Brookesia lambertoni

Brookesia lambertoni, commonly known as the Fito leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Fito in eastern Madagascar. It was first described in 1970 by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Antoine Domergue. It is rated as Data Deficient (DD) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as not enough data on the species have been collected to judge its conservation status.

Brookesia lambertoni
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Chamaeleonidae
Genus:	Brookesia
Species:	B. lambertoni
Binomial name
Brookesia lambertoni Brygoo & Domergue, 1970

Distribution and habitat

The Fito leaf chameleon is endemic to Fito, Toamasina, Madagascar, and its type locality is Fito.^[2] The species' common name, Fito leaf chameleon, is ambiguous, and does not explain if it is referring to the forest or the administrative area or the town, all of which are named Fito. Recent surveys have not found the species. The area where the species can be found is unknown and any extrapolation is impossible, because only two specimens have been found and recorded.^[3] Both specimens were collected before 1921. Its known habitat is in the conservation area Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor.^[1] It was found in an area affected by the slash-and-burn method of agriculture and logging for building materials, although no threats can be confirmed. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed this species as Data Deficient, as not enough information has been collected to determine its conservation status.^[1]

Taxonomy and etymology

This species was initially described by Brygoo and Domergue in 1970 as Brookesia lambertoni, which is still its scientific name, and was named for French paleontologist Charles Lamberton.^[4] However, it is more commonly known simply as the Fito leaf chameleon.^[2]

References

1. Jenkins, R.K.B.; Andreone, F.; Andriamazava, A.; Anjeriniaina, M.; Glaw, F.; Rabibisoa, N.; Rakotomalala, D.; Randrianantoandro, J.C.; Randrianiriana, J.; Randrianizahana , H.; Ratsoavina, F.; Robsomanitrandrasana, E. (2011). "Brookesia lambertoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T172790A6918947. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T172790A6918947.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. "Brookesia lambertoni | The Reptile Database". Reptile-database.reptarium.cz. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
3. "Fito Leaf Chameleon - Brookesia lambertoni - Overview - Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life. Eol.org. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
4. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Brookesia lambertoni, p. 149).

Further reading

Brygoo E-R, Domergue CA (1970). "Notes sur les Brookesia de Madagascar. V. Description de deux espèces nouvelles: B. lambertoni n. sp. et B. therezieni n. sp. (Chamaeleonidae) ". Bulletin du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris 41 (5): 1091–1096. (Brookesia lambertoni, new species). (in French).