On the Vernacular Names of Trioceros affinis

The species complex of the Ethiopian Highland Chameleon," Trioceros affinis complex" contains a cluster of closely related species scattered on isolated locations ofver the Ethiopian highlands on both sides of the Great African Rift.

It is also referred to as "Rüppell's Desert Chameleon", cited by iNaturalist, The Reptile Database, The Chameleon Database and Wikipedia... This name is, however inappropriate. Yes, it has been described by Rüppel, but in no way it is a desert chameleon. It inhabits the lush green montane forest zone of the Ethiopian plateau in and around the plantations of Coffea arabica, often at altitudes high above 2500m a.s.l.

Another name found in the literature is the Beardless Ethiopian Montane Chameleon (IUCN Red Data Book, Wikipedia), which fits only partly, as is clearly separates it from Trioceros harennae and Trioceros bitaeniatus, but Trioceros baalebicornutus is also beardless and lives just few kilometres from a location, typically inhabited by a member of the" Trioceros affinis complex", Trioceros wolfgangboehmei.