SEED Madagascar

Researching a new species of chameleon

A new chameleon species has potentially been discovered in Madagascar. A recent study by SEED found that a species of Leaf Chameleon, previously thought to be the known species in the area, is in fact a distinct form of ‘Palleon cf. nasus’. Describing this potentially new species has extra significance, as proposed mining activities are set to begin within the next decade and are anticipated to reduce the existing littoral forest in the area by more than 50%.

SEED is now fundraising to support a full study of this potential new species - donate now and help us protect the incredible biodiversity of Madagascar!

Why is this project so important?

Madagascar is one of the highest global biodiversity conservation priorities, with 83% of the island’s species found nowhere else on Earth. However, nearly 20% of known animal species and 60% of known plant species are already threatened with extinction (IUCN, 2020). In addition, ecosystems are continuing to decline at alarming rates, with 44% of Madagascar’s forest cover lost since the 1950s.

nearly 20% of known animal species and 60% of known plant species are already threatened with extinction

IUCN, 2020

The littoral forests in the southeast of the country are one of the most threatened ecosystems in Madagascar. Today, almost 70% (approximately 1,500 hectares) of the remaining southern littoral forest habitat can be found in Sainte Luce and is increasingly threatened by unregulated logging, heavy resource extraction, and slash-and-burn agriculture. Moreover, with nearly 80% of the human population living below the international poverty line (World Bank, 2018) and communities in rural Madagascar dependent on the forest’s declining resources, the future of Sainte Luce’s littoral forests is uncertain.

Sainte Luce’s littoral forests support a single species of pygmy leaf chameleon, the presently undescribed Palleon cf. nasus (formally Brookesia) or the ‘Elongate Leaf Chameleon’. Recent genetic evidence from a study conducted by SEED in 2015 demonstrated that the species considered as Palleon nasus in Sainte Luce is actually a genetically distinct form of the species. The true species, found in neighbouring Andohahela National Park, is presently listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and is considered to be undergoing a population decline in the extent, coverage, and quality of its habitat. However, the most recent assessment was made in 2011, and urgent research is required to fill remaining knowledge gaps regarding Palleon cf. nasus’ biology and ecology, in-turn informing effective conservation action. Moreover, this species is a priority species under the Zoological Society of London’s (ZSL) EDGE programme (Evolutionarily Distinct and Genetically Endangered).

Research aims

The study aims to publish a formal description of the recently discovered Palleon cf. nasus. To achieve this, the project has three key objectives:

1. To collect and analyse biometric and ecological data on the Palleon cf. nasus population in Sainte Luce.
2. To establish a baseline population density of Palleon cf. nasus in target forest fragments.
3. To contribute to a wider conservation action plan based on SEED’s conservation strategy.

Field Research

To achieve Objectives One and Two, individuals of Palleon cf. nasus will be recorded in the field. Like other species belonging to the genus, these chameleons are difficult to observe during the daytime when they are active on the forest floor. However, they are more easily found at night when they roost in the low vegetation, presenting a distinctly pale colouration in torchlight. In order to compile the evidence needed to formally describe the species, SEED will undertake targeted work to collect important biometric and ecological information.

Individuals will be searched for in four forest fragments and when a Palleon cf. nasus is observed, biometric and ecological data will be collected. Additionally, photographs will be collected for individuals discovered during the daytime to better understand variation of colour patterns exhibited by the species. These data will complement and accompany the genetic evidence already collected in 2015.

This project aims to determine population density and encounter rate of Palleon cf. nasus across the forest fragments. To achieve this, every individual spotted during a transect survey will have: the time of observation, GPS, distance from transect, and life stage recorded. This information will be used to determine encounter rates and detectability, which in turn allows SEED to understand Palleon cf. nasus populations in Sainte Luce.

To meet the third objective, findings from this project will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and key findings shared through SEED’s media channels. Together with findings from SEED’s ongoing long-term monitoring, a regionally-specific conservation action plan and formal description of the species will be developed.