The panther chameleon, long thought to be a single species, is actually eleven distinct species, according to a team of biologists led by Prof Michel Milinkovitch from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. The panther chameleon is one of the most spectacular reptilian endemic species in Madagascar. It is a very large chameleon. Males can grow up to 50 cm in length, with a typical length of around 45 cm. The species is distributed throughout the island but is locally abundant on the central-eastern, north-eastern, northern and north-western coasts. It has also been introduced to areas such as La Réunion and Mauritius. The most fascinating feature of the panther chameleons is their extraordinarily vibrant coloration. In a new study, Prof Milinkovitch and his colleagues performed a detailed analysis of color variation and molecular phylogeography within the species. The scientists collected blood samples from 324 individuals of the panther chameleon in locations spanning the whole species distribution, and documented them through high-resolution color photographs. The mitochondrial and nuclear DNA of each of the specimens were sequenced and analyzed in the laboratory. “The genetic material indicated strong genetic structure among geographically-restricted lineages, revealing very low interbreeding among populations,” Prof Milinkovitch and co-authors said.’’ “The mathematical analyses of the 324 photographs demonstrated that subtle color patterns could efficiently predict assignment of chameleon individuals to their corresponding genetic lineage, confirming that many of the geographical populations might need to be considered separated species. ’’ The biologists also simplified their analyses of the color diversity into a classification key, which allows to link most chameleons to their corresponding species using only the naked eye. They said this visual classification key assist Malagasy biologists and trade managers to avoid local population over-harvesting. “The task of biodiversity management is daunting because of the widespread destruction of the forest habitat for agricultural practices as well as for firewood and charcoal production by populations with very low living standards,” the scientists said.’’