In a new conservation effort, researchers identified 11 distinct species of chameleons living in Madagascar, where they are endangered.
In a study published in the journal Molecular Ecology, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and other institutions discovered the panther chameleon, which only lives in Madagascar, is more diverse than previously believed.
Michel Milinkovitch, professor of genetics, evolution, and biophysics at UNIGE, lead the study with help from Achille Raselimanana, a professor at the University of Antananarivo and other UNIGE colleagues.
"It took two expeditions led from East to West for the scientists to collect a drop of blood from each of 324 individuals and document them through color photographs," reads a press release detailing the study. "The DNA (mitochondrial and nuclear) of each of the specimens were sequenced and analyzed in the laboratory according to the hypothesis that a chameleon's dominant color might be related to the geographic zone where it is found. Most importantly, the genetic material indicated strong genetic structure among geographically-restricted lineages, revealing very low interbreeding among populations."
The panther chameleons of Madagascar are in danger of deforestation and the researchers hope their study can spur conservation efforts.
"The mathematical analyses of the 324 color photographs demonstrated that subtle color patterns could efficiently predict assignment of chameleon individuals to their corresponding genetic lineage, confirming that many of the geographical populations might need to be considered separated species," reads the release. "The scientists then simplified their analyses of the color diversity into a classification key, which allows to link most chameleons to their corresponding species using only the naked eye. This case of hidden speciation confirms a major characteristic of Madagascar: it is amongst the most diverse places for life on Earth; a biodiversity hotspot."
