Rieppeleon Explained
Rieppeleon is a genus of small, typically brown chameleons found in forests and savannas in East Africa. Member species are found at low levels in bushes, or on the ground among grass or leaf litter.[1]
Etymology
The genus Rieppeleon was named after Swiss-born American herpetologist Olivier Rieppel (born 1951).[2] [3]
Taxonomy
Until recently, the species in the genus Rieppeleon were commonly included in the genus Rhampholeon instead.
Species
The following species are recognized as being valid.[4]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|
| Rieppeleon brachyurus | beardless pygmy chameleon | Malawi, Mozambique, and southeastern Tanzania. |
| Rieppeleon brevicaudatus | bearded pygmy chameleon | eastern Usambara and Uluguru Mountains in northeastern Tanzania and Kenya |
| Rieppeleon kerstenii | Kenya pygmy chameleon | eastern Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and northeastern Tanzania |
|
Nota bene
A binomial authority, or trinomial authority, in parentheses indicates that the species, or subspecies, was originally described in a genus other than Rieppeleon.
Further reading
- Matthee CA, Tilbury CR, Townsend T. 2004. A phylogenetic review of the African leaf chameleons: genus Rhampholeon (Chamaeleonidae): the role of vicariance and climate change in speciation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B . 271. 1551. 1967–1975. 15347522. 1691807. 10.1098/rspb.2004.2806. (Rieppeleon, new genus, p. 1973).
- Spawls S, Howell K, Hinkel H, Menegon M (2018). A Field Guide to East African Reptiles, Second Edition. London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi, Sydney: Bloomsbury Wildlife. 624 pp. . (Genus Rieppeleon, p. 245).
Notes and References
- Book: Spawls, S. . species:Stephen Spawls . Drewes, R. . species:Robert Clifton Drewes . Ashe, J. . species:James Ashe . A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa . Academic Press . 2002 . Cologne, Germany . 0-12-656470-1.
- Book: Mattison. Chris. species:Chris Mattison. Garbutt. Nick. species:Nick Garbutt. 2012. Chameleons. United States. Firefly Books Inc.. 92. 978-1-77085-121-4.
- [species:Bo Beolens|Beolens, Bo]
- www.reptile-database.org.
