Rieppeleon is a genus of small, typically brown chameleons found in forests and savannas in East Africa. They are found at low levels in bushes, or on the ground among grass or leaf litter.[1]
The genus Rieppeleon was named after Swiss-born American herpetologist Olivier Rieppel (born 1951).[2] [3]
The specific name, kerstenii, is in honor of German chemist and geographer Otto Kersten (1839–1900).[3]
The subspecific name, robecchii, is in honor of Italian geologist and explorer Luigi Robecchi Bricchetti (1855–1926).[3]
Until recently, the species in the genus Rieppeleon were commonly included in the genus Rhampholeon instead.
The following species and subspecies are recognized as being valid.[4]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rieppeleon brachyurus | beardless pygmy chameleon | Malawi, Mozambique, and southeastern Tanzania. | |
| Rieppeleon brevicaudatus | bearded pygmy chameleon | eastern Usambara and Uluguru Mountains in northeastern Tanzania and Kenya | |
| Rieppeleon kerstenii | Kenya pygmy chameleon | eastern Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and northeastern Tanzania | |
A binomial authority, or trinomial authority, in parentheses indicates that the species, or subspecies, was originally described in a genus other than Rieppeleon.