Tag: cameleon malgache

World Tiniest Reptile found in Madagascar

On By Dr. Y.In Great Science3 Comments
Madagascar
Madagascar

There has been a discovery of possibly the world’s tiniest reptile in Madagascar, the grande Ile. It is a Seed-sized chameleon, which scientists have tagged the nano-chameleon, named Brookesia nana (who gives these sort of names? – the Brookesia is probably derived from one of the scientist’s name), whose body is only 13.5 mm long. Excerpts below are from the Guardian. Enjoy!

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Scientists say they have discovered a sunflower-seed-sized subspecies of chameleon that may well be the smallest reptile on Earth.

Two of the miniature lizards, one male and one female, were discovered by a German-Madagascan expedition team in northern Madagascar.

The male Brookesia nana, or nano-chameleon, has a body that is only 13.5 mm (0.53 inches) long, making it the smallest of all the roughly 11,500 known species of reptiles, the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Munich said. Its total length from nose to tail is just under 22 mm (0.87 inch).

The female nano-chameleon is significantly larger, with an overall length of 29 mm, the research institute said, adding that the scientists were unable to find further specimens of the new subspecies “despite great effort”.

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Chameleon last seen a Century Ago in Madagascar found again

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments5 Comments
Madagascar
Madagascar

I thought this was a good news to share with all: a rare species of chameleon last seen 100 years ago (last seen in 1913) in Madagascar has been spotted again. Like I have said before, I do not agree with people using words like “re-discovered,” as if the chameleon did not exist before then, even though it was probably just roaming far from human’s eyes, or rather from foreign eyes; like Columbus discovering a continent which already existed. Excerpts are from an article on the Guardian.

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Scientists have found an elusive chameleon species that was last spotted in Madagascar 100 years ago.

Researchers from Madagascar and Germany said on Friday they had discovered several living specimens of Voeltzkow’s chameleon during an expedition to the north-west of the African island nation.

One of the Voeltzkow’s chameleons spotted in Madagascar. Photograph: Frank Glaw/AP (Source: The Guardian)

In a report published in the journal Salamandra, the team, led by scientists from the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (ZSM), said genetic analysis determined that the species was closely related to Labord’s chameleon.

Researchers believe that both reptiles only live during the rainy season – hatching from eggs, growing rapidly, sparring with rivals, mating and then dying during a few short months.

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Researchers said the female of the species, which had never previously been documented, displayed particularly colourful patterns during pregnancy, when encountering males and when stressed.