Furcifer monoceras (BOETTGER, 1913)
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Furcifer monoceras
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| Higher Taxa | Chamaeleonidae, Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Chamaeleon monoceras BOETTGER 1913 Chamaeleo monoceras — HILLENIUS 1963: 204 Furcifer monoceras — GLAW & VENCES 1994: 252 Furcifer monoceras — NECAS 1999: 214 Furcifer monoceras — SENTÍS et al. 2018 |
| Distribution | Madagascar (Betsako, Mojanga) Type locality: Betsako bei Mojunga, N.W. Madagascar |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype. SMF 16420, obviously adult male, collected by A. Voeltzkow in 1905 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A small chameleon (SVL 71 mm; TaL 48.4 mm; TL 119.4 mm) characterized by a long, rigid rostral appendage that progressively narrows, rostral crests that fuse at the tip of the rostral appendage, poorly developed lateral and temporal crests and a small parietal crest, a low casque, a heterogeneous scalation along the body, head and extremities, a dorsal crest formed by small conical scales that become progressively smaller, a poorly developed gular crest, absence of a ventral crest, a very short tail (tail tip formed irregularly), extension of the nasal aperture along the ossified rostral appendage, lack of serrations along the dorsal and ventral edges of the bones of the rostral appendage, an elongated prefrontal, a smooth postorbitofrontal completely connected with the frontal, and a long sagittal crest. The holotype of Furcifer monoceras differs from F. rhinoceratus by a smaller body size, a shorter tail relative to the body, a markedly elongated rostral appendage with elongated scales, presence of a gular crest, absence of a ventral crest, and by a higher number of peripheral scales on rostral appendage (23 vs. 14–17). In skull structure they differ in the shape of the nasal aperture (extending along the rostral appendage vs. rounded), in the supraorbital fontanelle (postorbitofrontal not meeting prefrontal vs. meeting prefrontal), and in the parietal shape (extended vs. rounded). Furcifer monoceras differs from F. labordi and F. voeltzkowi (see below) by a much lower casque, a less developed gular crest, and absence of a ventral crest. It can be distinguished from all other Furcifer species except F. angeli and F. antimena by the presence of a single, ossified, and relatively long rostral appendage. From both of these species it differs by smaller male body size (SVL 71 mm vs. 160–170 mm), less pronounced dorsal crests, and much longer rostral appendage; from F. antimena it additionally differs by its low casque (vs. high), and from F. angeli it additionally differs by a less pronounced gular crest (SENTÍS et al. 2018). |
| Comment | Only known from the male holotype from Betsako (SENTÍS et al. 2018) Abundance: Rare. This is one of the species called 'lost' and 'rediscovered' by Lindken et al. 2024. |
| Etymology | Named after Gr.: monos, prefix meaning one or single; keras > ceras, horn: single horn, denoting the single nasal appendage (Charles Klaver, pers. comm., 11 Jan 2023). |
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