Transvaal dwarf chameleon

Sekhukhune dwarf chameleon
Transvaal dwarf chameleon
Male Transvaal Dwarf Chameleon, dominant coloration
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Chamaeleonidae
Genus: Bradypodion
Species: B. transvaalense
Binomial name
Bradypodion transvaalense
(FitzSimons 1930)

The Transvaal dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion transvaalense) is a chameleon native to South Africa, where it is found in forested areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. It is also known as the Wolkberg dwarf chameleon, after the Wolkberg range.

Description

They can be distinguished from their relatives in the genus by their bright colouration, with reds and oranges. They are highly territorial and relatively aggressive against each other.

Varieties and relatives

In 2003, an ecological impact study near the village of Roossenekal, conducted by BSc Honours students (University of Pretoria, Centre for Wildlife Management) found a new variety of this dwarf chameleon. DNA research from samples collected by R.P. Zoer at the Transvaal Museum (Pretoria) revealed it was a new variety for the Sekhukhuneland region (Bradypodion transvaalense var. sekhukhunii)

A related species found in Ngome Forest, KwaZulu-Natal, is known as the Ngome dwarf chameleon (B. ngomeense).

Male Transvaal dwarf chameleon, submissive coloration

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 4/25/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.