The common chameleon Chamaeleo chamaeleon in southern Italy: evidence for allochthony of populations in Apulia and Calabria (Reptilia: Squamata: Chamaeleonidae)

Abstract

Abstract The common chameleon Chamaeleo chamaeleon is present in many Mediterranean countries. Its occurrence in Italy is historically reported for Sicily, where it appears to be no longer present. While many contemporary findings across the Italian Penisula refer to single observations, likely due to introduced or released animals, the species turned out to be established in two southern regions (Apulia and Calabria) with acclimatised populations. To investigate their provenance, we analysed tissue samples of individuals from these localities. A fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and compared with sequences available in Genbank. Our results showed that individuals from Calabria share haplotypes with those from Tunisia (N. Africa), while those from Apulia are coincident to samples from Israel. This suggests that individuals were most likely introduced in Italy.