Taxonomy 2009

By Tom verbraeken

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When we look at the taxonomy of the pygmy chameleons, we find them in the subfamily Brookesiinae. This subfamily was before 2004 divided in two genera: Brookesia and Rhampholeon.
But in 2004 discover MATTHEE, C.; TILBURY, C.R. & TOWNSEND, T; that these classification wasn’t correct. They did some DNA testing and compared the hemipenis and some other tests and find out that these two genera must be divided in to three different genera and that the genus Rhampholeon must be divided in to three subgenus.
Below you will find the new taxonomy of the subfamily Brookesiinae:

In the genus Brookesia you will find twenty-seven species that are endemic to Madagascar.
· Brookesia ambreensis
· Brookesia antakarana
· Brookesia antoetrae
· Brookesia bekolosy
· Brookesia betschi
· Brookesia bonsi
· Brookesia brygooi
· Brookesia decaryi
· Brookesia dentata
· Brookesia ebenaui
· Brookesia exarmata
· Brookesia griveaudi
· Brookesia karchei
· Brookesia lambertoni
· Brookesia lineata
· Brookesia lolontany
· Brookesia minima
· Brookesia nasus
· Brookesia perarmata
· Brookesia peyrierasi
· Brookesia stumpffi
· Brookesia superciliaris
· Brookesia therezieni
· Brookesia thieli
· Brookesia tuberculata
· Brookesia vadoni
· Brookesia valerieae


The genus Rieppeleon is named after a American scientist that is born in Switzerland, OLIVER RIEPPEL. In this genus you will find three species and they are endemic to the mainland of Africa.
· Rieppeleon brachyurus
· Rieppeleon brevicaudatus
· Rieppeleon kerstenii


The genus Rhampholeon, what means Chameleon with bill like a bird is also endemic to the mainland of Africa. This genus was divided in three because there are real difference between the subgenus if we look at their hemipenis and other stuff.
We first start with the subgenus Bicuspis, what means in Latin claws with two tops. If we look at the claws of these animals we see that the nails are split up in two tops. In this subgenus they are two species.
· Rhampholeon (Bicuspis) gorongosae
· Rhampholeon (Bicuspis) marshalli

The second subgenus is Rhampholeon and in this subgenus there are four species.
· Rhampholeon (Rhampholeon) spectrum
· Rhampholeon (Rhampholeon) spinosus
· Rhampholeon (Rhampholeon) temporalis
· Rhampholeon (Rhampholeon) viridis

The third and last subgenus is Rhinodigitum, what means in Latin with nose like a finger. In this subgenus are the most Rhampholeons classified, this subgenus counts eight different species.
· Rhampholeon (Rhinodigitum) acuminatus
· Rhampholeon (Rhinodigitum) beraduccii
· Rhampholeon (Rhinodigitum) boulengeri
· Rhampholeon (Rhinodigitum) chapmanorum
· Rhampholeon (Rhinodigitum) moyeri
· Rhampholeon (Rhinodigitum) nchisiensis
· Rhampholeon (Rhinodigitum) platyceps
· Rhampholeon (Rhinodigitum) uluguruensis

These species list is build up with my own taxonomy knowledge and with the help from the following recources:

KRYSTAL A. TOLLEY, BRIAN M. CHASE, Félix Forest (2008)
Speciation and radiations track climate transitions since the Miocene Climatic Optimum: a case study of southern African chameleons

PHILIPP WAGNER, JÖRN KÖHLER, ANDREAS SCHMITZ, WOLFGANG BÖHME (2008)
The biogeographical assignment of a west Kenyan rain forest remnant: further evidence from analysis of its reptile fauna

RANDRIANANTOANDRO, JOSEPH CHRISTIAN; RANDRIANAVELONA, ROMA; ANDRIANTSIMANARILAFY, RAPHALI RODLIS; FIDELINE, HANTALALAINA ELISOA; RAKOTONDRAVONY, DANIEL; JENKINS, RICHARD K.B.
Roost site characteristics of sympatric dwarf chameleons (genus Brookesia) from western Madagascar
Amphibia-Reptilia, Volume 28, Number 4, 2007 , pp. 577-581( 5 )

RABEARIVONY, JEANNENEY; BRADY, LEE D.; JENKINS, RICHARD K.B.; RAVOAHANGIMALALA, OLGA R.
Habitat use and abundance of a low-altitude chameleon assemblage in eastern Madagascar
The Herpetological Journal, Volume 17, Number 4, October 2007 , pp. 247-254( 8 )

DAVID WOJNOWSKIA and PATRICK K. MALONZAB
Department of Teaching, Leadership and Curriculum Studies, College of Education, Kent State University,USA - Department of Herpetology, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya
Journal of East African Natural History (2006)
Article: pp. 231–233
OBSERVATION ON THE CLUTCH SIZE OF THE KENYA PYGMY CHAMELEON, RIEPPELEON KERSTENII

MARIAUX, JEAN AND COLIN R. TILBURY. 2006. The pygmy chameleons of the eastern Arc range (Tanzania): Evolutionary relationships and the description of three new species of Rhampholeon (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae). Herpetological Journal 16(3): 315-331

GONWOUO, L.N.; LEBRETON, M.; WILD, C.; CHIRIO, L.; NGASSAM, P. & TCHAMBA, M.N. 2006. Geographic and ecological distribution of the endemic montane chameleons along the Cameroon maountain range. Salamandra 42 (4): 213-230

HILDENHAGEN, T. 2005. Zur Biologie und Verbreitung tansanischer Stummeschwanzchamäleons der neuen Untergattung Rhinodigitum MATTHEE, TILBURY & TOWNSEND 2004 mit Bemerkungen zur Haltung und Vemehrung. Elaphe 13 (4): 31-42

MATTHEE, C.; TILBURY, C.R. & TOWNSEND, T. 2004. A phylogenetic review of the African leaf chameleons: genus Rhampholeon (Chamaeleonidae): the role of vicariance and climate change in speciation. Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) B271: 1967-1975

TILBURY, C.R. & MARIAUX, J. 2004. A re-evaluation of the generic status of Bradypodion spinosum (MATSCHIE, 1892) and some consideration on the genus Rhampholeon. Rev. Suisse Zool. 111: 103-111

JENKINS R.K.B.; BRADY L.D.; BISOA M.; RABEARIVONY J.; GRIFFITHS R.A.
Forest disturbance and river proximity influence chameleon abundance in Madagascar
Biological Conservation, Volume 109, Number 3, March 2003 , pp. 407-415(9)

MENEGON, M.; SALVIDIO, S. & TILBURY, C. 2002. A new dwarf chamaeleon from the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania, East Africa (Squamata: Rhampholeon Günther 1874). J. Herpetol. 36 (1): 51-57

TOWNSEND, T. & LARSON, A. 2002 Molecular phylogenetics
and mitochondrial genomic evolution in the Chamaeleonidae
(Reptilia, Squamata). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.
23, 22–26.

PAUWELS, O.S.G.; KAMDEM TOHAM, A. & CHIMSUNCHART, C. 2002. Recherches sur l’herpétofaune du Massif du Chaillu, Gabon. Bull. Inst. Roy. Sci. Nat. Belgique (Biologie) 72: 47-57

BRANCH, B. & RYAN, P.G. 2001. Additions to the Mozambique Herpetofauna: two new lizards from the Namuli Massif. Herpetological Review 32 (4): 281-282

BROADLEY, D.G. 2001. An annotated check list of the herpetofauna of Mulanje Mountain. Nyala 21: 29-36.

EUSKIRCHEN, O.; SCHMITZ A. & BÖHME, W. 2000. Zur Herpetofauna einer montanen Regenwaldregion in SW-Kamerun (Mt. Kupe und Bakossi-Gergland).IV. Chamaeleonidae, biogeographische Diskussion und Schutzmassnahmen. Herpetofauna 22 (125): 21-34

RAXWORTHY, C. J. & R. A. NUSSBAUM 1995. Systematics, speciation and biogeography of the dwarf chameleons (Brookesia; Reptilia, Squamata, Chamaeleonidae) of northern Madagascar. J. Zool., London 235: 525-558

If you have any further questions about the taxonomy of the pygmy’s, please post it on the forum or you can contact me by email or you can send me a pm.

Best regards,
Tom Verbraeken
www.doelgroepkameleons.be