Biology:Spiny-flanked chameleon

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Short description: Species of lizard

Spiny-flanked chameleon
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Chamaeleonidae
Genus: Trioceros
Species:
T. laterispinis
Binomial name
Trioceros laterispinis
(Loveridge, 1932)
Synonyms

Chamaeleon laterispinis Loveridge, 1932

The spiny-flanked chameleon (Trioceros laterispinis), also known as the spiny-sided chameleon, is a species of chameleon endemic to Tanzania. It was first described in 1932 by Arthur Loveridge.

Distribution and habitat

Trioceros laterispinis is only found in one mountain range, the Udzungwa Mountains, part of the Eastern Arc Mountains in the United Republic of Tanzania, East Africa. The type locality is Kigogo, Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania, and another is Kibau Iyaya in the southwestern Udzungwa Mountains.[2] It is currently found mostly in the vicinity of Mufindi and Kigogo, but its range covers a total area of 11,529 km2 (4,451 sq mi).[3] T. laterispinis is collected for the international pet trade industry.[1] The true population of the species is unknown and no trend has been found. Its habitat is forests and dense woodland and it seems to have a preference for shrubs and small understorey trees rather than towering giants. Much of the forest is fragmented into small patches and it is threatened by a high rate of destruction of its habitat for agricultural purposes.[1] The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classed this species as Endangered and it is listed in Appendix II of the CITES treaty.[1] This species gives birth to live young.[1]

Taxonomy

Trioceros laterispinis was first described in 1932 by British herpetologist and biologist Arthur Loveridge as Chamaeleon laterispinis. It was described under the same name in 1966 by Daan and Hillenius.[4] In 1982, Böhme described it as the Chamaeleo laterispinis brookesiaeformis, and in 1999, Necas described it as the Chamaeleo laterispinis. Tilbury and Tolley described it as Trioceros laterispinis in 2009.[2] It is commonly also known as the spiny-flanked chameleon.[5]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q13476375 entry