Kingdom Animalia Subphylum Vertebrata Order Squamata Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Suborder Lacertilia | |
Similar Brookesia bonsi, Brookesia ambreensis, Brookesia ebenaui, Palleon nasus, Mount d'Ambre leaf cham | ||
Brookesia lambertoni, commonly known as the Fito leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon endemic to Fito in eastern Madagascar. It was first described in 1970 by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Antoine Domergue. It is rated as Data Deficient (DD) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as not enough data on the species have been collected to judge its conservation status.
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Distribution and habitat
The Fito leaf chameleon is endemic to Fito, Toamasina, Madagascar, and its type locality is Fito. The species' common name, Fito leaf chameleon is ambiguous, and does not explain if it is referring to the forest or the administrative area or the town, both of which are named Fito. Recent surveys have not found the species. The area where the species can be found is unknown and any extrapolation is impossible, because only two specimens have been found and recorded. Both specimens collected before 1921. Its known habitat is in the conservation area Zahamena-Ankeniheny Corridor. It was found an area affected by the slash-and-burn method of agriculture and logging for building materials, although no threats can be confirmed. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed this species as Data Deficient, as not enough information has been collected to determine its conservation status.
Taxonomy & etymology
This species was initially described by Brygoo and Domergue in 1970 as Brookesia lambertoni, which is still its scientific name, and was named for French paleontologist Charles Lamberton. However, it is more commonly known simply as the Fito leaf chameleon.