Check out the new Reptiles Magazine, good article on Mt. Meru Jackson's Chameleons

[Intense Herpetoculture]

I know, it's a shameless self promotion for my new article in Reptiles Magazine, but still, it's good. If your interested in Mt. Meru Jackson's Chameleons, be sure to check it out in the June issue of Reptiles.

 

[JasonDescamps]

Justyn,

Good job on the article. It's good to see meru's profiled somewhere.

 

[Intense Herpetoculture]

Thanks Jason. I'm a huge fan of the Meu's and have mny heart's content on establishing them in captivity. I did have a good sized breeding colony there for a while, but lost it due to a few mistakes regarding feeding them flies, but I'm at it again. They really are under valued and hardly ever are kept long term in the US. One day I'll change that.

 

[robin d.]

i'm not worthy!!! please teach this young grasshopper

 

[JasonDescamps]

Justyn,

That is a species that I plan on working with more this year. I had a small group about 5 years ago that were doing quite well. Had a kid and needed money though so I sold them. I'm still knee deep in my wiedershiemi project right now but I am hoping to free up some time for meru's as well. Again, great job.

 

[Intense Herpetoculture]

Jason,
Contact me later his year and I should have some CBB Merus for you, more then willing to trade for some wiedershiemi. I really like a lot of the highland Cameroon chams. I'm still trying to find a good shipment of xenos come in from Uganda, now those I really like. If you have any pics of your guys post them on here, and I'll try to do the same.


Robin,
You're just to funny!

 

[Soulfly]

yada yada

I really apologize for digging up this old thread but I thought it necessary since the author of this article will not reply to any of the means I have used to contact him.

I was seriously disappointed that the proper credit wasn't given where it was due...

Justyn, would you care to see the first draft you sent me for revisions and the one I put so much work into and then sent back to you? Or shall I post it here so everyone can see how close it resembles the printed copy?

I don't know what happened man but regardless, why straight up diss me like that?

-JDM

 

[Intense Herpetoculture]

Josh, I repleyed to your e-mail which you sent me via Fauna so I have no idea what you are talking about. I gave you credit that was due in the article but it was edited out by the staff at Reptiles, not be me. You saw the draft, and I gave you credit, I have no reason to turn around and stab you in the back after everything you helped me with concerning that article. I was a bit pissed off that proper credit was not given, but I did not see the edited version pripor to it be printed so please do not blame me. You are a great person and a valuable addition to the herp community, I have always thought that and always will. I do not have any issues with you, and I responded to the message you sent me shortly after it arrived in my [email protected] e-mail box. I thought it was important enough to write back to be late for work because I understood your concern and was pissed off about it myself.

 

[Soulfly]

Hmmm.... I can see something within the article being edited but to simply remove credit for work someone contributed sounds absurd to me. I really can't see the editors of such a high profile magazine doing something that reflects plagiarism.

I just know that I put a good deal of time in on that article with all the stuff I added and also going through what you already had. It just bums me out as I am sure it would you or anyone else!

-Josh

 

[crawling_lion]

Incorrect Spelling

Hi,

Congratulations on the article, I truly enjoyed it. The only problem I found with the article was the incorrect spelling of the subspecific name ("merumontana" as opposed to "merumontanus"). Since the genus and subgenus are in masculine form [Chamaeleo (Trioceros)], the species and subspecies names MUST be maintained consistent. This is perhaps the number one mistake people make when trying to spell taxonomic names (even book authors have made this mistake!!).

Thus, the correct spelling for the Mt. Meru Jackson's chameleon is:

Genus: Chamaeleo
Subgenus (in parenthesis): Trioceros
Species: jacksonii
Subspecies: merumontanus

*Note that only the genus and subgenus are capitalized.

If you're ever wondering the correct spelling (current) of most species check out the new book by P. Necas titled: CHAMELEONS: Nature's Hidden Jewels (2004).


Regards,


Fabian

--------

 

[Intense Herpetoculture]

Re: Incorrect Spelling

I agree with you on this, in fact I did have it as "merumontanus" until the editors called me and asked me if I was sure it was not "merumontana." I checked the last pulication with the species represented in it, a respected work by Spawls en al (2002) titled "A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa."

Hi,

Congratulations on the article, I truly enjoyed it. The only problem I found with the article was the incorrect spelling of the subspecific name ("merumontana" as opposed to "merumontanus"). Since the genus and subgenus are in masculine form [Chamaeleo (Trioceros)], the species and subspecies names MUST be maintained consistent. This is perhaps the number one mistake people make when trying to spell taxonomic names (even book authors have made this mistake!!).

Thus, the correct spelling for the Mt. Meru Jackson's chameleon is:

Genus: Chamaeleo
Subgenus (in parenthesis): Trioceros
Species: jacksonii
Subspecies: merumontanus

*Note that only the genus and subgenus are capitalized.

If you're ever wondering the correct spelling (current) of most species check out the new book by P. Necas titled: CHAMELEONS: Nature's Hidden Jewels (2004).


Regards,


Fabian

--------

As for you Josh, really, I am tired of you trying to tarnish my name. I was not upset with you on this issue until now, I still had a respected view of you and everything you have done for me in the past. I think that's all gone now. I was just thinking you went crazy.

 

[crawling_lion]

Respected Work made mistakes

Well, I'm glad you "caught it." It's unfortunate that the editors at Reptiles Magazine are unable to determine whether "merumontana" is correct or incorrect. The book you describe as a "respected work" is in fact one of my favorites in my collection of literature, but in that book, not only is merumontanus written as "merumontana," but "jacksonii" is written as "jacksoni". But, for the sake of argument, let us pretend that the book writes jacksonii correctly: in that case, according to the International Code for Zoological Nomenclature, the genus, species and subspecies must be gender-consistent. So if the genus is Chamaeleo (masculine), then the species and subspecies must also be masculine (merumontana is feminine).


Regards,


Fabian

 

[Intense Herpetoculture]

Your totally correct on this issue, again thank you for bringing it up. I'm moving up to your area soon to start work at the Fort Worth Zoo, we'll have to meet up some time and I'll show you my collection.

 

[crawling_lion]

Fort Worth Zoo?

This is definitely a strange coincidence. Will you be working in the herp house? We (at the DWA) work quite closely with them (as well as with the Dallas Zoo) in different areas (not only herps but also birds and mammals). I truly admire their collection of herps...

Anyway, congratulations and perhaps we'll see you soon.


Regards,


Fabian

 

[Intense Herpetoculture]

Re: Fort Worth Zoo?

Yep, I going to be the new guy at the Fort Worth Zoo working with the herps! Not sure on a date yet, still waiting to hear, but I'll be up in that area within the next week. It is a strange coincidence, isn't it? I hear the Fort Worth Zoo will be setting up a small exhibit with some Marine fish as well, hopefully I get to work them them, very into my fish (mostly cichlids). As for the zoo collection of herps, yes, it is very nice collection. I feel honored I get the chance to work with it shortly.

This is definitely a strange coincidence. Will you be working in the herp house? We (at the DWA) work quite closely with them (as well as with the Dallas Zoo) in different areas (not only herps but also birds and mammals). I truly admire their collection of herps...

Anyway, congratulations and perhaps we'll see you soon.


Regards,


Fabian