Bradypodion fischeri uluguruensis - Pictures ?

[eisentrauti]

Hello,

sb in Germany offers Bradypodion fischeri uluguruensis. Does anyone have pictures of them ?

Thanks
Benny

 

[Niels Pedersen]

The new name is Kinyongia uluguruensis and no I dont think any one can post pictures as most people have neever seen it.
If I remember corectly, even Jean, JanNicola lutzmann did not find any when they described the different species in the fischeri complex in 2007, but sure it would be cool to se some.

So I belive the person is either lying or selling another species from the same complex, could be matschiei or multituberculata.

 

[eisentrauti]

Hi,

yes I think they would make money with them.
I know that their description wasn't a long time ago, so I wondered that sb offers them.

Best regards
Benny

 

[Chris Anderson]

They were described as a subspecies in 1957 but it wasn't until this year that they were elevated to species status. According to Nicola Lutzmann in February (http://www.chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=122), only 6 specimens of K. uluguruensis were known and in their reclassification of the fischeri complex, Mariuax et. al. commented that they were extremely rare based on two reports from two scientists who found them in the Uluguru Mountains (including the one who described them originally). As Niels said, they did not find and collect any additional specimens for that paper and only had 2 male and 2 females museum specimens to work from.

It is not impossible that this person has some. It is completely possible that a population was found in the Uluguru Mountains and some collected for export. I do not think it is very likely, however.

This species is very small (smaller then K. tavetana) with a maximum recorded length of 18.7cm. Of course, with only 6 specimens known, this may not be accurate. I do have a photo of a live male and live female on the "Chameleons of Tanzania" poster Joe Berraducci produced years and years ago. These photographs are mentioned in Mariuax et. al.'s reclassification of the fischeri complex when they discuss the live color of the species. I don't know that I would count on specimens definitely looking like they do however as they appear thin and in rough condition and who knows what a healthy specimen would look like.

Chris

 

[ciafardo 4]

wow you guys have done your homework ! i gotta get out of here this is way to advanced for me ! pretty interesting none the less.

 

[Niels Pedersen]

I do have a photo of a live male and live female on the "Chameleons of Tanzania" poster Joe Berraducci produced years and years ago. These photographs are mentioned in Mariuax et. al.'s reclassification of the fischeri complex when they discuss the live color of the species.
Chris

yes, its a shame that they did not found found a live one, as we really don´t know much about them. We dont even know if they live the place where they was first found, but there is a chance that they might live else where like you said.

When we where in Madagaskar, we wanted to find B.vadoni where it was first decribed, near the river Iaraka in Masoala, but the area is cut down, and there was NO B.vadoni left, but we found out that there is populations else where in Masoala. I hope its the same with K. ulugurensis.

Here is a pic of what is left of Iaraka
http://www.kamaeleoner.dk/images/stories/Kamaeleoner_i_naturen/37.jpg

 

[Chris Anderson]

I think this is very true of many chameleon species. Hopefully they are lucky enough to have other populations that have not been destroyed. I do have photos of B. vadoni that indicate that they are still present in other populations so I hope that this is not a species that has fallen to this unspeakable situation. That would truly be devastating!!! B. vadoni is one of the most beautiful and less understood species!

Chris