Pregnant creature — that might reproduce without males — discovered as new species
As darkness fell across a forest in Uganda, scientists grabbed their flashlights and ventured out. Searching the trees, they found a “large” pregnant creature perched on a branch.
The team didn’t realize it right away, but they’d discovered a new species.
Researchers visited the site in Uganda as part of a larger survey of lizards in central Africa, according to a study published May 30 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. The project focused on a group of pygmy chameleons, also known as the Rhampholeon group.
These pygmy chameleons usually live on the forest floor and “exhibit traits closely mimicking a dead leaf,” the study said. Because of their “cryptic” look, these lizard species were often misidentified. A recent DNA analysis found evidence that six unique species were being lumped together.
Intrigued, a team of researchers decided to search for these new species.
Through wildlife surveys and in-depth analysis of dozens of chameleons, they eventually discovered a new species: Rhampholeon nalubaale, or the goddess pygmy chameleon.
Goddess pygmy chameleons are considered “large,” reaching about 2.7 inches in length, the study said. They have “leaf-like” bodies covered in flat bumps. Under ultraviolet light, the bumps on their faces emit a “blue” glow.
Photos show the tannish-orange coloring of a goddess pygmy chameleon. Overall, it seems to blend in well with its surroundings.
Researchers found only females of the new species, five of which were pregnant with eggs and all of which had “negligible” or “non-existent” DNA variation, the study said. Historically, scientists have found almost 100 goddess pygmy chameleons from 10 different locations but never found a male.
This pattern led researchers to suggest that the new species might reproduce without males, the study said. Instead, females might reproduce through an asexual process known as parthenogenesis, resulting in so-called “virgin births.” Still, researchers don’t know for sure.
Goddess pygmy chameleons have been found in lowland forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, two neighboring countries in central Africa.
Researchers said they named the new species “nalubaale,” a Luganda word meaning “a spirit of feminine qualities.” Luganda, also known as Ganda, is an indigenous language of Uganda.
The new species was identified by its DNA, preferred habitat, size and other subtle physical features, the study said.
The research team included Daniel Hughes, Mathias Behangana, Wilber Lukwago, Michele Menegon, J. Maximilian Dehling, Philipp Wagner, Colin Tilbury, Trisan South, Chifundera Kusamba and Eli Greenbaum.
Researchers also discovered four more new species: the Albertine Rift pygmy chameleon, Bombay’s pygmy chameleon, Mountains of the Moon pygmy chameleon and Plumptre’s pygmy chameleon.
This story was originally published June 4, 2024 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Pregnant creature — that might reproduce without males — discovered as new species."
