Kinyongia (derived from the group's name in Kiswahili language) is a genus of chameleons found in montane and sub-montane areas in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and far eastern DR Congo. They are restricted to forests, woodlands and other wooded habitats, and many species have very small geographic ranges. In most species, at least the males have horns or knobs on their noses.[1] [2] As typical of most chameleons, Kinyongia are oviparous.[3]
They were initially placed in the genus Chamaeleo and by some authorities subsequently transferred into Bradypodion, but in 2006 they were moved to their own genus, Kinyongia.[1] [4] [5] [6]
The following 23 species are recognized as being valid.[7]
| Image | Scientific name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinyongia adolfifriderici | Ituri chameleon | Burundi, northern and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. | |
| Kinyongia asheorum | Mount Nyiro bearded chameleon | Kenya | |
| Kinyongia boehmei | Taita blade-horned chameleon, Böhme's two-horned chameleon | Kenya | |
| Kinyongia carpenteri | Carpenter's chameleon | Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. | |
| Kinyongia excubitor | Mt. Kenya hornless chameleon | Kenya | |
| Kinyongia fischeri | Fischer's chameleon, Nguru blade-horned chameleon, Nguru two-horned chameleon | Tanzania. | |
| Kinyongia gyrolepis | Lendu chameleon | Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| Kinyongia itombwensis | Itombwe forest chameleon | Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| Kinyongia magomberae | Magombera chameleon | Tanzania | |
| Kinyongia matschiei | giant monkey-tailed East Usambara two-horned chameleon | Tanzania. | |
| Kinyongia msuyae | Tanzania. | ||
| Kinyongia multituberculata | West Usambara two-horned chameleon | Tanzania | |
| Kinyongia mulyai | Democratic Republic of the Congo. | ||
| Kinyongia oxyrhina | sharp-nosed chameleon | Tanzania. | |
| Kinyongia rugegensis | Rugege highlands forest chameleon | Burundi | |
| Kinyongia tavetana | Kilimanjaro blade-horned chameleon, Kilimanjaro two-horned chameleon | southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. | |
| Kinyongia tenuis | Usambara soft-horned chameleon | Kenya and Tanzania | |
| Kinyongia tolleyae | Tolley's forest chameleon | Uganda. | |
| Kinyongia uluguruensis | Uluguru two-horned chameleon | Tanzania | |
| Kinyongia uthmoelleri | Hanang hornless chameleon | Tanzania. | |
| Kinyongia vanheygeni | Van Heygen's chameleon | Tanzania. | |
| Kinyongia vosseleri | East Usambara two-horned chameleon | Tanzania. | |
| Kinyongia xenorhina | strange-nosed chameleon | western Uganda and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. | |
A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Kinyongia.