Expanding Horizons: New Records of Rieppeleon brachyurus South of the Zambezi

In a significant update to the known distribution of the Beardless Pygmy Chameleon (Rieppeleon brachyurus), Conradie, Botma, and Nanvonnamuquitxo (2025) report the first confirmed sightings of this elusive species south of the Zambezi River in Mozambique. Previously, the Zambezi was considered a natural biogeographic barrier for the species, whose known range included parts of Malawi, Tanzania, and northern Mozambique.

The team documented two juveniles and two adult females in Coutada 11, a vast 5,000 km² hunting concession. Remarkably, these individuals were found in a sand forest—an ecologically unique habitat characterized by tropical vegetation on ancient sand dunes, adjacent to a shallow wetland. This discovery extends the species' known range approximately 250 km further south.

In addition to this southern range extension, the authors also report two new northern localities: Taratibu and the Montepuez Rubi Mining Concession. In both sites, R. brachyurus was observed in miombo woodlands at elevations between 250 and 400 meters. Miombo forests, often described as "forest savannahs," are open-canopy dry forests with scattered grasses and shrubs—distinct from the denser rainforests where the species was previously recorded.

These findings not only challenge previous assumptions about the species' ecological limits but also highlight the importance of underexplored habitats like sand forests in biodiversity conservation. The presence of R. brachyurus in such varied environments suggests a broader ecological tolerance than previously recognized.

This study underscores the value of field surveys in remote regions and calls for further research into the microhabitat preferences and conservation status of this cryptic, ground-dwelling chameleon.

Citation: 

Conradie, W., Botma, D., & Nanvonnamuquitxo, C. (2025). Rieppeleon brachyurus (Günther, 1893) Beardless Pygmy Chameleon: First records south of the Zambezi River. African Herp News, 88, 28–33.