Abstract
A new species of chameleon Kinyongia magomberae sp. nov. (the Magombera chameleon), is described from Magombera forest and the Vdzungwa Mountains National Park, south-central Tanzania. The species status is supported by phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. The new chameleon is similar to K. tenuis and the more widespread Eastern Arc endemic K. oxyrhina in having a single rostral appendage. However, it can be distinguished from these two species by a shorter rostral appendage, which is different in shape and lacks a movable tip. K. magomberae sp. nov. is known from only two forest localities, the lowland and unprotected Magombera forest and the sub-montane Mwanihana forest within the Vdzungwa Mountains National Park. Phylogenetically, this taxon is sister to K. tenuis, and is part of a clade that also contains K. oxyrhina.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 59-70 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | African Journal of Herpetology |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Chamaeleonidae
- Eastern Arc Mountains
- Kinyongia
- Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA
- New Species
- Phylogeny
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Animal Science and Zoology