Two new species of wood lizards (Hoplocercinae: Enyalioides) from Cordillera de Colán in north-eastern Peru

Pablo J. Venegas*, Luis A. García-Ayachi, Juan C. Chávez-Arribasplata, Axel Marchelie, Santiago Bullard, Eduardo Quispe, Juan D. Valencia, Jasmín Odar, Omar Torres-Carvajal

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Based on morphological features, genetic distances, and phylogenetic relationships, we report the discovery of two new species of Enyalioides from the montane forest of Cordillera de Colán in northern Peru. The first new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: scales immediately posterior to superciliaries on lateral edge of skull conical, slightly higher than adjacent scales; gular scales heterogeneous in size; scales on neck mostly large and conical; dorsal scales between dorsolateral crests covered by large, keeled, mucronate scales; scales on flanks tiny, tuberculate or granular, with scattered enlarged conical or tuberculate scales; ventral scales keeled or feebly keeled; caudal scales heterogeneous, increasing in size posteriorly on each segment; and marked sexual dichromatism. Among other features, the second new species differs from other Enyalioides in having a distinctively low vertebral crest; scales immediately posterior to superciliaries on lateral edge of skull barely projected and similar in height to adjacent scales; 56-71 vertebral scales from occiput to base of tail; dorsal scales feebly keeled and heterogeneous in size; ventral scales keeled; and caudal scales heterogeneous, increasing in size posteriorly on each segment. In addition, we present an updated identification key for species of Hoplocercinae.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)23074.1 and 17
JournalJournal of Vertebrate Biology
Volume73
Issue number23074
DOIs
StatePublished - 31 Jan 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Institute of Vertebrate Biology Czech Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Funding

We are grateful to the Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado (SERNANP), especially to the professional personnel of the Santuario Nacional Cordillera de Colán and Reserva Comunal Chayu Nain: Christian Olivera, Jhonny D. Ramos, Gerlys Fernandez, Abner García, Victor Juep Bakuants, Ysmael Zurita Santos, Roger Vasquez Rojas, Timoteo Wasum Shakai and Efrain Tsamajain Yampii. We are also indebted to Geronimo Goicochea Nuñez and Humberto Palomino Rafael from Guayaquil for their support in the field. This research was funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), with the project numbers CEPF-109938 and CEPF 113268, through the Fondo de Promoción de las Áreas Naturales Protegidas del Perú (PROFONANPE), and the Hollomon Price Foundation.

FundersFunder number
Fondo de Promoción de las Áreas Naturales Protegidas del Perú
Hollomon Price Foundation
Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado
Critical Ecosystem Partnership FundCEPF 113268, CEPF-109938

    Keywords

    • Andes
    • Enyalioides anisolepis
    • Huancabamba Depression
    • Peruvian Yungas
    • River Marañón
    • lizards
    • systematics

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