Pygmy chameleons from the forests of the East Arc Mountains in Tanzania show high genetic diversity but are very similar in their morphology. In particular, the genus Rhampholeon is characterized by a high degree of morphological conservatism: the species belonging to this group have evolved in allopatry for several millennia, accumulating substantial genetic divergence despite being ecologically and phenotypically similar.

A new study, recently published on Acta Herpetologica, focused on the Rhampholeon uluguruensis/moyeri complex, combined phylogenetic and morphological approaches to identify the cryptic diversity within this species group. The study led to the discovery and description of six new species, namely: Rhampholeon beraduccii, R. colemani, R. sabini, R. rubeho, R. nicolai and R. waynelotteri.

The above findings raise the attention on the conservation status of this species complex, as well as the whole Rhampholeon genus. The combination of a high level of cryptic diversity with the generally small size of the species' geographic ranges, makes the already occurring threats (e.g., deforestation, fragmentation, habitat loss, illegal trading) even more severe. Furthermore, limited knowledge about the ecology, distribution, and life history of Rhampholeon species prevents effective conservation measures to be undertaken.

Discover more about the six newly described species of pygmy chameleons and the threats to their long-term survival on the latest issues of Acta Herpetologica: click here to read the full paper.