Kinyongia mulyai, Tilbury, Colin R. & Tolley, Krystal A., 2015

Tilbury, Colin R. & Tolley, Krystal A., 2015, Contributions to the herpetofauna of the Albertine Rift: Two new species of chameleon (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae) from an isolated montane forest, south eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Zootaxa 3905 (3), pp. 345-364 : 359-361

Kinyongia mulyai sp. nov.

Synonomy: Kinyongia adolfifriderici Tilbury 2010

Holotype. PEM-R19199 (CT 426— Fig. 11 ), a sub-adult male with partially everted hemipenes, collected by Colin Tilbury and Isak Hattingh on 21st March 2010, from path side vegetation at 1700metre a.s.l., Mount Nzawa, Moba District, Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (6° 51.07’ S; 29° 35.87’ E).

Diagnosis. Within the genera Kinyongia and Trioceros , the ontogenetic development of body crests and rostral process’s—whilst not developed to the same degree as seen in adults—is still evident in sub-adult specimens, and can be reliably used to determine the presence or absence of these characters. Although Kinyongia mulyai sp. nov. is known from only one sub-adult specimen, it is likely that the morphological characters are sufficiently well developed to provide reliable criteria on which to base a morphological determination. Kinyongia mulyai sp. nov. is distinguishable from the closely-related species K. adolfifriderici , K. gyrolepis (Greenbaum et al. 2012) and K. excubitor (Barbour 1911) by the absence of a dorsal crest in the male. It is also distinguished from K. adolfifriderici by having a narrower and more elongate head ( Fig. 10 ), with a head length/inter-orbital width ratio of 4 (versus 3 for K. adolfifriderici ), and from both K. gyrolepis and K. adolfifriderici by having a higher number of upper labial scales (17 vs. a maximum of 15 and 14 respectively; Greenbaum et al. 2012). Distinguished from all the other Kinyongia congeners by the absence of any form of naso-rostral ornamentation in males.

Description of the Holotype. A small chameleon with a snout-vent length of 44mm and tail measuring 63mm. Head length from casque tip to snout 13.7mm and the inter-orbital width at mid orbit 2.8mm. Casque low, barely elevated above the nape. Parietal crest consists of a row of 3 enlarged tubercles at the apex of the casque. This forks anteriorly into two short rows each consisting of 2 low tubercles. Supra-orbital ridges more or less smooth. The supra-orbital ridges are separated from each other across the mid-orbital point by three flattened tubercles. The canthal ridge is adorned with a row of 4 prominent rounded tubercles—the most anterior the largest. A temporal crest composed of 4 similarly sized enlarged tubercles arises from the mid posterior orbital rim; this crest ascends along the posterior rim of the casque to its apex. The top of the casque and the zone below the temporal crest are covered with similar-sized, flattened tubercles. The nares open infero-posteriorly about midway between the anterior orbital rim and the snout. A single row of tubercles separates the inferior orbital rim and the upper labials. There is no rostral process. Seventeen upper labials and 17 lower labials are present from the tip of the snout to the posterior margin of the orbital rim. Two tubercles separate the upper labials from the end of the canthal ridge. There is no trace of a gular crest, or ventral crest. The sides of the body are clad with somewhat heterogeneous, flattened polygonal tubercles, with larger tubercles showing a tendency to rosette formation on the lower flanks. A network of thin interstitial grooves extends between the tubercles. There is no row of enlarged flank tubercles. The dorsal vertebral crest is represented by a single small cone at the nape behind the casque, followed by a second much smaller cone. Thereafter the dorsal keel is smooth. The tail is likewise smooth. The outer surfaces of the limbs are covered in enlarged flattened tubercles while the inner surfaces of the limbs are clad with small regular tubercles.

Colour in Life. Head—Top of head olive green with lighter green tubercles on casque. Skin of eyeballs light brown with two thin horizontal stripes running through the middle and extending posteriorly along the temporal crest and anteriorly just below the canthal ridge. The zone below the temporal crest is powder blue scattered with greenish tubercles. A small triangular area between the mouth line, nares and the orbital rim is blue green. The gular region is suffused with pale orange and yellow extending posteriorly to between the front limbs. A pale line extends from below the eye to just beyond the commissure of the mouth.

Background colouration of body is olive green. Interstitial skin between the tubercle rosettes on lower flanks forms a network of dark interstitium. The dark interstitium of the flanks is broken by two broad zones of pale interstitium extending from the dorsal ridge down over the flanks to the middle of the body. There is no white line on the abdomen. Outer side of limbs with light green tubercles, skin on inner sides of limbs off white. Tail olive green with many thin dark bands.

Habitat. The Holotype was collected in closed canopy Afrotemperate montane forest at 1800 metres a.s.l. from path side vegetation, perched at approximately 2.5 metres from the ground. One other chameleon (not collected) was observed occupying a sleeping perch on an exposed liana vine over 20 metres above the ground.

Etymology. Named for Mr. Jules Mulya, whose energetic support and assistance with smoothing away mountains of obstacles to the progress of the Mt. Nzawa expedition led to the discovery of both new species.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Comparison of head dimensions of the Holotypes of Kinyongia mulyai sp. nov. (top) and Kinyongia adolfifriderici ZMB 22709 (bottom) showing differences in head length and width. Note the body dimensions of K. mulyai sp. nov. (a male) are snout / vent 44 mm and tail length 63 mm, whilst that of K. adolfifriderici (a female) are 54 mm and 62 mm respectively.

FIGURE 11. Kinyongia mulyai sp. nov., male Holotype.