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| Magdalenasaura adercum
Fang, Vásquez-Restrepo & Daza, 2020
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Abstract
In the last decade, understanding of the Neotropical lizards family Gymnophthalmidae has changed dramatically with the recognition of several new genera, resolution of non-monophyly, definition of previously unknown lineages and refined biogeographic hypotheses. Recent field explorations on the northern Cordillera Central in Colombia uncovered two undescribed species that cannot be assigned to any currently recognized gymnophthalmid genus. Based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis combined with morphological and genetic distances, we describe a new genus and two new species from the northern Andes of Colombia. Magdalenasaura gen. nov. is restricted to the Magdalena biogeographic province and is sister to the cis-Andean genus Gelanesaurus. The new genus can be readily distinguished from all other Cercosaurinae genera by a combination of genetic and morphological characters. The new genus contains Magdalenasaura leurosquama sp. nov. and M. adercum sp. nov., both found in forested habitats near streams at altitudes ranging from 1300 to 1850 m on the eastern flank of the northern Cordillera Central in Colombia. We differentiate the Cercosaurinae genera from Colombia based on general scutellation. Filling the gaps of the tremendous diversity of gymnophthalmid lizards will improve taxonomic and biogeographic hypotheses to better understand the evolution of endemic lineages from the north-western corner of South America.
Keywords: Cordillera Central, Magdalena biogeographic province, molecular phylogenetics, morphology, reptiles, South America, systematics
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| Fig. 9. Geographic distribution of Magdalenasaura gen. nov. and Gelanesaurus in north-western South America. |
Magdalenasaura gen. nov.
Type species. Magdalenasaura leurosquama sp. nov.
Etymology. Magdalenasaura (gender feminine) derives
from the Spanish word Magdalena and the Greek word
saura (lizard), in allusion to the Magdalena river basin
where the two species have been found.
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| Holotype of Magdalenasaura adercum sp. nov. in life (MHUA-R 13522).
Photo by Juan M. Daza.
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Magdalenasaura adercum sp. nov.
Etymology. The epithet adercum derives from the
Greek word aderkes (unseen or unexpected), because
after extensive sampling efforts in the region these lizards seem to be very rare, secretive and hard to see.
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| Holotype of Magdalenasaura leurosquama sp. nov. in life (MHUA-R 13153).
Photo by Estefany Cano.
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Magdalenasaura leurosquama sp. nov.
Etymology. The epithet leurosquama derives from the
Greek word leuros (smooth), and the Latin word
squama (scale), in allusion to the smooth dorsal scales
of this species.
José M. Fang, Juan D. Vásquez-Restrepo and Juan M. Daza. 2020. Filling the Gaps in A Highly Diverse Neotropical Lizard Lineage: A New and Endemic Genus of Cercosaurinae (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) with the Description of Two New Species from the Northern Andes of Colombia. Systematics and Biodiversity. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2020.1783714
Descubren el primer género de reptiles endémico de Colombia
