Taxonomic notes: Section empty

This leaf chameleon is endemic to Madagascar where it is only known from a single locality in Ankarana National Park (Glaw et al. 2012) between elevations of 100 m and 200 m above sea level.  Future studies should clarify the identity of records of the Brookesia minima group from Analamera and Daraina forests.

This species has a patchy distribution and is relatively abundant in certain areas of forest, whilst scarce or absent in others within Ankarana National Park (Glaw et al. 2012).

This species inhabits low-lying vegetation, just above the leaf litter, in deciduous forest close to rocky limestone outcrops (Glaw et al. 2012). This forest-dependent species is unlikely to be able to tolerate significant disturbance to forest habitats.

Although the Brookesia genus is on Appendix II of CITES B. confidens is a newly described taxon that has not been recorded from international trade.

This species occurs in a single protected area, Ankarana National Park. It is only known to occur at a single site within the park but is likely to be more widespread because the habitat from where it was recorded is found in other areas of Ankarana National Park. The forests outside of the protected area are threatened by logging, fire, mining and expanding agriculture and although these threats also occur within the park, they are not thought to be a major concern for B. confidens at present. The forest inhabited by the species is associated with rocky outcrops and represents poor agricultural land, although fire is a potential threat.

• 5.3.3 Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]

This species occurs in a single protected area, Ankarana National Park (Glaw et al. 2012). Future studies should clarify the identity of records of the Brookesia minima group from Analamera and Daraina forests.

• 2.1 Site/area management

Listed as Near Threatened because it is only known from a single site, Ankarana, making it subject to stochastic events, with a plausible future threat that could impact the species. If the threat became operational, the species would need to be immediately re-assessed. If the potential threats became active, it would potentially qualify for listing as Endangered because its range is less than 200 km², it occurs at a single location (where the threat would be habitat loss due to logging and fire) and there would be a continuing decline in the quality and area of habitat (qualifying the species for the criteria B1ab(iii)).

• Glaw F., Köhler J., Townsend T.M. and Vences, M. 2012. Rivaling the world’s smallest reptiles: discovery of miniaturized and microendemic new species of leaf chameleons (Brookesia) from Northern Madagascar. PLoS ONE 7(2): e31314. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031314.
• IUCN. 2014. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 13 November 2014).