Brookesia

Erdchamäleon ( Brookesia superciliaris )

The stubby tail chameleons ( Brookesia, also Erdchamäleons ) are endemic to Madagascar genus of small chameleons. They colonize the floor area and the herb and shrub layer of primary forests, rarely they are found in cultivated land. The genus name Brookesia is a tribute to the British anatomist Joshua Brookes, was in the Brookesian Museum discovered the first chameleon this genus and described by the German zoologist Heinrich Kuhl 1820.

Features

The representatives of the genus Brookesia, sometimes also called Brookesien, are small and very petite chameleon with an overall length of only 100 to 125 mm. Brookesia micra is the smallest known reptile in the world. In contrast to the other two indigenous to Madagascar chameleon species Furcifer Calumma and they have only a rudimentary tail trained ( stubby tail ), and a quarter of the body length is about one- third. It can be rolled up neither to the known for chameleons manner, nor is its gripping function strongly developed. Although the coloration of the animals varied species-specific, but it usually does not go beyond the basic shades of brown, gray, ocher and olive.

Trivial name

The German terms " Erdchamäleon " or " stubby tail chameleon " for the members of this genus are used in different ways and often lead to confusion. The name Erdchamäleon had become well established for many years for the genus Brookesia, but was also used at the same time for many types of indigenous to the African mainland species Rhampholeon. It stemmed from the earlier assumption that the animals stayed mainly on the ground. Scientific as popular science articles use today for the members of the genera Brookesia and Rhampholeon and Rieppeleon the name stubby tail chameleons, because it is the most distinctive feature of these three genera. In earlier literature, described the animals frequently as a "dwarf chameleons ". The name is still often in the English language as a "dwarf " or "pygmy chameleon " its use. In German the common name dwarf chameleon but is now used only for chameleons of the South African genus Bradypodion.

Species

The genus includes about 30 species:

  • Brookesia ambreensis Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1995
  • Brookesia Antakarana Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1995
  • Brookesia bekolosy Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1995
  • Brookesia betschi Brygoo, Blanc & Domergue, 1974
  • Brookesia bonsi Ramanantsoa, 1980
  • Brookesia brunoi Crottini, Miralles, Glaw, Harris, Lima & Vences, 2012
  • Brookesia brygooi Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1995
  • Brookesia confidens Glaw, Köhler, Townsend & Vences, 2012
  • Brookesia decaryi Angel, 1939
  • Brookesia dentata Mocquard, 1900
  • Brookesia desperata Glaw, Köhler, Townsend & Vences, 2012
  • Brookesia exarmata Schimmenti & Jesus, 1996
  • Brookesia griveaudi Brygoo, Blanc & Domergue, 1974
  • Brookesia karchei Brygoo, Blanc & Domergue, 1970
  • Brookesia lambertoni Brygoo & Domergue, 1970
  • Brookesia lineata Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1995
  • Brookesia micra Glaw et al., 2012
  • Brookesia perarmata (Angel, 1933)
  • Brookesia peyrierasi Brygoo & Domergue, 1974
  • Brookesia ramanantsoai Brygoo & Domergue, 1975
  • Brookesia therezieni Brygoo & Domergue, 1970
  • Brookesia thieli Brygoo & Domergue, 1969
  • Brookesia tristis Glaw, Köhler, Townsend & Vences, 2012
  • Brookesia tuberculata Moquard, 1894
  • Brookesia vadoni Brygoo & Domergue, 1968
  • Brookesia valerieae Raxworthy, 1991

Brookesia lolontany and Brookesia nasus with the two subspecies B. nasus nasus and B. nasus pauliani was assigned in 2013 to the newly established genus Palleon.

Squamata John Edward Gray Anatomy Franz Werner
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