Kinyongia sp. S. Pare
During a survey in S. Pare Mts., in the Chome Forest Reserve, John Sikawa encountered an injured small chameleon in the Erica zone.
It shows clear attributes of the genus Kinyongia, however it is not clearly identifiable as the local K. artytor due to following facts:
no chameleon species has been reported from the highest altitudes of S Pare Mts., from the Erica Bushland above the forest line
no known Kinyongia possesses a single supraorbital tubercle
- K. artytor does not possess a group of enlarged tubercles posterior to the proper laeral crest
- K. artytor possesses plate-like flat scales covering the top of the head, while the scalation of the shown specien is more of granular character
- K. artytor has scales on the flanks ordered in groups forming rectangular fields, while the specimen shows consistent subhomogeneous scalation
the head of the specimen is extremely short.
In what an extent these characteristics are to be diagnostic for a new species or showing juvenile characters or are artefacts of the injury, only future investigations will show...
Foto courtesy Jose Sikawa: Erica Bushland; Chome Forest Reserve 14th May 2025