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Bradypodion pumilum (GMELIN, 1789)

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Higher TaxaChamaeleonidae, Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Cape Dwarf Chameleon
G: Buntes Zwergchamäleon 
SynonymChamaeleon bonae spei LAURENTI 1768 (?)
Lacerta pumila GMELIN in LINNAEUS 1789: 1069
Chamaeleon pumilus — MEYER 1795: 27
Chamaeleo thermophilus GRAVENHORST 1807: 429
Chamaeleo margaritaceus MERREM 1820
Chameleo pumillus — GRAY 1831 (err. pro Lacerta pumila GMELIN 1789)
Chamaeleo pumilus — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1836: 217
Lophosaura pumila var. fordii GRAY 1865
Lophosaura pumila — GRAY 1865: 350
Chamaeleon punilus — ANGEL 1929 (err. pro Ch. pumilus GMELIN 1789)
Chamaeleo pusillus var. ? — GRAY 1865 (err. pro Ch. pumilus, syn. B. ventrale)
Chamaeleon pumilus — LOVERIDGE 1936: 78
Microsaura pumila — ENGELBRECHT 1951
Chameleo pumillus pumillus — HILLENIUS 1959: 63
Chamaeleo pumilus — MERTENS 1966: 23
Microsaura pumila — BUSACK & BUSACK 1967
Bradypodion pumilum — RAW 1976: 141
Bradypodion pumilum pumilum — KLAVER & BÖHME 1997: 25
Bradypodion pumilum — NECAS 1999: 198
Bradypodion pumilum — BRANCH et al. 2006
Bradypodion pumilum — TILBURY 2010: 295
Bradypodion pumilum — CAMPBELL & DENZER 2020 
DistributionRepublic of South Africa, S Mozambique, S Namibia

Type locality: Cape of Good Hope, South Africa [by implication]  
Reproductionovoviviparous 
TypesType: unlocated; based on SEBA (1734) 1; plate 83, fig. 5
Syntypes: NHMUK 1946.8.21.8 (Previously NHMUK1864.10.6.5), male, Haslar Collection; NHMUK 1946.8.22.16 (Previously NHMUK1855.10.16.118), male, Haslar Collection [fordii] 
Diagnosis 
CommentSubspecies: Note that many subspecies of B. pumilum are now treated as separate species (see the species entries for more information). For a long discussion on the nomenclature and status of this species see KLAVER & BÖHME 1997: 54.

Distribution: For a map see TOLLEY et al. (2004).

Type species: Lacerta pumila GMELIN in LINNAEUS 1789 is the type species of the genus Bradypodion FITZINGER 1843 (fide TILBURY et al. 2006).

Habitat: thickets, reed beds, and fynbos vegetation. 
EtymologyNamed after Latin “pumilus” and “pumilio” = dwarf.

The genus is named after Greek “bradys” = slow and “podion”, diminutive of “podos” = foot: slow small-foot, referring to the slow movements generally and the small size of the type species. 
References
  • Bates, M.F.; Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M.; Burger, M., Marais, J.; Alexander, G.J. & de Villliers, M.S. (eds.) 2014. Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland. Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 512 pp.
  • Bauer, L. 2005. Traag van Tred: Bradypodion pumilum. Lacerta 63 (5): 180-190 - get paper here
  • Branch, Wiliam R., Krystal A. Tolley and Colin R. Tilbury 2006. A new Dwarf Chameleon (Sauria: Bradypodion Fitzinger, 1843) from the Cape Fold Mountains, South Africa. African Journal of Herpetology 55 (2):123-141. - get paper here
  • Busack, S.D., and L.D. Busack. 1967. Notes on the growth rate of Microsaura pumila pumila (Lacertidae: Chamaeleontidae). Herpetologica 23(3): 231–232
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