.
  6. ↑ Andreone, F., Randrianirina, J.E., Jenkins, P.D. and Aprea, G. (2000) Species diversity of Amphibia, Reptilia and Lipotyphla (Mammalia) at Ambolokopatrika, a rainforest between the Anjanaharibe-Sud and Marojejy Massifs, NE Madagascar. Biodiversity and Conservation, 9: 1587-1622.
  7. 1 2 3 Rakotondravony, H. (2004) Diversité des caméléons forestiers de la région d'Andasibe (Madagascar) et modèle de distribution de cette communauté selon différent types physionomiques. La Terre et la vie: Revue d'Ecologie, 59: 529-544.
  8. ↑ Halliday, T. and Adler, K. (2002) The New Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  9. ↑ Raxworthy, C. J. (1991) Field observations on some dwarf chameleons (Brookesia spp.) from rainforest areas of Madagascar, with the description of a new species. Journal of Zoology, 224: 11-25.
  10. ↑ "Brown Leaf Chameleon" . Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  11. ↑ Conservation International: Biodiversity Hotspots Archived December 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (February 2008).
  12. ↑ Arkive factsheet Archived 2012-10-08 at the Wayback Machine (citing personal communication with Dr Richard K.B. Jenkins, Madagasikara Voakajy and Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent.)[ better source needed ]
  13. ↑ CITES Export Quotas Archived August 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (March 2011).
  14. ↑ CITES (July 2007).
  15. ↑ Bora, P., Randriambahiniarime, O., Rabemananjara, F.C.E., Ramilijaona, O.R., Glaw, F. and Vences, M. (2007) A rapid assessment survey of the herpetofauna at Befotaka-Midongy National Park, south-eastern Madagascar. Mitteilungen des Museums für Naturkunde Berlin, Zoologische Reihe, 83: 170-178.
  16. ↑ Andreone, F., and Randrianirina, J. (2007) The amphibians and reptiles of Kalambatritra, a little-known rainforest of south-eastern Madagascar. Bollettino del Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino, 24: 179-190.
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