Brookesia thieli

Brookesia thieli
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Infraclass:	Lepidosauromorpha
Superorder:	Lepidosauria
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Lacertilia
Infraorder:	Iguania
Family:	Chamaeleonidae
Genus:	Brookesia
Species:	B. thieli
Binomial name
Brookesia thieli Brygoo & Domergue, 1969

Brookesia thieli, commonly also known as Domergue's leaf chameleon, is a species of chameleon endemic to eastern Madagascar, with a type locality of Ambodimanga, Andapa. It was first described in 1969 by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Antoine Domergue, and it was ranked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Least Concern. B. thieli is thought to be found over an area of 43,865 km² (16,936 sq mi) at up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) above sea level.

Distribution and habitat

In eastern Madagascar, its geological type locality is Ambodimanga, Madagascar.^[1] It can be found from Ranomafana (southwards) to Anjanaharibe Sud (northwards), and the species has previously been found in Ambohitantely, Angavo-Anjozorobe, Analamazaotra, Mantadia, Marojejy, and Vohidrazana at elevations between 875 and 1,200 m (2,871 and 3,937 ft) above mean sea level. It is believed to be found in around 43,865 km² (16,936 sq mi) of land.^[2]

Taxonomy

Brookesia thieli was first described in 1960 by Brygoo and Domergue. The same species was also described as Brookesia antoetrae by Brygoo and Domergue in 1971. Brookesia antoetrae was synonymized with Brookesia thieli by Raxworthy and Nussbaum in 1995, but not all subsequent authors have accepted this conclusion. It is also commonly known as Domergue's leaf chameleon after Domergue, who described it in 1960 and 1971.^[1] According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, the taxonomic status of the species is valid.^[3][4]

References