Jackson's chameleon

Lore & Background

Jackson's chameleon was described by Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1896. Its generic name Trioceros derives from Greek for 'three horns,' referring to the three brown horns on males: one on the nose and one above each eye. The specific name jacksonii honors English explorer and ornithologist Frederick John Jackson, then Governor of Kenya. Three subspecies are recognized: the nominate T. j. jacksonii, the dwarf T. j. merumontanus from Mount Meru, and the yellow-crested T. j. xantholophus from the Mount Kenya region.

Reader's Guide

Jackson's chameleon is significant as an arboreal lizard native to highland forests of Kenya and Tanzania, but its introduction to Hawaii in 1972 via the subspecies T. j. xantholophus has made it an invasive species with substantial threat to native biodiversity. In Hawaii, it preys on endemic invertebrates, including critically endangered O'ahu tree snails (genus Achatinella), and has been found to consume land snails, insects, and other small animals. Historically, the Hawaiian population was the primary source for the U.S. exotic pet trade, though exports from Hawaii are now illegal to prevent further feral populations.

The species is ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young after a five- to six-month gestation. In captivity, it requires high humidity and cool night temperatures, with a lifespan of five to ten years. Its territorial behavior is less aggressive than many chameleons, relying on color displays and posturing.

Did You Know?

• Males possess three brown horns, reminiscent of the dinosaur genus Triceratops.
• It is ovoviviparous, giving birth to 8–30 live young after a 5–6 month gestation.
• It feeds primarily on insects and other small invertebrates, but does not swallow whole snails with shells.