Kinyongia

Tilbury, Colin R., Tolley, Krystal A. & Branch, William R., 2006, A review of the systematics of the genus Bradypodion (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae), with the description of two new genera, Zootaxa 1363, pp. 23-38 : 34-35

Kinyongia genus nova

Type Species: Chamaeleo fischeri fischeri Reichenow 1887 .

Composition: K. adolfifriderici , K. carpenteri , K. excubitor , K. fischeri fischeri , K. fischeri multituberculatum (Nieden) , K. fischeri uluguruense (Loveridge) , K. tavetanum , K. tavetanum boehmei (Lutzman & Nečas), K. uthmoelleri , K. xenorhinum , K. oxyrhinum , and K. tenue

Characterization: The monophyly of Kinyongia is established on the basis of a suite of nuclear and mitochondrial genetic characters. No morphological synapomorphy is known to define all members. Cranial structure has only been studied in K. fischeri ( Rieppel & Crumley 1997) . The parietal is reduced to a narrow posteriorly projecting sagittal process that meets the ascending squamosal processes at the apex of the casque to completely enclose the temporal fossa. This derived condition is similar to that found in the genera Chamaeleo , Furcifer and Calumma ( Rieppel 1981, 1987, Rieppel & Crumley 1997). Scalation is generally of finely heterogeneous granules or flattened polygonal tubercles. In those species that are characterized by a head ornamentation of fused rostronasal projections ( carpenteri , xenorhinum , tenue and oxyrhinum ), the scalation is generally an unordered heterogeneous mix of tubercles. In species with paired rostronasal projections ( fischeri , tavetanum , uthmoelleri ) the flanks are adorned with tubercles clustered into “rosettes”, especially on the lower flanks. This rosetting is also seen in the hornless species excubitor . Plantar surfaces are smooth and claws are simple.

None of the species have midline gular or ventral crests, occipital lobes, or annulated horns. Cranial ornamentation in some species, e.g. paired rostronasal blade-like horns in fischeri and tavetanum , and fusion of the canthal ridges into a single vertically flattened process in carpenteri , xenorhinum , tenue and oxyrhinum , are similar to features found in the Malagasy genera Calumma and Furcifer .

Lung structure is relatively plesiomorphic. They are similar to those of Bradypodion and Malagasy Calumma and Furcifer , being generally simple with a number of small septae on the dorsal, cephalic and ventral walls. The lungs of Kinyongia appear to lack the accessory gular pouch and usually have trailing diverticulae from the posteroinferior surface of the lung ( tavetanum , fischeri , tenue , and adolfifriderici ) although these are lacking in K. xenorhinum (Klaver 1977, 1981). The lungs in the rest of the species of Kinyongia have not as yet been described.

The hemipenes are calyculate with a plesiomorphic 4 rotulae apical ornamentation, and all the species are oviparous.

Distribution: Distributed in East Africa with the most westerly species, K. adolfifriderici , extending into the eastern DRC, and K. excubitor reaching as far north as Mount Kenya. They are confined to tropical/sub-tropical forest biomes, often in relict montane or sub-montane forests ( Fig. 1 ).

Etymology: This genus is largely confined to the three countries that make up the central east African region namely Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The lingua franca for this region is Swahili. The name derives from the generic Swahili name for chameleon “Kinyonga” and identifies it as a genus that is largely confined to Swahili speaking countries. The name is Latinized by terminating the name spelling with the letters ia giving it a feminine gender. Thus the specific names remain unaltered.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Combined locality map of Bradypodion sensu lato demonstrating geographic distribution patterns of two broad groups within the genus sensu Klaver & Bhme 1986. Red dots indicate records for Southern African Bradypodion and black dots indicate records for the “ fischeri complex ”. Data locality points are based on specimens from seventeen museum collections.