Trioceros kinangopensis STIPALA, LUTZMANN, MALONZA, WILKINSON, GODLEY, NYAMACHE & EVANS, 2012
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Higher Taxa | Chamaeleonidae, Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Aberdare Mountains Dwarf Chameleon |
Synonym | Trioceros kinangopensis STIPALA, LUTZMANN, MALONZA, WILKINSON, GODLEY, NYAMACHE & EVANS 2012 Trioceros kinangopensis — SPAWLS et al. 2018: 295 |
Distribution | Kenya (Aberdare mountains), 3500–3600m elevation Type locality: Kinangop Peak (3500m), Aberdare Mountains National Park, Kenya. |
Reproduction | viviparous (phylogenetic imputation, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
Types | Holotype: NMK 3071/12, adult male, collected by Jan Stipala and Joash Nyamache on 24th February 2007. Paratypes. 7 males and 5 females. NMK 3071/1, 3–5, 7, 11, males, NMK 3071/ 2, 6, 8–9, females, locality same as holotype; NMK 2536/1, male, NMK 2536/2, female, vicinity of Kinangop Peak. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A small, robust-bodied chameleon that differs from other members of the bitaeniatus group in having a combination of the following characters: tail shorter than SVL in both sexes; heterogeneous body scalation (fine body scales with small scattered tubercles and two lateral rows of enlarged tubercles on each flank); low straight casque; short gular crest (orange in males); scales on the temporal region moderately enlarged and graduating in size posteriorly to merge with the body scales; snout with sloping profile and smooth canthus rostrales [STIPALA et al. 2012]. |
Comment | Similar species: T. schubotzi but T. kinangopensis differs in the lack of sexual size dimorphism, smaller-sized females, smoother, less angular canthus rostrales, smaller scales on the temporal region and a bright orange gular crest in males. Abundance: only known from its original description (Meiri et al. 2017). |
Etymology | T. kinangopensis sp. nov. is named after the collecting locality, Kinangop Peak at the southern end of the Aberdare Mountains, Kenya. |
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