Oct 14, 2025 |
New records of Pygmy Chameleon (Rieppeleon brachyurus) reveal its presence south of the Zambezi River for the first time, significantly expanding its known territory in Mozambique.
Scientific research published in African Herp News reports a remarkable discovery in Mozambican herpetofauna: the confirmed presence of the pygmy chameleon (Rieppeleon brachyurus) in areas south of the Zambezi River. This is the first documented record of the species in this region, expanding its known geographical range by about 400 kilometres.
Until now, the species was only known to exist in northern Mozambique, as well as in regions of Malawi and Tanzania. With this new data, the total number of confirmed occurrences in Mozambican territory increases to eight, suggesting that the diversity of reptiles in the country may be significantly underestimated.
The study, conducted by W. Conradie, D. Botma and C. Nanvonamuquitxo, identifies specimens observed in Coutada 11, in Sofala province, during field expeditions in 2020. Both juveniles and adult females were found in sandy forest areas near wetlands, indicating the likely existence of a resident and breeding population.
Rieppeleon brachyurus, originally described in 1893, is a small terrestrial chameleon, characterised by its compact body, short tail and discreet brownish colouring, features that make it well adapted to miombo forest and humid forest habitats.
The authors emphasise that this discovery reinforces the need to intensify fieldwork in regions that have been little studied, especially in the centre and south of the country, where information on reptilian fauna remains scarce. As they point out, ‘these new records demonstrate that Mozambique's herpetological diversity is even richer than previously thought, requiring continued research and conservation efforts.’
Photo: African Herp News
