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| Wilsonosaura josyi (Köhler, 2003)
in Lehr, Moravec & von May, 2020.
SALAMANDRA: German Journal of Herpetology. 56(1)
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We describe a new terrestrial genus of the family Gymnophthalmidae, subfamily Cercosaurinae, from central Peru on the basis of genetic and morphological characters. The monotypic Wilsonosaura gen. n. can be distinguished morphologically from all other genera of Cercosaurinae except of Proctoporus by having lower palpebral disc semi-transparent and undivided, dorsal scales weakly keeled to smooth, lateral scales distinctly smaller than dorsal scales, lateral scales forming a distinct longitudinal line of smaller scales, and absence of distinctly enlarged gulars. Wilsonosaura gen. n. can be distinguished from most species of Proctoporus by following characters: frequent occurrence of prefrontal shields, presence of weakly keeled to nearly smooth dorsal scales, by having a continuous line of lateral scales at the middle of flanks occasionally widened vertically by additional lateral scales interspacing the dorsals. Nevertheless, an unambiguous morphological character distinguishing the new genus from Proctoporus has not been identified. Phenotypic synapomorphies are not known for the new genus. In previously published phylogenies, Wilsonosaura gen. n. was identified as a distinct clade separated from all other cercosaurines. Wilsonosaura gen. n. is distributed in the regions of Junín, Pasco, and Huancavelica in upper montane forests and puna habitats from 2400 to 3726 m a.s.l. of the eastern Andes. We transfer Euspondylus josyi Köhler, 2003 as designated type species to Wilsonosaura gen. n. as Wilsonosaura josyi (Köhler, 2003) comb. n. and update the species diagnosis, description, and distribution.
Key words: Squamata, taxonomy, systematics, phylogeny, morphology, cryptic genus, Wilsonosaura gen. n., Euspondylus josyi, new combination.
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| Figure 5. Life males of Wilsonosaura josyi gen. n. et comb. n. in dorsolateral and ventral views. MUSM 31160, SVL = 53.6 mm (A, B), NMP-P6V 75867, SVL = 59.6 mm (C, D), MUSM 31991, SVL = 58.7 mm (E, F).
Photos by E. Lehr.
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| Figure 6. Life females of Wilsonosaura josyi gen. n. et comb. n. in dorsolateral and ventral views. MUSM 31188, SVL = 56.1 mm (A, B), MUSM 31973, SVL 48.7 mm (C, D).
Photos by E. Lehr (A, B) and J. Moravec (C, D).
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Family Gymnophthalmidae Fitzinger, 1826
Subfamily Cercosaurinae Gray, 1838
Genus Wilsonosaura gen. n.
Type species: Euspondylus josyi Köhler, 2003.
Suggested English name: Wilson’s microtegu.
Unnamed clade II (Torres-Carvajal et al. 2016, Moravec et al. 2018, Lehr et al. 2019)
Cercosaurini clade 2 (Vásquez-Restrepo et al. 2019)
Content: one species: Wilsonosaura josyi (Köhler, 2003) comb. n.
(previously Euspondylus josyi Köhler, 2003).
Diagnosis: Phenotypic synapomorphies are not known for this genus. Morphologically, Wilsonosaura gen. n. can be distinguished from all other genera of Cercosaurinae (except Proctoporus) by the combination of the following characters: lower palpebral disc semi-transparent, undivided (divided in Anadia, Andinosaura, Centrosaura, Euspondylus, Gelanesaurus, Oreosaurus, Petracola, Rheosaurus, Riama, and most Placosoma species; opaque in Pholidobolus); dorsal scales homogenous (heterogenous in Centrosaura, Echinosaura, Gelanesaurus, Neusticurus, Potamites, Rheosaurus; minute tubercles on posterior dorsal scales in Placosoma; slightly rugose in Selvasaura); lateral scales distinctly smaller than dorsal scales (lateral scales not distinctly reduced in size in Macropholidus); lateral scales forming a distinct longitudinal line of smaller scales (irregular pattern of smaller laterals in Dendrosauridion), dorsal scales weakly keeled to nearly smooth (smooth dorsal keels in Dendrosauridion), and short snout bluntly rounded (moderately long snout pointed in Dendrosauridion); absence of distinctly enlarged gulars (medial gulars distinctly enlarged forming longitudinal rows in Cercosaura). Frequent occurrence of prefrontal shields, presence of weakly keeled to nearly smooth dorsal scales, and a continuous line of lateral scales at the middle of flanks being occasionally widened vertically by additional lateral scales interspacing the dorsals distinguish Wilsonosaura gen. n. from most species of Proctoporus. Nevertheless, an unambiguous morphological character distinguishing the new genus from Proctoporus has not been identified
(see e.g., Oftedal 1974, Cadle & Chuna 1995, Altamirano-Benavides et al. 2013, Kok et al.
2013, Torres-Carvajal & Mafla-Endara 2013, Echevarría et al. 2015, Borges-Nojosa et al. 2016, Chávez et
al. 2017, Sánchez-Pacheco et al. 2017b, Moravec et al.
2018, Lehr et al. 2019).
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| Figure 9. Selected collecting sites and habitats of Wilsonosaura josyi gen. n. et comb. n. (A) Hatunpata, 3710 m a.s.l., 28 June 2013, (B) Trancapampa, 3550 m a.s.l., 2 July 2013, (C) Bosque de Sho’lett, 2430 m a.s.l., 27 January 2012, and (D) right slope near road leading to Satipo (before Maraynioc), 3726 m a.s.l., 24 April 2012.
Photos by J. Moravec (A, B, C), and E. Lehr (D).
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Distribution: Peru: Regions of Huancavelica (TorresCarvajal et al. 2016), Junín, and Pasco in upper montane forests and puna habitats between 2430 and 3710 m a.s.l. (Fig. 1).
Etymology: The generic name Wilsonosaura is derived from the last name Wilson and the Greek noun σαύρα (lizard; saura is the feminine form). We dedicate the new genus to Dr. E. O. Wilson in recognition of his lifelong contributions to biodiversity research and conservation.
Edgar Lehr, Jiří Moravec and Rudolf von May. 2020. A New Cryptic Genus of Terrestrial Lizard (Gymnophthalmidae: Cercosaurinae) from the eastern Andes of central Peru. SALAMANDRA: German Journal of Herpetology. 56(1); 1–15.
Resumen. Describimos un nuevo género de lagartija de la familia Gymnophthalmidae, subfamilia Cercosaurinae, del centro del Perú, usando caracteres moleculares y morfológicos. Wilsonosaura gen. n. se puede distinguir morfológicamente de todos los demás géneros de Cercosaurinae excepto Proctoporus por tener un disco palpebral inferior semi-transparente y no dividido, escamas dorsales ligeramente quilladas a lisas, escamas laterales notoriamente más pequeñas que las escamas dorsales, escamas laterales formando una línea longitudinal distinta a lo largo del cuerpo y ausencia de escamas gulares notoriamente grandes. Se puede diferenciar Wilsonosaura gen. n. de la mayoría de especies de Proctoporus mediante los siguientes caracteres: presencia frecuente de placas prefrontales, presencia de escamas dorsales ligeramente quilladas a lisas, presencia de una línea continua de escamas laterales en el medio de los flancos (ocasionalmente más ancha en aspecto vertical debido a la presencia de escamas laterales junto a las dorsales). Sin embargo, no se ha identificado un carácter morfológico inequívoco que distinga al nuevo género de Proctoporus. No se conocen sinapomorfías fenotípicas para el nuevo género. En una filogenia previamente publicada, Wilsonosaura gen. n. fue identificado como un clado distinto separado de todos los demás cercosaurinos. Wilsonosaura gen. n. está distribuido en las regiones de Junín, Pasco y Huancavelica, en los Andes orientales, y habita bosques montanos y puna a elevaciones entre 2400 y 3726 m s.n.m. Transferimos Euspondylus josyi Köhler, 2003 y la designamos como especie tipo de Wilsonosaura gen. n., como Wilsonosaura josyi (Köhler, 2003) comb. n. y actualizamos la diagnosis, descripción y distribución de esta especie.
Palabras clave: Squamata, taxonomía, sistemática, filogenia, morfología, género críptico, Wilsonosaura gen. n., Euspondylus josyi, nueva combinación
