Madagascar chameleon turns out to be 11 distinct species says DNA study

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HONG KONG: Chameleons in Madagascar previously thought to all belong to a single species have actually turned out to be 11 separate species.
Chameleons are famous for their ability to disguise themselves, adapting the their hue through nanocrystals in their skin, actively tuning to reflect light differently. And one of the most famous masters of this disguise is the panther chameleon, first described in 1829, and native only to Madagascar.
According to new research published on May 24, led by Michel Milinkovitch, professor of genetics, evolution, and biophysics at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), this chameleon has been hiding another trick inside its scaly skin: It’s not a single species of chameleon. It’s 11.
Professor Milinkovitch’s team, in collaboration with Achille Raselimanana of the University of Antananarivo, wasn’t looking for new species. Instead, they were looking for genetic keys that might give some indication of how the panther chameleon achieves its unusually broad colour palette. Some panther chameleons are a vivid blue, such as those from the island of Nosy Be, while others from different can be red, orange or green. These colourations vary according to region.