Calumma brevicorne

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Cladus: Unidentata Episquamata Toxicofera
Subordo: Iguania
Infraordo: Acrodonta

Familia: Chamaeleonidae
Subfamilia: Chamaeleoninae
Genus: Calumma
Species: Calumma brevicorne
Subspecies: C. b. brevicorne – C. b. tsarafidyi
Name

Calumma brevicorne (Günther, 1879)

Type locality: Madagascar (near Antananarivo, foret de Tsarafidyi, sous-prefecture d’Ambohimahasoa).

Holotype: BMNH 1946.8.21.41.
Synonyms

Chamaeleon brevicornis Günther 1879
Chamaeleon gularis Günther 1879
Calumma brevicornis — Glaw & Vences 1994: 245

References

Günther, A. 1879. Description of four new species of Chamaeleon from Madagascar. Proc. zool. Soc., London 1879: 148–150.
Lutzmann, N. & Lutzmann, H. 2004. Das grammatikalische Geschlecht der Gattung Calumma (Chamaeleonidae) und die nötigen Anpassungen einiger Art- und Unterartbezeichnungen. Reptilia (Münster) 9(4): 4–5 (Addendum in issue 5: 13).
Nečas, P. 1999. Chameleons – Nature's Hidden Jewels. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt; 348 pp. ISBN 3-930612-04-6 (Europe). ISBN 1-57524-137-4 (USA, Canada). Reference page.
Calumma brevicorne at the New Reptile Database. Accessed on 12 March 2008.

Vernacular names
English: Short-horned Chameleon

Calumma brevicorne, the short-horned chameleon, is a species of chameleon endemic to Madagascar.[2]

Description

The short-horned chameleon has a compressed body, spindly limbs, grasping feet and a prehensile tail allowing it to negotiate the branches and twigs of its arboreal habitat.[3] The most distinctive features of the short-horned chameleon are its large, ear-like occipital lobes, and the short bony rostral appendage that projects from the snout of the male. When threatened, it raises its ear-like flaps to increase its apparent size and attacks with an open mouth.[4] The short-horned chameleon is generally grayish in color, although there is variation between the sexes and across the species' range, with the slightly larger males having a lighter colored head, and some specimens being greener and having blue legs.[3]
Distribution

The short-horned chameleon is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, and is calculated to have a population density of 2.4 chameleons ha−1 in the forests around Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and Analamazaotra Special Reserve. C. brevicornis is endemic to Madagascar and has a broad latitudinal distribution in eastern Madagascar, between the Anosy Mountains in the south and the Tsaratanana Massif in the north, and has also been confirmed from the Analavory Plateau in the northwest, within a narrow elevation band between 810 and 1,000 m. Most records of this species need to be reevaluated, and therefore its geographic range information is incomplete, however, the few verified records of this species are scattered over an area of at least 38,000 km2.[1]
Habitat and ecology

This species lives within mid-altitude humid forest, where it is more commonly found in open vegetation associated with edges and disturbed areas.[1] It is tolerant of some degree of habitat modification and has been found in agricultural land where trees are present, in roadside vegetation and in trees near buildings.[1] Very little is known about this species' ecology, but in captivity, it is known to feed on a wide variety of insects.[5] Females have been observed laying 10 to 30 eggs, around 40 days after mating.[5] Calumma brevicorne eggs have been reported to be vulnerable to predation by invasive Rattus rattus.[6]
References

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.; Carpenter, A. (2011). "Calumma brevicorne". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T172984A6952943. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T172984A6952943.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
Glaw, Frank; Vences, Miguel (2007). A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar (3rd ed.). Cologne, Germany: Vences & Glaw Verlags. ISBN 978-3929449037.
"Calumma brevicornis". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
"Calumma brevicorne – Madcham.de". Retrieved 2020-02-10.
"Short-horned chameleon (calumma brevicorne)". Wildscreen Arkive. Archived from the original on 2015-04-23. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
Tolley, Krystal A.; Herrel, Anthony (2013-11-16). The Biology of Chameleons. University of California press. ISBN 978-0-520-27605-5. Retrieved April 30, 2015.