Chamaeleoninae is the nominotypical

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

of chameleons (

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Chamaeleonidae). The Family Chamaeleonidae was divided into two subfamilies,

Brookesiinae The Family Chamaeleonidae was divided into two subfamilies, Brookesiinae and Chamaeleoninae, by Klaver and Böhme in 1986. Under this classification, Brookesiinae included the genera '' Brookesia'' and ''Rhampholeon'', as well as the genera late ...

and Chamaeleoninae, by Klaver and Böhme in 1986. Since its erection in 1986, however, the validity of this subfamily designation has been the subject of much debate, although most phylogenetic studies support the notion that the pygmy chameleons of the subfamily

are not a

monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...

group. While some authorities have previously preferred to use the subfamilial classification on the basis of the absence of evidence principal, these authorities later abandoned this subfamilial division, no longer recognizing any subfamilies with the family Chamaeleonidae. In 2015, however, Glaw reworked the subfamilial division by placing only the genera '' Brookesia'' and '' Palleon'' within the

subfamily, with all other genera being placed in Chamaeleoninae.

Classification

The ten previously recognised genera in the subfamily are: *Genus '' Archaius'' *Genus '' Bradypodion'' *Genus ''

Calumma ''Calumma'' is a genus of chameleons, highly adapted and specialised lizards, in the Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae. The genus is endemic to the island of Madagascar. One species, formerly known as ''Calumma tigris'' (the Seychelles tige ...

'' *Genus ''

Chamaeleo ''Chamaeleo'' is a genus of chameleons in the Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae. Most species of the genus ''Chamaeleo'' are found in sub-Saharan Africa, but a few species are also present in northern Africa, southern Europe, and southern ...

'' *Genus ''

Furcifer ''Furcifer'' is a genus of chameleons whose member species are mostly endemic to Madagascar, but ''F. cephalolepis'' and ''F. polleni'' are endemic to the Comoros. Additionally, ''F. pardalis'' has been Introduced species, introduced to Réunion, ...

'' *Genus '' Kinyongia'' *Genus '' Nadzikambia'' *Genus '' Rieppeleon'' *Genus ''

Rhampholeon ''Rhampholeon'' (from , 'bird's bill' and , 'lion') is a genus of small chameleons, commonly known as pygmy chameleons or African leaf chameleons, found in East Africa and Central Africa. They are found in forests, woodlands, thickets, and sava ...

'' *Genus '' Trioceros'' '' Trioceros'' was previously considered to be a subgenus of ''

'', until & (2009) raised it to full genus. Since then, two new species have been described in the genus '' Trioceros'', by & (2010), and et al. (2011). These two new species have not been published in combination with the generic name ''

'', which poses a problem for the citation of these names in Wikipedia, unless '' Trioceros'' is treated as a full genus, following & (2009).

Footnotes

References

* , 2010. A new chameleon of the ''Trioceros bitaeniatus'' complex from Mt. Hanang, Tanzania, East Africa (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae). ''Bonn zoological Bulletin'' 57 (1): 19–29.
PDF
* et al. 2011. A new species of chameleon (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae) from the highlands of northwest Kenya. ''Zootaxa'', 3002: 1–16
Preview
* , 2009. A re-appraisal of the systematics of the African genus ''Chamaeleo'' (Reptilia: Chamaeleonidae). ''Zootaxa'', 2079: 57–68
Abstract & excerpt

External links

* Chamaeleoninae Reptile subfamilies Taxa named by Wolfgang Böhme (herpetologist) {{chameleon-stub