A new geographic distribution in the latest issue of African Herp News details new records of Rieppeleon brachyurus in Mozambique, including the first record south of the Zambezi River. African Herp News is available to HAA members or publicly after ~1 yr: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...

A new note details egg-laying in Chamaeleo dilepis in Kenya, documenting the process from excavation through departure, noting female color changes & local superstitions about finding a digging chameleon. African Herp News is available after ~1 year: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...

A reevaluation of chameleon foraging mode using movement- & attack-based indices. Chameleons spent most of the day in stationary positions & fed more when stationary than when moving, suggesting they should be considered ambush foragers rather than "cruise foragers". academic.oup.com/cz/advance-a...

In our latest issue, we're going ballistic! On the cover, a chameleon capturing prey, using its ballistic tongue, driven by a linear actuator, a skeletal rod squeezed out by muscles. So ingenious is the solution that lungless salamanders evolved it too... 🦎 www.cell.com/current-biol...

Some nice coverage on our new chameleon and salamander feeding paper: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujjq...

While similar mechanistically, ballistic tongues of chameleons & salamanders were each assembled via a different sequence of innovations, highlighting how biomechanical modularity, rather than exceptional materials, underlies this vertebrate ballistic innovation.

Chameleons & salamanders evolved a sliding-based linear actuator to launch the tongue via muscular squeezing of a tapered skeletal rod, contrasting with tendon-driven pulling mechanisms common in most musculoskeletal systems, allowing acceleration along a straight path. www.cell.com/current-biol...

A new article documents a new locality for the Endangered Calumma vencesi in the Sorata Forest of NE Madagascar. Their presence supports the need to conserve this valuable mountain forest, which is also home to the likely Critically Endangered Brookesia nana. www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/v...

A 2nd clutch of Bradypodion melanocephalum from Durban was born in the lab this week (in addition to the clutch from Hilton ~2.5 weeks ago)! Here a 2 day old neonate is next to an ~12 week old juvenile (clutch has grown 6-10x in mass since birth). Lots of cool data being collected in the lab!

Half of respondents reported seeing flashlights shining at night & some reported trespassing & confrontational interactions with individuals repeatedly entering their yards to collect chameleons, highlighting the importance of recognizing social impacts of species introductions.

A study on societal impacts of introduced populations of F. pardalis in Florida found that residents knew of but expressed low concern about the chameleons' presence, expressing more concern for their safety given the activities of private collectors. digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcont...

Some hopeful news on the Critically Endangered Furcifer belalandaensis, which was recently discovered in some less disturbed habitat than it has previously been known from, possibly providing an opportunity to better protect the species! Article: greenauve.org/new-hope-for...

A clutch of Bradypodion cf. melanocephalum “Hilton” born in the lab today! Immediately getting some metabolic rate data from them to follow through ontogeny! Have also been getting metabolic rate data from the mother for the last 3 months and will continue as she recovers from birth as well!

Anderson lab members are coauthoring 11 talks and posters with collaborators at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyology and Herpetology (JMIH) this week in St. Paul, MN!

Two female Trioceros jacksonii, which appear to be T. j. xantholophus with rostral horns, from 2,130m elevation on the western/southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya.

Trioceros hoehnelii from 2,130m elevation on the western/southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya!

Some Trioceros hoehnelii from the Naro Moru route on Mount Kenya!

Aberdares Montane Dwarf Chameleon (Trioceros kinangopensis)!

Kenya Montane Viper (Montatheris hindii)!

High-casqued Chameleons (Trioceros hoehnelii)!

Members of the Anderson Lab (past and present) in Kenya. Of course they are finding lots of cool chameleons and other herps! Stay tuned for some cool highlights!

Headed home from a successful trip!

Recording feeding trials at different temperatures using high-speed video to look at thermal effects on performance in elastic recoil- and muscle-powered movements.

Searching for Bradypodion sp. “Emerald” (Emerald Dwarf Chameleons) and a couple things along the way.

Finding and photographing Bradypodion thamnobates, and animal care in the field at Colin Tilbury’s house.

Finishing off some collection and checking out some other local chameleon taxa. Bradypodion cf. melanocephalum “Hilton” & Bradypodion cf. thamnobates “Karkloof”

Some good luck finding chameleons & some looks at a few local snakes thanks to help from local herpers Nick Evans & Carla Goede! Bradypodion melanocephalum, Chamaeleo dilepis, Python natalensis hatchlings, & Dastpeltis inornata.

Off for a round of fieldwork in South Africa! Pictures from the trip and work to follow as usual.

Further, we show that supercontracting muscle in chameleons may share common contractile and structural properties due to a common origin from occipital somites. royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... 6/6

We propose this broadened length-tension relationship is achieved through sarcomere length non-uniformity with muscle fibers across the muscle belly at different starting lengths during contraction, resulting in some fibers shortening onto their force plateau while others shorten off it. 5/6

One does so with perforated z-discs, representing the 2nd known example of supercontracting muscle in vertebrates. The other, on the other hand, has typical, uninterrupted z-discs & should therefore be limited in the range of lengths over which it is able to change & continue to exert force. 4/6

Chameleons rely on greater hyoid motion than other lizards & associated muscles may benefit from supercontractile properties. We show that 2 hyoid retractor muscles (m. sternohyoideus superficialis et profundus) show similarly broad length-tension relationships to their supercontracting muscle. 3/6

Chameleons project their tongues ≤2.5x their body length, with their tongue retractor muscle being the only known vertebrate example of supercontracting muscle, with perforated z-discs allowing the muscle to shorten & continue exerting force beyond lengths typical skeletal muscle is able to. 2/6

Thread: A new lab publication explores functional, anatomical and developmental aspects of extreme length change among chameleon hyoid musculature. royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... 1/6

A 2nd muscle exhibits similarly broad force-length relationship but through another means. The authors propose that it does so through sarcomere length non-uniformity and that the supercontracting muscles of chameleons may share common properties due to a common embryonic origin.

Examination of chameleon feeding muscles finds the 2nd supercontracting muscle among vertebrates (1st is chameleon tongue retractor muscle) allowing force exertion over a broader range of muscle lengths than typical striated muscle is capable of. royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

Initial descriptions of the microbiomes of 3 Bradypodion suggest similar microbiomes to other squamates & chelonians investigated to date. Differences between urban & rural populations are likely due to the magnitude of difference between habitats occupied by each species. peerj.com/articles/188...

I am hiring a Postdoctoral Researcher to study the comparative biomechanics & thermal effects of chameleon feeding! See attached flier for more info & contact me directly with questions! Official job add & application portal: yourfuture.sdbor.edu/postings/41941