03' NASA Uses Satellites to Reveal New Chameleon Species

lbesok

Avid Member
I ran across this very interesting information this morning and would like to share it in case it hasn't already been addressed. In short NASA has used satellites measurements of earths surface and climate to predict likely locations significant both for conservation and revealing undiscovered life. "NASA supported biologists developed a modeling approach that uses satellite data and specimen locality data from museum collections to predict successfully the geographic distribution of 11 known chameleon species in Madagascar. The model also helped lead to discovery of 7 additional chameleon species new to science.(Science Daily 03)"

They want you to pay to access the Dec 03' article from The Nature Journals:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v426/n6968/full/nature02205.html

More info on the topic:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://nasascience.nasa.gov/images/about-us/accomplishments/YIR2004_chameleon.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nasascience.nasa.gov/about-us/organization-and-leadership/accomplishments/2004-year-in-review&h=341&w=500&sz=46&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=FPzepkesbr7iSM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchameleon%2Bwith%2Bwings%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGGL_enUS176US230%26sa%3DN
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031219074204.htm

Any ideas/information would be greatly appreciated (especially the PDF of the entire article) ;)
References:
National Aeronautics And Space Administration (2003, December 29). NASA Helps Forecast
 
I read the Sciencedaily article about Labordi (Malagasy Chameleon Spends Most of its Time in an Egg - July 2 2008). It didn't say when Kristopher Karsten did his study, but I'm pretty sure I've read about this species on the Forum before. I think in the post about the Asian imports where an exported Labordi was identified.

Anyway, I was wondering if Chris Anderson knew or worked with this Karsten guy. And if Karstens was the first to describe the chameleon and its life cycle, why is the species name Labordi? Hasn't this been known for some time?
 
Liz - I have the full pdf of this article if you'd like it. Feel free to send me an email.

AFH - I do know Kris but he's also a member of this forum (although not very active I don't believe). Here is his member profile: https://www.chameleonforums.com/members/kris-k/ Kris didn't describe the species himself, it was described in 1872 by Grandidier. The "i" at the end of the species name indicates that it was named after a man of the proceeding name, ie Labord. Similarly, Ch. jacksonii was named for a man named Jackson, C. parsonii for a man named Parson, etc. Here is a thread where the life history strategy of F. labordi was discussed: https://www.chameleonforums.com/life-expectancy-8810/ I do have the pdf of the original article Kris wrote on this as well if you'd like it.

BTW, Thanks for opening this forum back up for replies, Brad!

Chris
 
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