New species of chameleon discovered in Tanzania

A new species of chameleon has been discovered in the mountains of Tanzania.

A chameleon in Tanzania. Image by AindriúH / CC BY 2.0

The lizard, named Kinyongia msuyae after pioneering herpetologist Charles A Msuya, is brown and green in colour but with a scattering of blue spots. The importance of this discovery not only goes to reinforce the biological importance of this region but it sheds light on on-going debates over a region known as the Makambako Gap – believed to be a zoological barrier between the Southern Highlands and Eastern Arc Mountains which has it’s own distinct fauna. The presence of the chameleon supports scientific claims that the barrier doesn’t in fact exist as it shows the Makambako Gap has close biological similarities to surrounding regions.

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