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''Brookesia minima'', (
''B. minima'' is the third-smallest lizard ever described. The species has the independently rotating eyes and prehensile tail characteristic of all chameleons. It is coloured light grey on the head, back and tail, although the tail becomes orange then yellowish towards the tip. The sides of the body are brown, occasionally interrupted by dark brown spots, and the limbs are almost entirely dark brown. Spotted patterning appears to be a stress colouration, and unstressed individuals have a more or less uniform dark brown body, apart from a beige area in front of the eyes (1). The ''B. minima'' adult has a flattened head and an orbital crest with large
'Brookesia minima'' images on
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2022984 Brookesia Endemic fauna of Madagascar Reptiles of Madagascar Endangered fauna of Africa Reptiles described in 1893 Taxa named by Oskar Boettger
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often con ...
s of which include the dwarf chameleon, the Madagascar dwarf chameleon, the minute leaf chameleon, and the Nosy Be pygmy leaf chameleon), is a diminutive
A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...
chameleon
Chameleons or chamaeleons (Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this Family (biology), family are best known for ...
that was regarded as the smallest lizard of the Chamaeleonidae until a smaller species, ''Brookesia nana
''Brookesia'' is a genus of chameleons, lizards in the Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae. The genus is Endemism, endemic to Madagascar. Member species range from small to very small in size, and are known collectively as leaf chameleons (t ...
'', was described in 2021.
Range
''B. minima'' isendemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to Nosy Be
Nosy Be (; formerly Nossi-bé and Nosse Be, ) is a volcanic island off the northwest coast of Madagascar. Nosy Be is Madagascar's largest and busiest tourist destination. It has an area of , and its population was 109,465 according to the provisio ...
, an island
An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...
located just off the northwest coast
A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
of Madagascar
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
, but has extralimital distribution to Manongarivo Reserve
Manongarivo Reserve is a wildlife reserve in the North-West of Madagascar
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off ...
on Madagascar's northwest coast.
Description
''B. minima'' is the third-smallest lizard ever described. The species has the independently rotating eyes and prehensile tail characteristic of all chameleons. It is coloured light grey on the head, back and tail, although the tail becomes orange then yellowish towards the tip. The sides of the body are brown, occasionally interrupted by dark brown spots, and the limbs are almost entirely dark brown. Spotted patterning appears to be a stress colouration, and unstressed individuals have a more or less uniform dark brown body, apart from a beige area in front of the eyes (1). The ''B. minima'' adult has a flattened head and an orbital crest with large scales
Scale or scales may refer to:
Mathematics
* Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points
* Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original
* Scale factor, a number ...
forming triangular plates above its eye
An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system.
In higher organisms, the ey ...
s. Along its back are two rows of granular protrusions. ''B. minima'' specimens sometimes have lateral yellow stripes over their basic drab grayish-brown color. The maximum total length is 3.4 cm (1.3 in) for females and 2.8 cm (1.1 in) for males. Males are also slenderer than females, and exhibit a hemipenial bulge at the base of their tail
The tail is the elongated section at the rear end of a bilaterian animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage extending backwards from the midline of the torso. In vertebrate animals that evolution, evolved to los ...
s.
Habitat
''B. minima'' is native to therain forest
Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
s of its native island. It has a relatively active habit
A habit (or wont, as a humorous and formal term) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously.
A 1903 paper in the '' American Journal of Psychology'' defined a "habit, from the standpoint of psychology, ...
for a chameleon and likes moving around in the low branch
A branch, also called a ramus in botany, is a stem that grows off from another stem, or when structures like veins in leaves are divided into smaller veins.
History and etymology
In Old English, there are numerous words for branch, includ ...
es and leaf litter
Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall, or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that has fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituen ...
of its native rain forest
Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
s. Though they are moderately aggressive
Aggression is behavior aimed at opposing or attacking something or someone. Though often done with the intent to cause harm, some might channel it into creative and practical outlets. It may occur either reactively or without provocation. In h ...
toward one another, population
Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...
and densities in the wild may approach one animal per square meter.
Reproduction
It is not known how frequently ''B. minima'' reproduces, but a typical clutch contains twoeggs
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo begins to develop.
Egg, EGG or eggs may also refer to:
Biology
* Egg cell, the female reproductive cell (gamete) in oogamous organisms
Food
* Eggs as food
Places
* Egg, Austria
* Egg, Switzerland ...
.
Similar species
''B. minima'' has been characterized as belonging to aspecies group
In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...
with other Madagascan dwarf chameleons such as '' B. dentata'', '' B. tuberculata'', '' B. peyrierasi'' and other new or unidentified species such as a recently described chameleon from Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve (, ) is a nature reserve located near the western coast of Madagascar in Melaky Region. The area was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990 due to the unique geography, preserved mangrove forests ...
.Scherz, M. D., Köhler, J., Rakotoarison, A., Glaw, F., & Vences, M. (2019). A new dwarf chameleon, genus brookesia, from the marojejy massif in northern madagascar. Zoosystematics and Evolution, 95(1), 95-106. doi:10.3897/zse.95.32818
Photolinks
'Brookesia minima'' images on
Flickr
Flickr ( ) is an image hosting service, image and Online video platform, video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and was previously a co ...
Bibliography
* Klaver, C. & W. Boehme. 1997. ''Chamaeleonidae. Das Tierreich'', 112: i-xiv' 1 - 85. Verlag Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin, New York. * Martin, J., 1992. ''Masters of Disguise: A Natural History of Chameleons''. Facts On File, Inc., New York, NY. * Necas, P. 1999. ''Chameleons: Nature's Hidden Jewels''. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, FL.References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2022984 Brookesia Endemic fauna of Madagascar Reptiles of Madagascar Endangered fauna of Africa Reptiles described in 1893 Taxa named by Oskar Boettger