Helmet chameleon
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Helmet chameleon ( Trioceros hoehnelii ) |
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| Trioceros hoehnelii | ||||||||||||
| ( Steindachner , 1891) |
The helmet chameleon ( Trioceros hoehnelii ) is a species of chameleon from the mountainous regions of Kenya and Uganda . Due to the restriction to high altitudes, the distribution area is fragmented and scattered. The animals are found at altitudes of 1,200 to 3,000 meters.
habitat
The species lives on mountain slopes, in meadows and on the edges of forests, but above all in the vicinity of human settlements, in bushes, on roadsides and in gardens. The bush and shrub inhabitant and is often found in the shrubs of Coffea arabica in coffee plantations. Populations in alpine levels are exposed to high temperature fluctuations between day and night.
Systematics
The helmet chameleon belongs to the genus Trioceros within the real chameleons . (Swainson, 1839). Two subspecies have been described:
- Trioceros hoehnelii hoehnelii
- Trioceros hoehnelii altaeelgonis
Mark
The helmet chameleon has a pronounced helmet, which is much more pronounced in the males than in the females. Also particularly noticeable is a small nasal process, which is also larger in the males. There are a large number of local and location variants. In particular, the helmet and nasal process are quite different. The species has a roughly prickly back crest that extends over the entire length of the body and ends at the tail end. The throat and abdominal crest consist of large, thorny spiky scales. On both sides of the body one often sees 2 rows of greatly enlarged plate-shaped scales. The scaling and coloration is very variable and consists mainly of brown and green basic tones with partly light transverse bands. There are reddish or brown colored animals as well as a well-known color form with a yellow head and green body.
The hemipenic pockets of the males are clearly developed when they reach sexual maturity. In females they show a much more homogeneous scaling, the secondary sexual characteristics are less pronounced in them. Males reach a maximum length of 25 centimeters, females reach a maximum length of 20 centimeters. Life expectancy is 2-4 years.
Behaviors
Trioceros hoehnelii shows a very interesting defense behavior in nature. The greatest danger for this species of chameleon is tree-dwelling snakes such as B. the green mamba . If the chameleon sees a snake, it immediately turns deep black, rolls up its body and falls to the ground - where the snake usually does not follow it. The animal then remains motionless on the ground until the danger is over.
Terrarium keeping
The helmet chameleon is protected under the Washington Convention on the Protection of Species (WAII) and the EU Regulation on the Protection of Species (Appendix B). Since this species of chameleon does not need high temperatures, it can be kept freely on a large houseplant (e.g. in the shady winter garden, in summer on the partially shaded balcony or all year round in the flower window). The intraspecific aggressiveness is only weak in the helmet chameleon, which is why it is possible to keep them in pairs in the terrarium. Males are incompatible with one another. In well-structured terrariums, groups of one male and two females can also be kept. Males and pregnant females are very aggressive towards each other and should therefore be kept individually during this time. The helmet chameleon is quite lively and can also become quite trusting. The animals are fed in captivity with crickets, house crickets, all kinds of flying insects and small cockroaches. In addition, they get vitamins and minerals (pollinating the insects). The animals can cover their water requirements by licking up the spray water.
Reproduction
The helmet chameleon is viviparous in the egg , and also takes place in storage; they can become pregnant again immediately. When courting, the male approaches the female nodding and laterally flattened. When this is ready to mate, it remains in place and mating takes place, this process can be repeated over several days. Gravid females repel males willing to mate. If the stress becomes too great for a pregnant female, she should be separated. During pregnancy, the females have an increased need for food and drink. After a gestation period of 150 to 180 days, the females give birth to 4 to 22 young. Before that, the female becomes restless and eggs are laid in the early morning hours, preferably on coarse bark or rough branches. The young animals free themselves from the egg shell and are immediately independent. Sexual maturity is reached at around 8 months. But they should not be mated younger than a year.
literature
- Andreas Böhle: The keeping of highland chameleons. In: Draco. Vol. 7, No. 27, 2006, ISSN 1439-8168 , pp. 40-44.
- Siegfried Daiss: Keeping and rearing Chamaeleo hoehnelii. In: DATZ . Vol. 31, No. 2, 1978, pp. 64-67.
- Falk Dathe: Chamaeleo hoehneli STEINDACHNER, 1891 - Hoehnels or Helm-Chameleon: In: Aquarien Terrariums . Vol. 33, No. 6, 1986, p. 216.
- Karsten Krintler: Offspring in the helmet chameleon. In: DATZ. Vol. 30, No. 10, 1978, pp. 352-354.
- Rolf Leptien: Explanations of some fundamental questions in keeping chameleons. In: Sauria. Vol. 11, No. 4, 1989, ISSN 0176-9391 , pp. 3-8.
- James Martin: Masters of Disguise. A Natural History of Chameleons. Facts-on-File, New York NY et al. 1992, ISBN 0-8160-2618-1 .
- Petr Nečas: chameleons. Colorful jewels of nature. 3rd improved and revised edition. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main 2004, ISBN 3-930612-02-X .
- Jost Nertinger: Breeding and care of Chamaeleo hoehnelii. In: DATZ. Vol. 24, No. 9, 1971, pp. 312-315.
- Mark Oliver Rödel: Amphibians and reptiles in Kenyan national parks. In: DATZ. Vol. 43, No. 9, 1990, pp. 555-558.
- B. Rühmekorf: Obtained by breeding: helmet chameleons. In: Aquariums Magazin. Vol. 15, No. 10, 1981, ISSN 0003-7257 , pp. 663-667.
- Wolfgang Schmidt: Notes on the care of chameleons. In: DATZ. Vol. 43, No. 5, 1990, pp. 269-272.
- Wolfgang Schmidt: About the chameleons of East Africa (end). In: DATZ. Vol. 51, No. 1, 1998, pp. 36-40.
- Wolfgang Schmidt, Klaus Tamm, Erich Wallikewitz: Chameleons. Dragons of our time. 5th, completely revised and expanded edition. Natur-und-Tier-Verlag, Münster 2010, ISBN 978-3-86659-133-2 .
- Stephen Spawls, Kim Howell, Robert Drewes, James Ashe: A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Academic Press, San Diego CA et al. 2002, ISBN 0-12-656470-1 .
Web links
- Trioceros hoehnelii in The Reptile Database
- Trioceros hoehnelii inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.2. Posted by: Spawls, S. & Carpenter, AI, 2009. Retrieved January 31, 2014.