Kinyongia (derived from the group's name in Kiswahili language) is a genus of chameleons found in montane and sub-montane areas in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and far eastern DR Congo. They are restricted to forests, woodlands and other wooded habitats, and many species have very small geographic ranges. In most species, at least the males have horns or knobs on their noses. (2006). "A review of the genus Bradypodion (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae), with the descriptions of two new genera". Zootaxa 1363: 23–38. As typical of most chameleons, Kinyongia are oviparous.
They were initially placed in the genus Chamaeleo and by some authorities subsequently transferred into Bradypodion, but in 2006 they were moved to their own genus, Kinyongia.Klaver CJ, Böhme W (1986). "Phylogeny and classification of the Chamaeleonidae (Sauria) with special reference to hemipenis morphology". Bonner Zoologische Monographien 22: 1–64.Tolley, Krystal A.; Tilbury, Colin R.; Branch, William R. (2004). "Phylogenetics of the southern African dwarf chameleons, Bradypodion (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 30: 354–365. PDF fulltext Tolley, Krystal A.; Tilbury, Colin R.; Branch, William R. (2007). "Corrections to species names recently placed in Kinyongia and Nadzikambia (Reptilia: Chamaeleonidae)". Zootaxa 1426: 68.
Species The following 23 species are recognized as being valid. www.reptile-database.org.
Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Kinyongia adolfifriderici Ituri chameleon Burundi, northern and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Kinyongia asheorum () Mount Nyiro bearded chameleon Kenya Kinyongia boehmei Taita blade-horned chameleon, Böhme's two-horned chameleon Kenya Kinyongia carpenteri Carpenter's chameleon Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinyongia excubitor Mt. Kenya hornless chameleon Kenya Kinyongia fischeri Fischer's chameleon, Nguru blade-horned chameleon, Nguru two-horned chameleon Tanzania. Kinyongia gyrolepis () Lendu chameleon Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinyongia itombwensis Itombwe forest chameleon Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinyongia magomberae Magombera chameleon Tanzania Kinyongia matschiei giant monkey-tailed East Usambara two-horned chameleon Tanzania.Kinyongia msuyae Tanzania.Kinyongia multituberculata West Usambara two-horned chameleon Tanzania Kinyongia mulyai Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinyongia oxyrhina sharp-nosed chameleon Tanzania.Kinyongia rugegensis Rugege highlands forest chameleon Burundi Kinyongia tavetana Kilimanjaro blade-horned chameleon, Kilimanjaro two-horned chameleon southern Kenya and northern Tanzania.Kinyongia tenuis Usambara soft-horned chameleon Kenya and TanzaniaKinyongia tolleyae Tolley's forest chameleon Uganda. Kinyongia uluguruensis Uluguru two-horned chameleon Tanzania Kinyongia uthmoelleri Hanang hornless chameleon Tanzania. Kinyongia vanheygeni Van Heygen's chameleon Tanzania.Kinyongia vosseleri East Usambara two-horned chameleon Tanzania.Kinyongia xenorhina strange-nosed chameleon western Uganda and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Kinyongia.
References
Further reading (2009). "Kinyongia asheorum sp. n., a new montane chameleon from the Nyiro Range, northern Kenya (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae)". Zootaxa 2028: 41–50.