MUIRHEAD'S MYSTERIES: Tanzanian chamaeleon

Today, Friday December 11th , Muirhead`s Mysteries features snakes yet again, but this time in a far less gruesome way. Indeed, in a positive way. The headline to this piece, from guardian.co.uk says it all:

'Snake spits out new species of chameleon at scientist`s feet. Latest find in natural world was result of reptile coughing up lizard as conservationist studied monkeys in jungle.

'It was so nearly known as dinner. Instead, a small and not terribly impressive chameleon has become the newest discovery of the natural world,after a startled Tanzanian snake spat a still undigested specimen at the feet of a British scientist, who identified it as a previously unknown species. Dr Andrew Marshall, a conservationist from York University, was surveying monkeys in the Magombera forest in Tanzania, when he stumbled across a twig snake which, frightened, coughed up the chameleon and fled.Though a colleague persuaded him not to touch it because of the risk from venom, Marshall suspected it might be a new species, and took a photograph to send to colleagues, who confirmed his suspicions

'“The thing is,colour isn`t the best thing for telling chameleons apart, since they can change colour for camouflage. They are usually identified based on the patterning and shape of the head, and the arrangement of scales. In this case it`s the bulge of the scales on its nose.”

'Happily for Marshall, shortly afterwards he spotted a second chameleon, this time alive, and was able to photograph it. The two creatures were found about six miles apart, which he believes may be the full extent of the area colonisedby the extremely rare species. Though he found the specimen in 2005, his paper on the discovery, published this week, puts the find formally on record. “It takes quite a long time to convince the authorities that you have a new species.” He said.

'Had Marshall hoped it might be named after him? “Oh crumbs, no. The thing is, if you work in an area of conservation importance and you give a species the name of that area it can really highlight that area. By giving it the name Magombera it raises the importance of the forest.”' (1)

1. Snake spits out new species of chameleon at scientist`s feet. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/23/new-chameleon-species-magombera-ta

Devo Space Junk

She was walking all alone
Down the street in the alley
Her name was Sally
She never saw it
When she was hit by space junk

In New York Miami beach
Heavy metal fell in cuba
Angola Saudi Arabia
On xmas eve said norad
A Soviet Sputnik hit Africa
India Venezuela (in Texas Kansas)

It`s falling fast peru too
It keeps coming
And now I`m mad about space junk
I`m all burned out about space junk
Oooh walk & talk about space junk
It smashed my baby`s head
And now my Sally`s dead