Jackson's chameleon
Jackson's chameleon | |
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Male | |
Female | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Iguania |
Family: | Chamaeleonidae |
Genus: | Trioceros |
Species: | T. jacksonii
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Binomial name | |
Trioceros jacksonii | |
Map highlighting countries inhabited by the Jackson's chameleon | |
Synonyms | |
Jackson's chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii), also known as Jackson's horned chameleon, three-horned chameleon or Kikuyu three-horned chameleon, is a
Taxonomy
Jackson's chameleon was described by Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1896.[2]
Etymology
The generic name, Trioceros, is derived from the Greek τρί- (tri-) meaning "three" and κέρας (kéras) meaning "horns".[7] This is in reference to the three horns found on the heads of males.
The
The English word chameleon (also chamaeleon) derives from Latin chamaeleō, a borrowing of the Ancient Greek χαμαιλέων (khamailéōn), a compound of χαμαί (khamaí) "low to the ground" and λέων (léōn) "lion". The Greek word is a calque translating the Akkadian nēš qaqqari, "ground lion".[10]
Subspecies
The three
- T. j. jacksonii (Boulenger, 1896) – Jackson's chameleon
- T. j. merumontanus (Rand, 1958) – dwarf Jackson's chameleon
- T. j. xantholophus (Eason, Ferguson & Hebrard, 1988) – yellow-crested Jackson's chameleon
Habitat and geographic range
Jackson's chameleons are native to woodlands and forests at altitudes of 1,600 to 2,440 m (5,250 to 8,010 ft) in south-central Kenya and northern Tanzania.[4][11] In these areas, the rainfall is seasonal but exceeds 127 cm (50 in) per year. Day temperatures are typically 16–27 °C (61–81 °F), and night temperatures are typically 4–18 °C (39–64 °F).[11] In Tanzania, it is known only from Mount Meru in the Arusha Region, which is the home of the relatively small endemic subspecies T. j. merumontanus.[4] Jackson's chameleon is more widespread in Kenya, where it is even found in wooded areas of some Nairobi suburbs.[4]
The subspecies T. j. xantholophus (native to the Mount Kenya region) was introduced to Hawaii in 1972 and has since established populations on all main islands and became an invasive species there.[12][13][14][15] This subspecies has also been introduced to Florida.[5] In Hawaii, they are found mainly at altitudes of 100 to 1,000 m (330 to 3,280 ft) in wet, shady places.[5] Historically this population was the primary source of Jackson's chameleons for the exotic pet trade in the United States, but exports from Hawaii are now illegal.[5] This has been done to prevent opportunists from willfully establishing further feral animal populations to capture and sell them.[15]
Description
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2010) |
Jackson's chameleons are sometimes called three-horned chameleons because males possess three brown horns: one on the nose (the rostral horn) and one above each superior orbital ridge above the eyes (preocular horns), somewhat reminiscent of the
Adult males reach a total length (including tail) of up to 38 cm (15 in) and females up to 25 cm (10 in), but more typical lengths are 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in).[4] It has a saw-tooth shaped dorsal ridge and no gular crest. It attains sexual maturity after five months. The lifespan is variable, with males generally living longer than females.
The largest subspecies of Jackson's chameleon is T. j. xantholophus, which has been captively bred since the 1980s.[17]
Ecology
Feeding habits
Jackson's chameleons live primarily on a diet of small
Invasive species
Territoriality
T. jacksonii are less territorial than most species of chameleons. Males will generally assert dominance over each other through color displays and posturing in an attempt to secure mating rights, but usually not to the point of physical fights.
Reproduction
Most chameleons are
In captivity
In captivity, Jackson's chameleons require high humidity, and are in general very needy of colder temperatures during the night. Too much heat, or excessive humidity, can cause eye infections and upper respiratory infections in these animals. In captivity, the Jackson's chameleon can be expected to live between five and ten years.[21]
References
- ^ . Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ . (Chamaeleon jacksonii, new species).
- ^ a b Trioceros jacksonii at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 16 December 2015.
- ^ ISBN 0-12-656470-1
- ^ a b c d Global Invasive Species Database. (2010). Chamaeleo jacksonii (reptile) Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- ^ California Herps: A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of California. [1]. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ISBN 978-0-19-910207-5.
- ISBN 978-0-7641-4142-3.
- ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Chamaeleo jacksonii, p. 132).
- ^ Dictionary.com entry for "chameleon"
- ^ a b Waring GH (1996) Preliminary Study of the Behavior and Ecology of Jackson's Chameleon of Maui, Hawaii. Southern Illinois University. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ^ "Jackson's chameleon (Chamaeleo jacksonii )". Hawaii Biodiversity Information Network. Retrieved 2013-09-19.
- ^ .
- ^ doi:10.3354/esr00589.
- ^ a b c d e Kraus F, Preston D (2012). "Diet of the invasive lizard Chamaeleo jacksonii (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) at a wetforest site in Hawaii". Pacific Science 66: 397-404. PDF.
- ^ "Jackson's Chameleon". Animal Spot. 2 December 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- ^ Davison, Linda. "Jackson's Chameleon Care Sheet". Reptiles. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- ^ Kundinger, Heather. "Jackson's chameleon". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- .
- ^ admin (14 September 2019). "Jackson's Chameleon Care". Chameleon Academy. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
- ^ Exotic Pets section of About.com[permanent dead link]
External links
- Trioceros jacksonii at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
- Jackson's Chameleon Care Information at Caresheets.net
- Chamaeleo jacksonii information from HEAR
- Preliminary study of the behavior and ecology of Jackson's chameleons of Maui, Hawaii (Dr. George H. Waring, Dept. of Zoology, Southern Illinois University)