Kinyongia asheorum NECAS, SINDACO, KORENÝ, KOPECNÁ, MALONZA & MODRÝ, 2009
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Higher Taxa | Chamaeleonidae, Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Mount-Nyiro Bearded Chameleon G: Mount-Nyiro-Chamäleon |
Synonym | Kinyongia asheorum NECAS, SINDACO, KORENÝ, KOPECNÁ, MALONZA & MODRÝ 2009 Kinyongia asheorum — TILBURY 2010: 350 Kinyongia asheorum — SPAWLS et al. 2018: 265 |
Distribution | Kenya (Nyiro Range), elevation 2000-2400 m Type locality: eastern slope of Mt. Nyiro, between Korante and the top (Kosi Kosi), Northern Frontier Division of Kenya, (estimated elevation 2.000-2.400 meters). |
Reproduction | |
Types | Holotype: MCCI R 1212, adult male collected 14.II.2004. The animal was donated to Roberto Sindaco and Luca Borghesio by a local tribesman. Paratypes: ZFMK 84821, NMK, MCCI |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A medium-sized, slender chameleon reaching a maximum total length of around 220 mm, with tail length clearly exceeding the head-and-body length. The body scalation is subhomogeneous, with slightly enlarged elongate lenticular scales on the flanks. The gular region wears paramesially enlarged semiovoid tubercular scales, submentally, there is a group of several high appendicular conical scales (the highest are more than 10 times as high as wide at their base), not ordered in a medial row. The ventral crest is indistinct. The head wears a distinct casque, clearly exceeding the dorsal crest on the neck. The canthus parietalis and canthi laterales are formed by enlarged tubercular, sometimes keeled and/or pointed scales. The temporal crest is completely absent. Canthus supraorbitalis is composed of two parallel rows of clearly enlarged scales. Canthi rostrales are composed of strongly enlarged pointed scales; they terminate rostrally on both sides in a long, stump horn (diverging slightly from each other). Kinyongia asheorum n. sp. differs from all known chameleons by the unique scalation of the gular region consisting of paramesial semiovoid scales and a field of several high appendicular pointed scales [from NECAS et al. 2009]. |
Comment | Abundance: only known from its original description (Meiri et al. 2017). |
Etymology | The Mount-Nyiro Bearded Chameleon is named in honor of James and Sanda Ashe, in respect to their life-long contribution to African herpetology and, also, as an expression of our deep mourning for James Ashe, who passed away recently. The name itself (asheorum) is formed as a plural genitive case of the family name (Ashe). |
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