Say hello to Calumma krystalae! A new species of chameleon we just described from Madagascar!
This new species belongs to a group of chameleons with big flaps behind the head called occipital lobes, which they can flare out to the sides when threatened.
In the study (request PDF here) in which my colleagues and I describe this species, we reveal just how complicated the taxonomy of this 'group' is (turns out the flaps have evolved or been lost repeatedly!), especially for a couple of species called Calumma brevicorne and C. crypticum. We found out that there is a bad mismatch here between the species (i.e. biological units) and the names we use for them—but correcting it is going to be suuuper complicated. This is a problem for conservation reasons, but also for the pet trade, where both of those 'species' are established. But solving this puzzle is too complex for right now, so we contented ourselves with the description of a clearly distinct new species that isn't closely related to this complex from northern Madagascar.
Calumma krystalae, named in honour of renowned chameleon biologist Krystal Tolley, is closely related to a widespread species from Eastern Madagascar, Calumma malthe.
The first specimens of the new species was collected at least 21 years ago (2005) on the mountain of Marojejy in the northeast of the island. But in the intervening time, more material has been collected from several more sites across northern Madagascar. Among that material are some specimens I was able to collect in 2015 on an expedition to Ampotsidy in the Bealanana District, and a specimen we collected on an expedition back to Marojejy in 2016.
This is by far the largest chameleon I have had the pleasure to help to describe. It stands out from others primarily in colour, head shape, and some details of the scales. I find the eyes particularly beautiful.
I am super relieved to finally be able to understand the diversity of these chameleons a little better, but at the same time it feels like we have unearthed a can of worms in the taxonomy of the rest of the group. Still, it is an exciting prospect to see this resolved over the coming years!
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