Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: October 31st, 2023.
 
|
Genus
Chamaeleo
 |
Typical Chameleons
|
 |
Eigentliche Chamäleons
|
 |
Egentlige Kamæleoner
|
|
1768 |  |
Chamaeleo Laurenti (type species: Chamaeleo parisiensium Laurenti 1768) |
|
1865 | |
Calyptrosaura Gray (type species: Chamaeleo calyptratus Dumeril & Bibron 1851; syn. Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1865 | |
Dilepis Gray [not Dilepis Weinland 1858 (Cestoda)] (type species: Chamaeleo dilepis Leach 1819; syn. Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1865 | |
Ensirostris Gray (type species: Ensirostris melleri Gray 1865; syn. Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1865 | |
Erizia Gray (type species: Chamaeleo senegalensis Daudin 1802; syn. Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1865 | |
Phumanola Gray (type species: Chamaeleo namaquensis Smith 1831; syn. Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Contents:
15 species, of which 1 (6.7%) is endemic.
Endemism: 0%  100%
Remarks:
Previously included
Archaius,
Bradypodion,
Calumma,
Furcifer, and
Trioceros, as well as species now assigned to
Kinyongia and
Nadzikambia.
Distribution:
Africa, S. Europe, Middle East,
Reported from:
Algeria,
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Benin,
Botswana,
Burkina Faso,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Cyprus,
Djibouti,
Egypt
(incl.
Sinai),
Equatorial Guinea
(Bioko,
Rio Muni),
Eritrea,
Eswatini,
Ethiopia,
Gabon,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Greece
(incl.
Aegean Islands
[incl.
Rhodes]),
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau
(incl.
Bijagos Archipelago),
India
(Andhra Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh,
Goa,
Gujarat,
Haryana,
Jharkhand,
Karnataka,
Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra,
Odisha,
Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu,
Telangana,
Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal),
Israel,
Ivory Coast,
Jordan,
Kenya,
Lebanon,
Liberia,
Libya,
Malawi,
Mali,
Mauritania,
Morocco,
Mozambique
(incl.
Bazaruto Archipelago
[incl.
Benguerua]),
Namibia,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Oman,
Pakistan,
Portugal,
Rwanda,
Saudi Arabia,
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
Somalia,
South Africa
(Free State,
Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province,
Northern Cape,
Western Cape),
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Spain,
Sri Lanka,
Sudan,
Syria,
Tanzania
(incl.
Pemba,
Zanzibar),
Togo,
Tunisia,
Turkey,
Uganda,
Western Sahara,
Yemen
(incl.
Socotra Archipelago:
Socotra),
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
| |
|
Chamaeleo africanus
|
Sahel Chameleon, Basilisk Chameleon, Common African Chameleon
|
|
Basiliskenchamäleon
|
|
Sahelkamæleon
|
|
1768 | |
Chamaeleo africanus Laurenti |
|
1768 | |
? Chamaeleo candidus Laurenti (Mertens 1966; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1768 | |
? Chamaeleo mexicanus Laurenti (Flower 1933; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1789 | |
Chamaeleo aegiptius Bonnaterre (Mertens 1966; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1820 | |
Chamaeleo calcaratus Merrem (Flower 1933; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1868 | |
Chamaeleo basiliscus Cope (Flower 1933; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Remarks:
Previously included calcaricarens.
Records from Gabon are erroneous (Pauwels & Vande weghe 2008).
The only known chameleon population in mainland Greece (Peloponnesos), until recently referred to chamaeleon, has been demonstrated to belong
to africanus, most likely introduced from the Nile Delta in Egypt in the Antiquity
(Böhme, Bonetti & Chiras 1998; Kosuch, Vences & Böhme 1999; Dimaki, Hundsdörfer & Fritz 2008).
Introduced to:
Greece.
Distribution:
Benin,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Egypt,
Eritrea,
Ethiopia,
Ghana,
Mali,
Mauritania,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Sudan.
| 
Chamaeleo africanus
© Henrik Bringsøe
|
|
Chamaeleo anchietae
|
Angolan Chameleon, (Anchieta's Chameleon)
|
|
Angolische Chamäleon
|
|
Angola-kamæleon
|
|
1872 | |
Chamaeleo anchieta Bocage |
|
| |
Chamaeleon anchieta Werner 1911 |
|
1950 | |
Chamaeleo vinckei Laurent (Loveridge 1957; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
| |
Chamaeleo anchietae vinckei Laurent 1952 |
|
1952 | |
Chamaeleo anchietae marunguensis Laurent (Hillenius 1959; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1952 | |
Chamaeleo anchietae mertensi Laurent (Hillenius 1959; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Remarks:
According to Glaw (2015), records from Rwanda probably refer to other species, and specimens from Congo-Kinshasa and Tanzania are of uncertain status (Glaw 2015). However, these records are retained herein, pending further studies.
Distribution:
Angola,
Burundi,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Malawi,
Rwanda,
Tanzania.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo arabicus
|
Arabian Chameleon
|
|
Arabische Chamäleon
|
|
Arabisk Kamæleon
|
|
1893 | |
Chamaeleon arabicum Matschie |
|
| |
Chamaeleo calcarifer arabicus Steindachner 1900 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo chamaeleon arabicus Mertens 1966 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo arabicus Hillenius & Gasperetti 1984 |
Introduced to:
Oman
(Masirah).
Distribution:
Oman,
Yemen.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo calcaricarens
|
Spurless Basilisk Chameleon
|
|
Spornlose Chamäleon
|
|
Sporeløs Kamæleon
|
|
1985 | |
Chamaeleo calcaricarens Böhme |
Remarks:
Regarded as a synonym of africanus by Largen & Spawls (2006, 2010), however, Tilbury & Tolley (2009) and Tilbury (2010) retained calcaricarens as a valid species, based on differences in hemipenial morphology.
Distribution:
Djibouti,
Eritrea,
Ethiopia,
Somalia.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo calyptratus
|
Veiled Chameleon, Yemen Chameleon, Cone-headed Chameleon, (Dumeril's Chameleon)
|
|
Jemenchamäleon
|
|
Yemen-kamæleon
|
|
1851 | |
Chamaeleo calyptratus Dumeril & Bibron in Dumeril & Dumeril |
|
| |
Chamaeleon calyptratus Werner 1911 |
|
1869 | |
Chamaeleo calcaratus Peters [not Chamaeleo calcaratus Merrem 1820] (Klaver & Böhme 1997; Tilbury 2010) |
|
1870 | |
Chamaeleo calcarifer Peters [substitute name for Chamaeleo calcaratus Peters 1869] |
|
| |
Chamaeleo chamaeleon calcarifer Hillenius 1959 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo calyptratus calcarifer Hillenius & Gasparetti 1984 |
Introduced to:
USA
(Florida,
Hawaii).
Distribution:
Saudi Arabia,
Yemen.
|
Chamaeleo calyptratus
© Rune Midtgaard
|
|
Chamaeleo chamaeleon
|
Mediterranean Chameleon, European Chameleon, Common Chameleon
|
|
Gewöhnliches Chamäleon
|
|
Europæisk Kamæleon, Almindelig Kamæleon
|
|
1758 | |
Lacerta chamaeleon Linnaeus |
|
| |
Chamaeleon chamaeleon Werner 1911 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo chamaeleon Mertens 1966 |
|
1768 | |
Chamaeleo parisiensium Laurenti (Stejneger 1936; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1795 | |
Chamaeleon mntabilis [lapsus] Meyer [substitute name for Lacerta chamaeleon Linnaeus 1758] (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1802 | |
Chamaeleon vulgaris Daudin [substitute name for Lacerta chamaeleon Linnaeus 1758] (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1820 | |
Chamaeleon carinatus Merrem [substitute name for Chamaeleo parisiensium Laurenti 1768] |
|
1845 | |
Chamaeleo parisiensis Gray [substitute name for Chamaeleo parisiensium Laurenti 1768] (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1862 | |
Chamaeleo cinereus Strauch (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1865 | |
Chamaeleon auratus Gray (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1866 | |
? Chamaeleon fasciatus Smith (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1880 | |
Chamaeleo vulgaris var. recticrista Boettger (Hillenius 1978) |
|
| |
Chamaeleo chamaeleon recticrista Mertens 1966 |
|
1887 | |
Chamaeleo saharicus Müller (Werner 1902; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
| |
Chamaeleon chamaeleon saharicus Werner 1911 |
|
1900 | |
Chamaeleon vulgaris var. musae Steindachner (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
| |
Chamaeleon chamaeleon musae Werner 1911 |
|
1938 | |
Chamaeleo chamaeleon orientalis Parker (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Remarks:
The only known chameleon population in mainland Greece (Peloponnesos), until recently thought to be chamaeleon, has been shown to represent africanus, most likely introduced in the antiquity (Böhme, Bonetti & Chiras 1998; Kosuch, Vences & Böhme 1999). Populations in Crete and Chios appear to be extirpated (Valakos, Pafilis, Sotiropoulos, Lymberakis, Maragou & Foufopoulos 2008).
Recently confirmed as an introduced species to Italy (Calabria) (Sperone, Crescente, Brunelli, Paolillo & Tripepi 2010), but reports from Sicily are unverified (Sindaco, Doria, Razzetti & Bernini (eds.) 2006), although earlier records are repeated continuously (Tilbury 2010; Glaw 2015).
Even the established Iberian populations are now believed to have been introduced from northwestern Africa (Tilbury 2010).
Extinct in:
Greece
(Crete).
Introduced to:
Gibraltar,
Italy
(incl.
Sicily),
Malta,
Portugal
(Madeira),
Spain
(Balearic Islands
[Mallorca],
Canary Islands
[Lanzarote]).
Distribution:
Algeria,
Cyprus,
Egypt
(incl.
Sinai),
Greece
(Aegean Islands:
Rhodes),
Israel,
Jordan,
Lebanon,
Libya,
Morocco,
Portugal,
Saudi Arabia,
Spain,
Syria,
Tunisia,
Turkey,
Western Sahara,
Yemen.
|
Chamaeleo chamaeleon
© Henrik Bringsøe
|
|
Chamaeleo dilepis
|
Flap-necked Chameleon, Common African Flap-necked Chameleon, Lobed Chameleon
|
|
Lappenchamäleon, (Südafrikanisches Lappenchamäleon [syn. quilensis])
|
|
Nakkefligkamæleon, Ørekamæleon
|
|
1819 | |
Chamaeleo dilepis Leach |
|
| |
Chamaeleo dilepis Mertens 1966 |
|
1820 | |
Chamaeleo bilobus Kuhl (Duméril & Bibron 1836; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1820 | |
Chamaeleo planiceps Merrem (Duméril & Bibron 1836; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1865 | |
Chamaeleon petersii Gray (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
| |
Chamaeleo dilepis petersii Loveridge 1953 |
|
1865 | |
Chamaeleon petersii var. kirkii Gray (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1866 | |
Chamaeleo capellii Bocage (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1866 | |
Chamaeleo dilepis var. Quilensis Bocage (syn. Broadley & Howell 1991) |
|
| |
Chamaeleon quilensis Bocage 1895 |
|
| |
Chamaeleon dilepis quilensis Werner 1911 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo quilensis Mertens 1966 |
|
1887 | |
Chamaeleon parvilobus Boulenger |
|
1890 | |
Chamaeleon roperi Boulenger (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
| |
Chamaeleon dilepis roperi Werner 1902 |
|
1893 | |
Chamaeleon isabellinus Günther (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
| |
Chamaeleon dilepis isabellinus Werner 1911 |
|
1893 | |
Chamaeleon ruspolii Boettger (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
| |
Chamaeleo dilepis ruspolii Parker 1942 |
|
1903 | |
Chamaeleo angusticoronatus Barbour (Loveridge 1929; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1942 | |
Chamaeleo dilepis idjwiensis Loveridge (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1964 | |
Chamaeleo dilepis martensi Mertens (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Other common names:
dilepis: Common Flap-necked Chameleon, Spurred Flap-necked Chameleon
isabellinus: Shire Flap-necked Chameleon
petersi: Giant Flap-necked Chameleon
quilensis: Quilo Flap-necked Chameleon
roperi: Spurless Flap-necked Chameleon
Remarks:
Klaver & Böhme (1997) indicated that roperi, and possibly other taxa, may prove to be separate species, and some authors have treated roperi as such (e.g., Pauwels & Vande weghe 2008).
Status of quilensis is uncertain and under investigation (Griffin 2003), and although some authors have regarded it as a valid species
(e.g., Bocage 1895; Mertens 1966; Klaver & Böhme 1997, Chirio & LeBreton 2007), many others have retained it in the synonymy of dilepis
(e.g., Branch 1988; Broadley & Howell 1991; Largen & Spawls 2006; Tilbury 2010).
Until a thorough review of the species complex has been made, it is retained here as a synonym of dilepis.
Joger's (1990) record of from the Central African Republic refer to gracilis (Chirio & Ineich 2006).
Records from Nigeria refer to necasi (Trape, Trape & Chirio 2012).
Sánchez-Vialas, Calvo-Revuelta & Riva (2022) regarded records of gracilis from Equatorial Guinea as representing dilepis.
Distribution:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Botswana,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Equatorial Guinea
(Bioko,
Rio Muni),
Eswatini,
Ethiopia,
Gabon,
Kenya,
Malawi,
Mozambique
(incl.
Bazaruto Archipelago
[Benguerua]),
Namibia,
Rwanda,
Somalia,
South Africa
(Free State,
Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province,
Northern Cape),
Tanzania
(incl.
Pemba,
Zanzibar),
Uganda,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo gracilis
|
Graceful Chameleon, Gracile Chameleon, Slender Chameleon
|
|
Fersensporn-Chamäleon
|
|
Sporekamæleon
|
|
1842 | |
Chamaeleo gracilis Hallowell |
|
| |
Chamaeleon gracilis Werner 1911 |
|
1857 | |
? Chamaeleo burchelli Hallowell (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1857 | |
Chamaeleo granulosus Hallowell (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1885 | |
Chamaleo simoni Boettger (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1919 | |
Chamaeleon etiennei Schmidt (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
| |
Chamaeleo gracilis etiennei Loveridge 1929 |
Remarks:
Sánchez-Vialas, Calvo-Revuelta & Riva (2022) regarded records of gracilis from Equatorial Guinea as representing dilepis.
Distribution:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Ethiopia,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau
(incl.
Bijagos Archipelago),
Ivory Coast,
Kenya,
Liberia,
Mali,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
Somalia,
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Tanzania,
Togo,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo laevigatus
|
Smooth Chameleon
|
|
Glatte Chamäleon
|
|
Glat Kamæleon
|
|
1863 | |
Chamaeleon laevigatus Gray |
|
| |
Chamaeleon senegalensis laevigatus Günther 1888 |
|
| |
Chamaeleon lavigatus [sic] Boulenger 1902 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo senegalensis laevigatus Mertens 1966 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo laevigatus Klaver & Böhme 1986 |
|
1887 | |
Chamaeleon sphaeropholis Reichenow (Werner 1911; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1951 | |
Chamaeleon senegalensis var. tibatiensis Monard (Perret & Mertens 1957; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Remarks:
Although listed for Egypt (e.g., Klaver & Böhme 1997), there are no confirmed records from the country (Baha el Din 2006). Joger's (1990) record of from the Central African Republic refer to senegalensis (Chirio & Ineich 2006), but other records are know from the country (Tilbury 2010; Glaw 2015). Listed for Cameroon by Klaver & Böhme (1997), however, laevigatus is not expected to occur in the country (Chirio & LeBreton 2007; Tilbury 2010).
Distribution:
Burundi,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Rwanda,
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Tanzania,
Uganda,
Zambia.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo monachus
|
Socotran Chameleon
|
|
Sokotra-Chamäleon
|
|
Socotra-kamæleon
|
|
1865 | |
Chamaeleon monachus Gray |
|
| |
Chamaeleo monachus Mertens 1966 |
Distribution:
Yemen
(Socotra Archipelago:
Socotra).
|
|
|
Chamaeleo namaquensis
|
Namaqua Chameleon
|
|
Wüstenchamäleon
|
|
Namaqua-kamæleon
|
|
1831 | |
Chamaeleo namaquensis Smith |
|
| |
Phumanola namaquensis Gray 1865 |
|
| |
Chamaeleon namaquensis Werner 1911 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo namaquensis Mertens 1966 |
|
1789 | |
? Chamaeleo capensis Bonnaterre (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1845 | |
Chameleo tuberculiferus Gray (Duméril & Bibron 1851; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Distribution:
Angola,
Namibia,
South Africa
(North West Province,
Northern Cape,
Western Cape).
|
|
|
Chamaeleo necasi
|
Togo Chameleon, (Necas' Chameleon)
|
|
Togo-Chamäleon
|
|
Togo-kamæleon
|
|
2007 | |
Chamaeleo necasi Ullenbruch, Krause & Böhme |
Distribution:
Benin,
Nigeria,
Togo.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo ruspolii
|
Ogaden Flap-necked Chameleon
|
|
Ogaden-Lappenchamäleon
|
|
Ogaden-nakkefligkamæleon
|
|
1893 | |
Chamaeleon ruspolii Boettger |
|
| |
Chamaeleo dilepis ruspolii Parker 1942 |
Remarks:
Status uncertain.
Sometimes regarded as a subspecies of ruspolii (e.g., Glaw 2015).
Treated herein as a separate species, following Spawls, Mazuch & Mohammad (2023).
Distribution:
Ethiopia,
Somalia.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo senegalensis
|
Senegal Chameleon, Smooth Savanna Chameleon
|
|
Senegal-Chamäleon
|
|
Senegal-kamæleon
|
|
1802 | |
Chamaeleo senegalensis Daudin |
|
| |
Chamaeleon senegalensis Gray 1865 |
|
1820 | |
? Chamaeleon subcroceus Merrem (Mertens 1966; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1825 | |
Chamaeleo gymnocephalus Kaup [substitute name for Chamaeleo senegalensis Daudin 1802] (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1865 | |
Chamaeleon senegalensis var.? leiocephalus Gray (Werner 1902; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1887 | |
Chamaeleon liocephalus Boettger [substitute name for Chamaeleon senegalensis var.? leiocephalus Gray 1865] (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Introduced to:
USA
(Florida).
Distribution:
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau
(incl.
Bijagos Archipelago),
Ivory Coast,
Liberia,
Mali,
Mauritania,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
Togo.
|
|
|
Chamaeleo zeylanicus
|
Asian Chameleon, South Asian Chameleon, Indian Chameleon, Sri Lankan Chameleon
|
|
Asiatische Chamäleon
|
|
Asiatisk Kamæleon, Indisk Kamæleon
|
|
1768 | |
Chamaeleo zeylanicus Laurenti |
|
| |
Chamaeleo chamaeleon zeylanicus Hillenius 1959 |
|
| |
Chamaeleo zeylanicus Klaver & Böhme 1986 |
|
1823 | |
Chamaeleon zebra Bory de St. Vincent (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1843 | |
Chamaeleon coromandelicus Fitzinger (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1853 | |
Chamaeleo zeylonicus Jerdon [substitute name for Chamaeleo zeylanicus Laurenti 1768] (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1865 | |
Chamaeleon vulgaris var. marmoratus Gray (Boulenger 1887; Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
|
1872 | |
Chamaeleo ceylonicus Stoliczka [substitute name for Chamaeleo zeylanicus Laurenti 1768] (Klaver & Böhme 1997) |
Distribution:
India
(Andhra Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh,
Goa,
Gujarat,
Haryana,
Jharkhand,
Karnataka,
Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra,
Odisha,
Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu,
Telangana,
Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal),
Pakistan,
Sri Lanka.
|
|
|