Kinyongia asheorum

Kinyongia asheorum, also known commonly as the Mount Nyiro bearded chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Kenya. Only four specimens are known.

Etymology

The specific name, asheorum, is in honor of British-Kenyan herpetologist James Ashe, and his wife Sanda.

Description

K. asheorum is medium-sized, reaching a maximum size of about . It has a distinct head casque, a pointed snout, and two horns on the tip of the snout. It is uniformly dark green with several white spots and brownish ridges.

Distribution and habitat

K. asheorum is only known to occur on Mount Nyiro in Kenya, where it was collected in a single patch of forest at an altitude of. It inhabits large trees with extensive canopy cover.

Conservation

While the species K. asheorum appears not to be under direct threat, it has a very restricted distribution and may be impacted by logging, forest fires, and grazing outside the forest. It has been classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN.