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| Coloration in life of males of all species of Potamites Doan & Castoe, 2005 ocurrying in Peru. A–B. Potamites hydroimperator sp. nov. Chávez, Malqui & Catenazzi, 2021 C–D. P. ecpleopus Cope, 1875. E–F. P. erythrocularis Chávez & Catenazzi, 2014. G–H. P. juruazensis Avila-Pires & Vitt, 2001. I–J. P. montanicola Chávez & Vasquez, 2012. K–L. P. strangulatus Cope, 1868. M–N. P. trachodus Uzzell, 1966. Photographs by Germán Chávez (A–B, G–J, M–N) and Alessandro Catenazzi (C–F, K–L). |
ABSTRACT
We describe a new species of riparian lizard from the foothills and submontane forest of El Sira Communal Reserve, Departamento de Huánuco, Peru, at elevations from 540 to 760 m. We name the new species Potamites hydroimperator sp. nov. because it is the only lizard living in streams in this isolated mountain. The new species is distinguishable from other congeners (except P. ecpleopus) by having longitudinal rows of keeled scales on dorsum, and males with 5–8 lateral ocelli on each flank. Potamites hydroimperator sp. nov. differs from P. ecpleopus by being smaller, having dorsal scales on forelimbs smooth or slightly keeled, subconical tubercles on forelimbs weakly present or absent, and four to five superciliar scales. We comment on variation in the pattern of keeling of dorsal scales among Amazonian lowland, Andean foothills and montane species of Potamites, and the potential relevance of this scalation pattern for taxonomic and biogeographic studies. The new species increases our knowledge of the diverse and endemic herpetofauna of El Sira, and of diversity within the genus Potamites. Despite El Sira’s status as natural protected area, gold mining activities are destroying the streams where we found P. hydroimperator sp. nov., threatening their populations.
Keywords: riparian, lizard, Potamites, Andean, Sira
Phylum Chordata Haeckel, 1874
Class Reptilia Laurenti, 1768
Order Squamata Oppel, 1811
Family Gymnophtalmidae Merrem, 1820
Subfamily Cercosaurinae Gray, 1838
Genus Potamites Doan & Castoe, 2005
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| Holotype in life of Potamites hydroimperator sp. nov., CORBIDI 13915 (SVL = 59.4 mm). A. Dorsal view. |
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| Holotype in life of Potamites hydroimperator sp. nov., CORBIDI 13915 (SVL = 59.4 mm). B. Ventral view. C. Dorsolateral view of the head. |
Potamites hydroimperator sp. nov.
Potamites ecpleopus – Torres-Carvajal et al. 2016: 70.
See comments under ʻGeneric allocationʼ.
Diagnosis: A medium-sized Potamites (SVL = 50.5–59.6 mm, n = 5) characterized by the following combination of morphological features: 1) Body slender, slightly depressed laterally, maximum SVL in males 59.6 mm, 51.6 mm in females; 2) head acuminate from dorsal and lateral view, scales on the dorsal surface of the head smooth; 3) frontonasal divided, shorter than frontal, small rounded azygous scale usually present between frontonasal and prefrontals; 4) prefrontals present; 5) frontal present; 6) loreal present, romboid, not in contact with supralabials; 7) nasal partially divided, behind the nostril; 8) supraoculars four, anteriormost not fused with anteriormost superciliar; 9) superciliar series complete, usually five, occasionally four; 10) supralabial-subocular fusion absent; 11) lower palpebral disc oval, transparent, not divided; 12) postoculars three; 13) postparietals 10–11; 14) hemipenis in two pairs, transverse sutures perpendicular with respect to midline of body; 15) dorsals rectangular, subimbricate, granular and keeled; 16) 34–36 longitudinal rows of dorsal keeled scales, 2–3 granular scales between the two paravertebral rows of keeled dorsals; 17) flanks partially covered by subconical low tubercles, absent or poorly present above the insertion of forelimbs; 18) anterolateral and dorsal brachial scales of forelimbs smooth or slightly keeled; 19) 32–36 scales around midbody; 20) 21–22 longitudinal rows of ventral scales; 21) 32–33 total femoral pores in males, two in females, two scales between femoral pores; 22) 14–16 subdigital scales on 4th finger; 23) 21–24 on 4th toe; 24) forelimb reaching anteriorly the fourth supralabial; 25) tail slightly compressed with three rows of lateral scales per two ventral caudals; 26) hemipenis globose (Supp. file 5), lobes indistinct from hemipenial body; 27) hemipenial flounces chevron shaped, lacking calcified spines, laterally oriented and forming two chevrons on distal half of hemipenis while its basal half is covered with four transverse flounces, separated by a small expansion pleat; sulcate flounces about as wide as asulcate flounces; isolated transversal flounces on proximal-central region of asulcate face absent; distal filiform appendages on the hemipenial lobes absent, sulcus spermaticus single; 28) dorsum yellowish brown to dark brown with slightly darker irregular blotches; 5–8 lateral ocelli with a creamy yellow center on each flank in males, a single ocellus with a pale brown center at the level of the insertion of forelimbs on each flank in females; flanks yellowish brown or partially pigmented of vermilion red in adult males; a creamy white to yellow diagonal stripe (continuous or discontinuous) going from 4th or 5thsupralabials to 5th infralabial; ventral coloration in males vermilion red to reddish pink on belly and base of the tail, yellowish pink on ventral surface on limbs, pale blue to grayish blue on ventral surface of the neck and throat, saffron yellow on femoral pores; ventral coloration in females creamy yellow on throat, chest, belly, ventral surface of limbs and base of the tail, with black speckling on throat; ventral surface of the rest of the tail yellowish brown to dark brown in males and females; pupil black surrounded by a yellowish orange to copper ring, iris olive to yellowish brown.
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| Variation of the type series showing the dorsal (left column) and ventral (right column) views of paratypes. A–B. ♂, CORBIDI 14468 (SVL = 54.5). C–D. ♂, CORBIDI 14469 (SVL = 59.6). E–F. ♀, CORBIDI 14470 (SVL = 51.6). |
Etymology: The specific epithet ʻhydroimperatorʼ derives from the Greek word ʻhydroʼ (ʻwaterʼ), and the Latin name ʻimperatorʼ (ʻemperorʼ). The name alludes to the riparian habits of the new species, which is the only lizard in El Sira using the streams as part of its habitat.
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| Coloration in life of males of all species of Potamites Doan & Castoe, 2005 ocurrying in Peru. A–B. Potamites hydroimperator sp. nov. (CORBIDI 14468). C–D. P. ecpleopus Cope, 1875 (CORBIDI 9516). E–F. P. erythrocularis Chávez & Catenazzi, 2014 (MUSM 30260). G–H. P. juruazensis Avila-Pires & Vitt, 2001 (CORBIDI 15504). I–J. P. montanicola Chávez & Vasquez, 2012 (CORBIDI 10596). K–L. P. strangulatus Cope, 1868 (CORBIDI 11415). M–N. P. trachodus Uzzell, 1966 (CORBIDI 15515). Photographs by Germán Chávez (A–B, G–J, M–N) and Alessandro Catenazzi (C–F, K–L). |
Germán Chávez, Jose Malqui and Alessandro Catenazzi. 2021. A New Riparian Andean Potamites (Reptilia, Squamata, Gymnophtalmidae) from El Sira Mountains, central Peru, with Comments on P. ecpleopus Cope 1875, and on the Taxonomy and Biogeography of Potamites. European Journal of Taxonomy. 760(1); 136-159. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2021.760.1445
