Rhampholeon sp. (nchisiensis ?)

[Robert Maslak]

I am looking for somebody who could help me in recognition of Rhampholeon species. The chameleons were imported from Tanzania as Rh.kersteni but it is certainly not this species. I suppose that it is Rh.nchisiensis, but I am not sure.
I have four females, three of them laid the eggs (6, 7 and the biggest females - 19 eggs !). The body length the biggest animal is 6,5 cm (including tail = 13 mm)
Pictures are on the page:
http://www.terrarium.com.pl/galeria/galeria.php?path=587&userid=33

[Robert Maslak]

Re: Rhampholeon sp. (nchisiensis ?)

Sorry ! Mistake. Pictures are here:
http://terrarium.com.pl/galeria/galeria.php?path=592&userid=33

[Nicolá Lutzmann]

Re: Rhampholeon sp. (nchisiensis ?)

Hi Robert,

yours specimens could be R. moyeri. The snout appendix looks flexible and point down. Some eggs hatched at daytemperatures of 18-21 °C and nighttemperatures of 16-18°C.

Nicolà

[Robert Maslak]

Re: Rhampholeon sp. (nchisiensis ?)

Hi Nicola,
Thank you for your suggestion. I take Rh.moyeri into consideration but the snout appendix by this species seems to be longer as by mine specimens and reaches almost mouth. See pictures:
http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=display-figures&name=i0022-1511-036-01-0051-f03
and
http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=display-figures&name=i0022-1511-036-01-0051-f01

Tomorrow I will check publication of Menegon and all from J.of Herpetology with description of Rh.moyeri and I hope to put in touch with authors. But all suggestions are welcome.

By the way, the fourth female laid 11 eggs. A part of eggs are incubated in 20-22°C (day) and 16-18 (night) and the second part in 17-18 (day) and 14-16 (night).

[[ggg]Editiert von Robert Maslak am 09-11-2005 um 21:06 GMT[/ggg]]

[Robert Maslak]

Re: Rhampholeon sp. (nchisiensis ?)

After consultations with Colin Tilbury, I am almost sure that I have Rh.nchisiensis.

Some points which confirm this hypothesis:
- relatively big size of females
- the big number of eggs (none of the other species lay anything close to 19 eggs)
- colour of relaxing females (scatter of blue tubercles
on the eyeball, some orange or brown on the posterior side of
the limbs)
- no sign of any dermal invagination or pits / mite pockets at the axillae and inguinal (groin) areas

However the lately character is difficult for me to recognize, because I have no specimens with dermal pockets to comparison - the pockets seem to be absent.

[Thomas Hildenhagen]

Re: Rhampholeon sp. (nchisiensis ?)

Hello Robert,

did you received my Email? Not so long ago I got a question about nchisiensis from Lukasz (Poland). Is he a friend of you, I think he send me the same pictures.

Thomas

[Robert Maslak]

Re: Rhampholeon sp. (nchisiensis ?)

Hi Thomas,
Yes, Lukasz sent you pictures of my animals. He has this species too (three females). Now we have together 7 females and over 60 eggs.
Thank you for your e-mail, I am waiting for your pictures.