That is, however, not a C. linotum! I'm not sure what species it is, but you can tell it's definitely not a linotum because the pictured animal here doesn't have the occipital lobe characteristic of linotum. In the below picture, animals (A) and (C) are a male and female C. linotum respectively. Look at the back of their heads and you will see a lobe that looks like a little flap. C. linotum also do not demonstrate blue stripes on their body. Just nose/eyes/heads
Yes, you are correct! Not C. linotum. Never seen any photo labeled C. nasutum look that colorful. Looks like an uncommon population of C. nasutum of something closely related ( as Chris Anderson has commented elsewhere). Sure would be nice to work with the population that Toko Loshe has pictured.
Thanks for the comments guys. As you mentioned Akona, Chris Anderson has been assisting me in trying to figure out the actual species of this great little guy. I have been very busy and have not had the time to addfress this issue with Mark.
He came in with what have been identified as C. linotum and C. fallax so I am leaning towards C. fallax at this point.
These are certainly not his "usual" colors. This coloration was demonstrated when exposed to a C. Linotum female as well as a C. fallax female. His regular coloration varies from a more subdued version of the photos above to the lichen like pattern in the link (https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/c-fallax-male2-jpg.49227/).
Thanks for the interest and comments - great chams.
Tokoloshe, thanks for the reply. I think I have the same population as you. If Mark Scherz is labeling them as C. fallax then I guess we go with that. I've been searching actual scientific description of C. nasutum, but have not found it on line yet. Whatever they are, they are cool.
Here is one of my males reacting to a female
And here he is in his cryptic coloration - perfectly mimicking the coloration of the twigs and lichen he is resting upon.
Ekona,
You have some beautiful animals and great pics (Those Blue dots! Wow!). Their diminutive size is hard to convey until you see them in person! Any luck breeding? Incubation data?
Yes, I have a female that is laying eggs in her vivarium. Three months ago four hatched out and two have survived up till today. I think there might be two more clutches incubating as we speak. I’m leaving them in the viv as I prefer to let them incubate in that way. Also other researchers have commented on the advantages of the ‘natural’ method of incubation. However both vermiculite and natural methods work. Room temps - nothing above 78 and as low as mid 60s at night. I do light fog at night and 2x light low pressure misting AM and early PM to provide water droplets. Keeping in Zoo Med glass viv with soil and live plants. Feeding FF occasional small gut loaded crickets.
Ekona, thanks that is good info. Do you have sow bugs or pill bugs in your vivarium? They have recently been discussed in regards to eating cham eggs so I would be cautious about introducing them to vivariums housing egg laying species. I have introduced springtails previously with Uroplatus Phantasticus and had them reproduce in situ without problems.
Best of luck with the eggs and 2 surviving babies. Did you note anything unusual about raising the babies?
Trevor, no isopods in any of my vivariums, possibly springtails. So far nothing unusual in raising the young. Just need melanogaster FF and pinhead crickets as first foods. Their being in a glass vivarium with soil and plants helps maintain higher and even (although there is some drying out and lowering in the day) humidity levels - not sure how they would do in an all screen enclosure. U. phantasticus - nice!
