Busy week from the field back to USD.

A new article argues that a new C. dilepis complex species is invalid under ICZN rules, the description does not uphold the claims made to define the new species, & that elevation of additional subspecies to species status are premature.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

The montane fynbos ecomorph of the Southern Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion ventrale) at Groendal Nature Reserve.

The “typical” forest ecomorph of the Pondo Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion caffrum) at Port St. Johns.

Grassland ecomorph of the Pondo Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion caffer) at Mkambati Nature Reserve.

We made it to the third round, one step closer to a $10,000 prize to support chameleon conservation! Please vote again for Rhampholeon acuminatus to help us secure this funding! You can vote every day on every device! Voting for the third round ends on March 26! Vote now!

One round closer to a $10,000 prize to support chameleon conservation! Please vote again for Rhampholeon acuminatus in the second round of this competition to help us secure this funding!

Help Rhampholeon acuminatus come roaring back by casting your vote in the Indianapolis Zoo's Uproar Conservation Challenge! Every vote helps our species advance to the next round and brings us closer to the $10,000 conservation prize!

Round one voting ends March 19 www.UproarChallenge.com

Vote to help our species advance through the bracket-style competition and compete for a $10,000 conservation prize that supports our conservation efforts! Visit the website for more info on this conservation themed March Madness-style bracket competition: www.indianapoliszoo.com/uproar-conse...

Help earn conservation funding for chameleons by voting to advance the Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon (Rhampholeon acuminatus) through the Indianapolis Zoo Uproar Conservation Challenge starting March 16. www.indianapoliszoo.com/uproar-conse...

Some Chamaeleo calyptratus hatching in the lab currently as part of a bunch of thermal physiology, metabolic and scaling work. Always fun having babies born!

The first digital anatomical atlases of the chameleon skull, nervous system & cranial & hyolingual muscles are published, including lesson plans to bridge a gap between theoretical knowledge & hands-on analysis in comparative anatomy
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

🦎THREAD: We just published something wild in @asn-amnat.bsky.social - lizards missing entire limbs not only survive, but some appear to actually thrive in the wild?!

Let me tell you about the "three-legged pirate" lizards 🏴‍☠️

[Paper: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... ]

(1/n)

122 cases of limb loss in lizards revealed that these these rare survivors of traumatic injuries can run just as fast, maintain healthy body weight, reproduce successfully & live surprisingly long lives.
Article: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
Summary: theconversation.com/3-legged-liz...

A new geographic distribution in the latest issue of African Herp News details new records of Rieppeleon brachyurus in Mozambique, including the first record south of the Zambezi River.
African Herp News is available to HAA members or publicly after ~1 yr: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...

A new note details egg-laying in Chamaeleo dilepis in Kenya, documenting the process from excavation through departure, noting female color changes & local superstitions about finding a digging chameleon.
African Herp News is available after ~1 year: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...

A reevaluation of chameleon foraging mode using movement- & attack-based indices. Chameleons spent most of the day in stationary positions & fed more when stationary than when moving, suggesting they should be considered ambush foragers rather than "cruise foragers".
academic.oup.com/cz/advance-a...

A Wolkberg dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion transvaalense) using its ballistic tongue to capture prey.

In our latest issue, we're going ballistic!

On the cover, a chameleon capturing prey, using its ballistic tongue, driven by a linear actuator, a skeletal rod squeezed out by muscles. So ingenious is the solution that lungless salamanders evolved it too... 🦎

www.cell.com/current-biol...

Ballistic Tongues: How do they do that? | The Bat Signal YouTube video by Dan Riskin

Some nice coverage on our new chameleon and salamander feeding paper: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujjq...

While similar mechanistically, ballistic tongues of chameleons & salamanders were each assembled via a different sequence of innovations, highlighting how biomechanical modularity, rather than exceptional materials, underlies this vertebrate ballistic innovation.

Chameleons & salamanders evolved a sliding-based linear actuator to launch the tongue via muscular squeezing of a tapered skeletal rod, contrasting with tendon-driven pulling mechanisms common in most musculoskeletal systems, allowing acceleration along a straight path.
www.cell.com/current-biol...

A new article documents a new locality for the Endangered Calumma vencesi in the Sorata Forest of NE Madagascar. Their presence supports the need to conserve this valuable mountain forest, which is also home to the likely Critically Endangered Brookesia nana.
www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/v...

A 2nd clutch of Bradypodion melanocephalum from Durban was born in the lab this week (in addition to the clutch from Hilton ~2.5 weeks ago)! Here a 2 day old neonate is next to an ~12 week old juvenile (clutch has grown 6-10x in mass since birth). Lots of cool data being collected in the lab!

Half of respondents reported seeing flashlights shining at night & some reported trespassing & confrontational interactions with individuals repeatedly entering their yards to collect chameleons, highlighting the importance of recognizing social impacts of species introductions.

A study on societal impacts of introduced populations of F. pardalis in Florida found that residents knew of but expressed low concern about the chameleons' presence, expressing more concern for their safety given the activities of private collectors.
digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcont...

Some hopeful news on the Critically Endangered Furcifer belalandaensis, which was recently discovered in some less disturbed habitat than it has previously been known from, possibly providing an opportunity to better protect the species!
Article: greenauve.org/new-hope-for...

A clutch of Bradypodion cf. melanocephalum “Hilton” born in the lab today! Immediately getting some metabolic rate data from them to follow through ontogeny! Have also been getting metabolic rate data from the mother for the last 3 months and will continue as she recovers from birth as well!

Anderson lab members are coauthoring 11 talks and posters with collaborators at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyology and Herpetology (JMIH) this week in St. Paul, MN!

Two female Trioceros jacksonii, which appear to be T. j. xantholophus with rostral horns, from 2,130m elevation on the western/southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya.

Trioceros hoehnelii from 2,130m elevation on the western/southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya!