[Herpetology • 2026] Stenocercus aguilari • Morphological and Genetic Evidence support New Species of Stenocercus (Iguania: Tropiduridae) from the Peruvian Andes

  

  Stenocercus aguilari  

Castillo-Urbina, Rios-Roque, Barrera-Moscoso & Mendoza, 2026

 

DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5796.2.5

Abstract

The genus Stenocercus comprises a diverse group of 80 recognized species distributed across South America, with approximately 65% (52 species) occurring in Peru. The Department of Ancash, situated in the central Andes and encompassing the Cordillera Negra and Cordillera Blanca, is a topographically complex region marked by prominent geographic barriers that may promote allopatric speciation and influence patterns of Andean biodiversity, particularly within Stenocercus lineages. Populations previously assigned to S. chrysopygus from the puna habitats of Ancash exhibit notable variation in diagnostic traits and coloration, suggesting that this taxon may represent a species complex. However, inconsistent morphological diagnoses and limited genetic data have hindered accurate taxonomic resolution, underscoring the need for integrative approaches. Furthermore, a recent study showed that only populations from the Santa River Valley correspond to S. chrysopygus sensu stricto, while the other populations assigned to the distribution of S. chrysopygus constitute lineages of different species. In this study, we describe Stenocercus aguilari sp. nov. from Huari Province, Ancash Department, and present a phylogenetic hypothesis of its position based on the mitochondrial ND2 gene. We applied multivariate morphological analyses of scale counts using MANOVA and Gaussian Mixture Models, as well as molecular species delimitation approaches based on both distance-based and tree-based single-locus methods. All analyses support the taxonomic distinctiveness of S. aguilari sp. nov. Morphologically, the new species belongs to the group characterized by granular scales on the posterior surface of the thighs, vertebral scales similar in size and shape to adjacent rows, and three caudal whorls per autotomic segment. It is distinguished from other members of this group by the absence of a posthumeral mite pocket, the presence of a Type 1 postfemoral mite pocket, higher number of midbody scales and the presence of a distinct black patch on the pelvic region of the venter in adult males. Finally, the focal lineage is divergent from all nominal species in the Stenocercus genus for which respective data are available by >14.8% uncorrected pairwise distance in the ND2 gene.

Reptilia, Integrative taxonomy, multivariate analysis, molecular species delimitation, Cordillera Blanca

Stenocercus aguilari sp. nov. preserved holotype, adult female, SVL 71.54 mm (MUSM 41243):
 dorsal (A), lateral (B), and ventral (C) views of the head; dorsal (D) and ventral (E) views of the entire specimen.

Photographs by E. Castillo-Urbina. Scale bar = 10 mm.

(A–C) Lateral, ventral, and dorsal views in life of the adult female holotype of Stenocercus aguilari sp. nov.(MUSM 41243), SVL 71.5 mm.
(D) Panoramic view of the type locality in Ancash, San Marcos. (E–F) Shrubs and rocky microhabitats used for foraging and basking.

Stenocercus aguilari sp. nov.

 

ERNESTO CASTILLO-URBINA, SHARY RIOS-ROQUE, DIEGO BARRERA-MOSCOSO, ALEJANDRO MENDOZA. 2026. Morphological and Genetic Evidence support New Species of Stenocercus (Iguania: Tropiduridae) from the Peruvian Andes. Zootaxa. 5796(2); 313-331. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5796.2.5 [2026-04-21]

[Herpetology • 2025] Tropidurus galileii • Microendemism can be the Rule in the Brazilian Caatinga: Evidence from Flat Lizards of the Tropidurus semitaeniatus group (Squamata: Tropiduridae)

Tropidurus galileii

Ferreira, Dias, Rodrigues & Carvalho, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2024.2436572

Researchgate.net/publication/388269545

Abstract

Microendemism remains a poorly studied phenomenon within Brazil’s Caatinga biome, yet recent research has revealed a number of species complexes with diverging lineages confined to narrow geographic ranges. These lineages often inhabit remote and undersampled regions lacking conservation efforts. Notable examples include the flat lizards from the Tropidurus semitaeniatus group, which comprises the broadly distributed T. semitaeniatus species complex plus T. helenae, T. jaguaribanus, and T. pinima, all endemic to the Caatinga biome. Incomplete knowledge of their taxonomic boundaries, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution hinders both the formal description of new microendemic taxa and their conservation assessment. To address these gaps, we conducted a phylogenomic analysis of the T. semitaeniatus group employing ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) and investigated its microendemic diversity. Our analysis revealed that T. semitaeniatus is paraphyletic, with T. helenae emerging as sister to a clade formed by microendemic lineages of T. semitaeniatus (sensu lato), within which T. jaguaribanus is embedded. Additionally, the discovery of a new microendemic species, Tropidurus galileii sp. nov., from calcareous formations of Itaguaçu da Bahia, Brazil, exposed T. pinima as paraphyletic, revealing a novel species complex composed of multiple microendemic lineages. This finding led us to produce the first illustrated morphological guide for the T. semitaeniatus group, aimed at facilitating future comparative studies. Most species requiring taxonomic treatment in the T. semitaeniatus group exhibit morphological distinctiveness, and the number of microendemic taxa is significantly higher than previously estimated. Our findings suggest that range expansion followed by allopatric speciation is unlikely to be the sole driver of microendemism in this group. However, the specific biogeographic processes underlying the origin of microendemic lineages remain elusive. This study sheds light on the microendemic lizard diversity of the Caatinga, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced systematic and conservation efforts.

Key words: Microendemism, South American Flat Lizards, Tropidurinae, Tropidurus, ultra-conserved elements

Tropidurus galileii sp. nov.

 

Elaine Ferreira, Iuri Ribeiro Dias, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues and André L. G. Carvalho. 2025. Microendemism can be the Rule in the Brazilian Caatinga: Evidence from Flat Lizards of the Tropidurus semitaeniatus group (Squamata: Tropiduridae). Systematics and Biodiversity. 23(1); 2436572. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2024.2436572 [21 Jan 2025]

Researchgate.net/publication/388269545_Microendemism_of_the_Tropidurus_semitaeniatus_group

[Herpetology • 2025] Anolis torresfundorai • A Revision of the Anolis carolinensis subgroup (Squamata: Anolidae) supports three species in Cuba, including A New cryptic Species

 

Anolis torresfundorai 

Torres, Reilly, Nuñez-Penichet, Reynolds & Glor, 2025

 DOI: doi.org/10.3897/vz.75.e152054

 

Abstract

Cuba is the only landmass with more than one species in the Anolis carolinensis subgroup. We test the hypothesis that three rather than two distinct species occur on Cuba, based on substantial prior evidence of paraphyly. To test this hypothesis, we collected phenotypic data from all described species in the subgroup, including eastern and west-central Cuban populations of A. porcatus, and assessed phenotypic diagnosability using uni- and multivariate analyses. We also examined geographic isolation using all available occurrence records for Cuban lineages. Additionally, we conducted ecological niche modeling and niche overlap analyses, considering only Cuban lineages, to test for ecological differentiation. Finally, we reconstructed phylogenetic trees, incorporating all species from the subgroup for the first time. Our results support the recognition of three species in Cuba: A. allisoni and eastern and west-central A. porcatus as two distinct cryptic species, showing minimal phenotypic differentiation but clear geographic isolation, distinct ecological niches, and deep genetic divergence. We restrict the name A. porcatus to west-central Cuba, with Havana as the type locality, and formally describe the eastern Cuban populations as Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov., designating Baracoa, Guantánamo, as the type locality.

Keywords: Genetic divergence, geographic isolation, green anoles, niche modeling, species delimitation, sublabial scales

Life coloration of phenotypically alike Cuban green anoles.
 Left panel: adult males Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. from Santiago de Cuba with dark brown and dark green paramedial stripes (top and bottom, respectively). The male in the top is in transition to dark phase.
Right panel: mating pair of A. porcatus from Havana with both individuals lacking the paramedian stripes. The female is in dark phase.

Photo credit: Alexis Callejas (A. torresfundorai sp. nov.) and Tomás M. Rodríguez-Cabrera (A. porcatus).

adult males Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. from Santiago de Cuba with dark brown and dark green paramedial stripes (top and bottom, respectively). The male in the top is in transition to dark phase.

Photos by Alexis Callejas

Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. 

Common name. Eastern Cuba Green Anole

Diagnosis. Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. is diagnosable from all species of the A. carolinensis subgroup. Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. was not unambiguously differentiated from A. porcatus in either of the uni- or multivariate analyses (Tables 1, 2; Figs 2, S1–S12). Ultimately, A. torresfundorai sp. nov. was diagnosable from its cryptic relatives, Cuban A. porcatus and continental A. carolinensis, based on one categorical character, keelation of sublabial scales. These scales are heavily keeled in the former species and smooth in A. torresfundorai sp. nov. with occasional weak keelation that does not go beyond the 4th scale (Fig. 1). Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. differs from A. longiceps and A. maynardii in having a pink dewlap, yellow or pale yellow in the others. Anolis allisoni and A. brunneus have blue heads or torsos, green in A. torresfundorai sp. nov. Anolis smaragdinus has a more strongly keeled tail and is usually more homogeneous in coloration, with or without a faint mid-dorsal stripe or scapular spots. Additionally, only three members of the A. carolinensis subgroup occur in Cuba (A. allisoni, A. porcatus, and A. torresfundorai sp. nov.).

 

Etymology. The species epithet is a Latinized patronym honoring Emeritus Professor Orlando J. Torres Fundora, for a lifetime dedicated to the study and conservation of Cuban nature and the education of Cuban scientists at the University of Havana, Cuba.

   

Javier Torres, Dexter Reilly, Claudia Nuñez-Penichet, R. Graham Reynolds and Richard E. Glor. 2025. A Revision of the Anolis carolinensis subgroup supports three species in Cuba, including A New cryptic Species (Squamata: Anolidae). Vertebrate Zoology. 75: 107-126. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/vz.75.e152054

[Herpetology • 2025] Iguanas rafted more than 8,000 km from North America to Fiji

 

A Fijian crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) resting on a coconut palm on the island of Fiji in the South Pacific. The four species of iguanas that inhabit Fiji and Tonga today are descended from ancestors that colonized the island within the past 34 million years, probably by rafting 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean from western North America.

in Scarpetta, Fisher, Karin, Niukula, Corl, Jackman et McGuire, 2025. 

DOI: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2318622122

Abstract

Founder-event speciation can occur when one or more organisms colonize a distant, unoccupied area via long-distance dispersal, leading to the evolution of a new species lineage. Species radiations established by long-distance, and especially transoceanic, dispersal can cause substantial shifts in regional biodiversity. Here, we investigate the occurrence and timing of the greatest known long-distance oceanic dispersal event in the history of terrestrial vertebrates—the rafting of iguanas from North America to Fiji. Iguanas are large-bodied herbivores that are well-known overwater dispersers, including species that colonized the Caribbean and the Galápagos islands. However, the origin of Fijian iguanas had not been comprehensively tested. We estimated the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary timescale of the iguanid lizard radiation using genome-wide exons and ultraconserved elements (UCEs). Those data indicate that the closest living relative of extant Fijian iguanas is the North American desert iguana and that the two taxa likely diverged during the late Paleogene near or after the onset of volcanism that produced the Fijian archipelago. Biogeographic models estimate North America as the most probable ancestral range of Fijian iguanas. Our analyses support the hypothesis that iguanas reached Fiji via an extraordinary oceanic dispersal event from western North America, and which spanned a fifth of the earth’s circumference (>8,000 km). Overwater rafting of iguanas from North America to Fiji strengthens the importance of founder-event speciation in the diversification of iguanids and elucidates the scope of long-distance dispersal across terrestrial vertebrates.

A Fijian crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) resting on a coconut palm on the island of Fiji in the South Pacific. The four species of iguanas that inhabit Fiji and Tonga today are descended from ancestors that colonized the island within the past 34 million years, probably by rafting 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean from western North America.

photo: Nicholas Hess

A map of the world 34 million years ago, showing hypothesized scenarios for the colonization of Fiji by Brachylophus. Based on new research, the most likely scenario is represented by the dark blue arrow from western North America to Fiji. The small red stars represent sites in North America where fossil iguanids have been found. The ranges of modern iguanids — in the Americas and Fiji and Tonga — are shown in light blue.

Simon G. Scarpetta, Robert N. Fisher, Benjamin R. Karin, Jone B. Niukula, Ammon Corl, Todd R. Jackman and Jimmy A. McGuire. 2025. Iguanas rafted more than 8,000 km from North America to Fiji. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 122 (12) e2318622122. DOI: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2318622122 [March 17, 2025]

Iguanas floated to Fiji millions of years ago on an unprecedented raft journey, scientists say

https://news.berkeley.edu/2025/03/17/iguanas-floated-one-fifth-of-the-way-around-the-world-to-colonize-fiji/

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/iguanas-floated-fiji-millions-years-ago-unprecedented-raft-journey-scientists-say

 

Significance: Transoceanic dispersal to far-away islands is an important mechanism for the generation of new species lineages and biotas and has captivated scientists since at least the time of Darwin. Determining whether and how such events occur is challenging, particularly for hypothesized dispersals spanning thousands of kilometers. We addressed the enigmatic occurrence of Fijian iguanas via phylogenomic and biogeographic analyses, providing strong evidence that iguanas rafted >8,000 km from North America as early as the Paleogene. This represents the longest documented transoceanic dispersal in terrestrial vertebrates. Our findings elaborate on the importance of long-distance dispersal in the diversification of iguanids. Iguanid lizards display a propensity for overwater dispersal, which could stimulate further research into the predictability of these incredible biogeographic events.

[Herpetology • 2025] Diplolaemus vulcanus • A straightforward workflow to explore species diversity using the Patagonian lizards of the Diplolaemus genus (Iguania: Leiosauridae) as a study case, with the description of a new species

Diplolaemus vulcanus

Vrdoljak, Sánchez, González-Marín, Morando & Avila, 2025 

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108274  

Highlights: 

• A comprehensive workflow for taxonomic and systematic research, aiding species delimitation.

• Utilizing genetic, geometric, and linear morphometric data to assess evolutionary independence within the Diplolaemus clade.

• Evaluation of various taxonomic scenarios through grouping lineages into species.

• Description of a new species from the Auca Mauida and Tromen volcanic fields, Argentina.

Abstract

Disputes over species descriptions, stemming from conceptual disparities and arbitrary species boundaries, are among the primary challenges of modern taxonomy. In this study, we introduce a straightforward workflow, grounded in evolutionary theory, designed to tackle these challenges. We exemplified this approach using Patagonian lizards from the Diplolaemus clade. This workflow involves assigning specimens to putative evolutionary lineages, conducting primary species delimitations, constructing a species tree, comparing lineages for evolutionary independence, and using post-hoc analyses to separate well-supported from ambiguous lineages. This approach aims to establish a reliable foundation for exploring the taxonomic and evolutionary diversity of challenging groups. Applying this workflow to the Diplolaemus clade, we used various analytical methods on genetic (mitochondrial and nuclear markers) and phenotypic data (meristic, linear, and geometric morphometrics). We identified ten lineages with varying degrees of evolutionary independence in a clade where only four species had been described. Among the newly identified lineages, two exhibited low support for evolutionary independence, three showed strong support but had non-conclusive information, and one was recognized and described as a new species. In summary, our hierarchical workflow not only facilitated comprehensive comparisons but also enabled us to draw robust conclusions.

 

Keywords: Diplolaemus clade, Evolutionary independence, Species delimitation, Taxonomic workflow

  Dorsal and ventral view of Diplolaemus vulcanus holotype (LJAMM 13405).

Diplolaemus vulcanus  sp. nov. 

Etymology: vulcanus is a Latin word for Vulcan, God of fire, in reference to the volcanic environments in which most of the specimens were found; all localities where the new species was collected are volcanic lava fields.

Juan Vrdoljak, Kevin Imanol Sánchez, Andrea González-Marín, Mariana Morando and Luciano Javier Avila. 2025. A straightforward workflow to explore species diversity using the Patagonian lizards of the Diplolaemus genus (Iguania: Leiosauridae) as a study case, with the description of a new species. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 204, 108274. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108274  

 

  

[Herpetology • 2024] Diploderma daduense • A New Species of Diploderma (Squamata: Agamidae) from the Valley of Dadu River in Sichuan Province, with a Redescription of Topotypes of D. splendidum from Hubei Province, China

 Diploderma daduense Cai, Liu & Chang,  

in Cai, Liu, Liang, Hou, Zhou, Zhong, Li et Chang, 2024. 

Dadu Mountain Lizard | 大渡攀蜥  ||  DOI: 10.3390/ani14091344  

Abstract

This study describes a novel species of Diploderma (Squamata, Agamidae) from the lower valley of the Dadu River of the Sichuan Province of Western China based on its distinct morphological features and molecular evidence. D. daduense sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by its tympanum concealed; head mainly green-yellow, supplemented by black; skin folds under the nuchal and dorsal crest obviously present in adult males only, its vertebral crest discontinuous between nuchal and dorsal sections with a distinct gap; transverse gular fold present but not obvious in some individuals; gular spot absent in both sexes; dorsolateral stripes green-yellow anteriorly, cyan in the center and blurry off-white posteriorly in adult males, the upper edge of dorsolateral stripes strongly jagged in adult males; no radial stripes around the eyes; inner-lip coloration smoky-white, and the coloration of the tongue and oral cavity as a light-flesh color in life; bright green-yellow transverse stripes on dorsal body in males; black patches are evenly distributed along the vertebral line between the dorsolateral stripes from the neck to the base of the tail in males; beech-brown or gray-brown line along the vertebral line with heart-shaped or diamond-shaped black patches on the dorsal body in females; and supratemporals fewer than four on at least one side. The phylogenetic tree based on mitochondrial ND2 sequences indicates that D. daduense sp. nov. forms an independent clade with strong support 1/100 in ML bootstrap/Bayesian posterior probability and is the sister group to D. splendidum. At the inter-species level, the p-distance is at least 6.95%, further confirming that an independent species had been identified. Our work raises the number of species within the genus Diploderma to 47.

Keywords: Eastern Tibetan Plateau; Hengduan Mountain Region; Xiling Gorge; Ichang City; dry valley

 Types of Diploderma daduense sp. nov. in life.
Holotype CIB119354 (male) lateral view (A), dorsal view (B), and ventral view (C);
allotype YBU−GP9889 (female) lateral view (D), dorsal view (E);
 habitats of new species (F).

  Diploderma daduense sp. nov. Cai, Liu, and Chang 

Diagnosis. Diploderma daduense sp. nov. can be diagnosed from other Diploderma species by the following unique combination of characters: (1) body size large, SVL 74.7–95.0 (average 86.5) mm in adult males, 52.6–80.2 (average 70.5) mm in adult females; (2) head relatively larger, HW/HL 0.61–0.79 (average 0.80) in adult males, 0.60–0.67 (average 0.64) in adult females; (3) finger IV subdigital lamellae 17–23 (average 19.2), toe IV subdigital lamellae 21–31 (average 25.3); (4) tympanum concealed; (5) head mainly green-yellow, supplemented by black; (6) skin folds under nuchal and dorsal crest obviously present in adult males only, vertebral crest discontinuous between nuchal and dorsal sections with a distinct gap; (7) transverse gular fold present but not ... 

Etymology. The Latin specific epithet daduense is derived from the Dadu River, where the new species was discovered. The genus Diploderma is Greek neuter, and that -ense of this new species name is the Latin neuter combinatorial suffix denoting “pertaining to” or “originating in”. And we suggest Dadu Mountain Lizard as its English common name and 大渡攀蜥 (Chinese phonetic alphabet: dà dù pān xī) as its Chinese common name. 

Bo Cai, Fengjing Liu, Dong Liang, Mian Hou, Huaming Zhou, Jiayun Zhong, Jing Li and Jiang Chang. 2024. A New Species of Diploderma (Squamata, Agamidae) from the Valley of Dadu River in Sichuan Province, with a Redescription of Topotypes of D. splendidum from Hubei Province, China. Animals. 14(9), 1344; DOI: 10.3390/ani14091344  

 

Simple Summary: The genus Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 (Squamata, Agamidae), currently consists of 46 species, which are distributed across East Asia (inclusive of Japan) and the northern part of the Indochinese Peninsula, primarily inhabiting dry valley regions in Western China. This article introduces a novel species of Diploderma based on its unique morphological features and molecular evidence, discovered in the lower valley of the Dadu River in Sichuan Province, Western China. Phylogenetic analysis using ND2 data suggests that this new taxon is distinct from its congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be differentiated from other Diploderma species by an assemblage of 46 specific characteristics. Principal component analysis (PCA) further demonstrates that this new species is clearly distinguishable from its closest relative, D. splendidum. Given these multiple lines of evidence, we describe this species from the lower Dadu River valley as a newly identified species, D. daduense sp. nov. This discovery brings the total number of recognized species within the genus Diploderma to 47.

[Herpetology • 2024] Phrynocephalus kangsuensis • Species Divergence in Valleys: the Phylogeny of Phrynocephalus forsythii complex (Squamata: Agamidae) and Description of A New Species

Phrynocephalus kangsuensis

Liang & Shi, 2024

  

DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17175

Abstract 

Background: Geographic isolation caused by high-altitude valleys promotes the formation of geographic segregation of species, leading to species differentiation. The subgenus Oreosaura contains viviparous species from the Tibetan Plateau and the vicinity of the Tarim Basin, which can be divided into three species complexes according to their geographical distribution: Phrynocephalus vlangalii, Phrynocephalus theobaldi, and Phrynocephalus forsythii. However, molecular data for the P. forsythii complex are limited and the diversity of this species complex has been greatly underestimated. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the species diversity of Oreosaura and species differentiation within the P. forsythii complex.

Methods: We analysed the species diversity of Oreosaura by combining previous data, constructed a phylogenetic tree of the subgenus based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S sequences, and estimated the divergence time.

Results: The results suggest significant genetic differences between the Tarim Basin populations and adjacent mountain valley populations of the P. forsythii complex and that the combination of deep valley landscapes in the high mountains and ice-age events have contributed to the differentiation of the viviparous toad-headed agama lizard, which is a key factor in the phylogenetics of the P. forsythii complex. Furthermore, we identified a population collected from Wuqia County, Xinjiang, as a new species, Phrynocephalus kangsuensis sp. nov. The results will provide data for phylogenetic studies following the P. forsythii complex and help demonstrate that valleys promote the formation of Phrynocephalus species.

Pictures of Phrynocephalus kangsuensis sp. nov.
CX09246 and CX09247.

Phrynocephalus kangsuensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis: No axillary spots, two nasal scales, upper nasal scale bulging, nostril opening between two nasal scales; three inter-nasal scales, middle one largest, and bulging. Five to seven pairs of orange-red spots along the centre of the dorsal spine and a distinct orange-red spot on the dorsal surface of the caudal base. Dark transverse stripes on the dorsal surface of the tail, white ventral surface of the tail, and black tip.

Qianru Liang and Lei Shi​. 2024. Species Divergence in Valleys: the Phylogeny of Phrynocephalus forsythii complex and Description of A New Species. PeerJ. 12:e17175. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17175

 

[Herpetology • 2024] Enyalioides cyanocephalus & E. dickinsoni • Two New Species of Wood Lizards (Iguania: Hoplocercidae: Enyalioides) from Cordillera de Colán in north-eastern Peru

Enyalioides cyanocephalus
Enyalioides dickinsoni

Venegas, García-Ayachi, Chávez-Arribasplata, Marchelie, Bullard, Quispe, Valencia, Odar & Torres-Carvajal, 2024

DOI: 10.25225/jvb.23074 

  Researchgate.net/publication/377844225

 

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.

KEYWORDS: Andes, Enyalioides anisolepis, Huancabamba Depression, Lizards, River Marañón, Peruvian Yungas, systematics

Male specimens of Enyalioides cyanocephalus sp. nov.:
(A-C) adult male holotype CORBIDI 20781, SVL = 121 mm;
(D) adult male CORBIDI 22501, SVL = 106 mm; (E-G) adult male CORBIDI 22499, SVL = 114 mm; (H-I) adult male CORBIDI 22500, SVL = 100 mm;
and (J-L) juvenile male CORBIDI 22497, SVL = 65 mm

 (photo Axel Marchelie).

Enyalioides cyanocephalus sp. nov.

Proposed common name in English: blue-headed wood lizards

Proposed common name in Spanish: lagartijas de palo de cabeza azul

Diagnosis: Enyalioides cyanocephalus can be distinguished from other species of Enyalioides, except its sister species E. anisolepis Torres-Carvajal, Venegas & de Queiroz, 2015 (Torres-Carvajal et al. 2023), by the combination of the following characters: 1) scales immediately posterior to superciliaries, on the lateral edge of skull, conical, slightly higher than adjacent scales; 2) gular scales heterogeneous in size; 3) scales on neck conical dorsally and conspicuously larger than the granular scales on the sides; 4) dorsal scales between dorsolateral crests covered by strongly carinate projected scales surrounded by tiny granular scales; 5) scales on flanks tiny, tuberculate or granular, with scattered enlarged conical or tuberculate scales; 6) ventral scales keeled or feebly keeled; 7) tail laterally compressed; 8) caudal scales heterogeneous, increasing in size posteriorly on each segment; 9) venter immaculate in adult males; and 10) marked sexual dichromatism with background dorsal colouration green in males (Fig. 1) and brown or greenish brown in females (Fig. 2).

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the Greek words ‘kyanos’, an adjective meaning blue, and ‘cephalus’, a noun meaning head. This specific name is used as a noun in apposition and refers to the bluish head of the holotype specimen. Although only two adult males in the type series possessed a distinctive bluish head, the males of this species are commonly known by the local people in Cordillera de Colán as blue-headed chameleon, which leads us to think that males of E. cyanocephalus with bluish heads are not uncommon.

Two adult male specimens of Enyalioides dickinsoni sp. n.:
(A-C) holotype CORBIDI 21351, SVL = 113 mm; (D-F) CORBIDI 21703, SVL = 92 mm

(photo Axel Marchelie).

Enyalioides dickinsoni sp. nov.  

 

Proposed common name in English: Dickinson's wood lizards 

Proposed common name in Spanish: lagartijas de palo de Dickinson

 

Diagnosis: Enyalioides dickinsoni can be distinguished from all known species of Enyalioides, except E. azulae, by the combination of the following characters: 1) a distinctively low vertebral crest, with the crest on neck at most twice as high as the crest between hind limbs; 2) scales immediately posterior to superciliaries on lateral edge of skull barely projected and similar in height to adjacent scales; 3) 56-71 vertebral scales from occiput to base of tail; 4) dorsal scales feebly keeled and heterogeneous in size; 5) ventral scales keeled; 6) tail circular in cross-section; and 7) caudal scales heterogeneous, increasing in size posteriorly on each segment.

Etymology: The specific name is a noun in the genitive form and is a patronym honouring Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958), who is best known as the lead singer of the legendary heavy metal band Iron Maiden, though he is also a music producer, entrepreneur, competitive fencer, novelist, aviator, broadcaster and the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and awards. In 2016, he flew a loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, that washed up on a Jersey beach to the Canary Islands in his private plane, thus contributing to the awareness and protection of this vulnerable species. We also highlight that Iron Maiden is a popular band among taxonomists and museum curators who appreciate rock music.

 

Pablo J. Venegas, Luis A. García-Ayachi, Juan C. Chávez-Arribasplata, Axel Marchelie, Santiago Bullard, Eduardo Quispe, Juan D. Valencia, Jasmín Odar and Omar Torres-Carvajal. 2024. Two New Species of Wood Lizards (Hoplocercinae: Enyalioides) from Cordillera de Colán in north-eastern Peru. J. of Vertebrate Biology, 73(23074); 1-17. DOI: 10.25225/jvb.23074  

 Researchgate.net/publication/377844225_Two_new_species_Enyalioides_from_Cordillera_de_Colan_in_north-eastern_Peru

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[Herpetology • 2023] Tropidurus madeiramamore • A highly polymorphic South American Collared Lizard (Tropiduridae: Tropidurus) reveals that Open–dry Refugia from South-western Amazonia staged Allopatric Speciation

 

[A-E] Tropidurus madeiramamore 

 Carvalho, Paredero, Villalobos-Chaves, Ferreira, Rodrigues & Curcio, 2023

[F] T. oreadicus

 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad138 

  Researchgate.net/publication/375525630

Abstract

Research on Pleistocene Amazonian refugia has predominantly targeted forest-dwelling taxa, although evidence suggests that endemic species have also evolved in peripheral Amazonian enclaves of open–dry habitats. In Rondônia, Brazil, Tropidurus lizards are restricted to savannah relicts that were once connected to the core Cerrado biome. These populations are currently allocated under Tropidurus oreadicus but hypothesized to comprise allopatric species that evolved in response to landscape changes induced by Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. Phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of populations from savannah enclaves from Rondônia but place them as distantly related to T. oreadicus. We describe these populations as a new species with unprecedented levels of chromatic polymorphism. A pre-Pleistocene origin is inferred for this new taxon, and dating analysis indicates that Tropidurus species endemic to savannah enclaves diverged from relatives distributed in core open–dry biomes in a non-temporally overlapping fashion. Species distribution models estimate vast climatically suitable areas for the new species during the Last Interglacial, followed by significant contraction during the Last Glacial Maximum, and subsequent expansion and northward displacement towards the Holocene and the present. We conclude that landscape transformations played an important role in the evolution of lizards from enclaves, but their speciation history is temporally deeper than previously thought.

Cerrado, chromatic polymorphism, endemism, lizards, new species, Pleistocene glaciations, Rondônia, savannah enclaves, Tropidurus torquatus species group

Tropidurus madeiramamore and Tropidurus oreadicus in life.
A, B, general and ventral views of the holotype of T. madeiramamore (MZUSP 107155). C, D, general and ventral views of the allotype of T. madeiramamore (MZUSP 107158). E, juvenile of T. madeiramamore (MZUSP 107267) from the margin of the Madeira River near the Museu da Estrada de Ferro Madeira-Mamoré (EFMM), Porto Velho.
F, general view of a topotype of T. oreadicus (MTR 33325) from Primeira Cachoeira do Rio Urucuia, Buritis, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Photograph F is by courtesy of M. A. Sena. 

Tropidurus madeiramamore

André L. G. Carvalho, Rafael C. B. Paredero, David Villalobos-Chaves, Elaine Ferreira, Miguel T. Rodrigues and Felipe F. Curcio. 2023. A highly polymorphic South American Collared Lizard (Tropiduridae: Tropidurus) reveals that Open–dry Refugia from South-western Amazonia staged Allopatric Speciation. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. zlad138. DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad138 

  Researchgate.net/publication/375525630_A_highly_polymorphic_Tropidurus_from_SW_Amazonia

[Herpetology • 2023] Liolaemus kulinko • A New Species of Liolaemus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from the hot deserts of northern Patagonia, Argentina

 Liolaemus kulinko 

Abdala, Chafrat, Chaparro, Procheret, Valdes, Lannutti, Perez & Quinteros, 2023

DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.890.2257

ABSTRACT

A new species of Liolaemus is described from southwest of the town of Añelo, Neuquén Province, Argentina. Integrative evidence methodology of external morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA (cyt-b) is used to place the new species to the species group of Liolaemus boulengeri. The new species is phenotypically close to L. mapuche. The new Liolaemus is medium to large in size (males 77.64–83.98 mm, females 72.88–78.58 mm), with evident sexual dichromatism. Genetic distances of the mtDNA (cyt-b) between the new species and its closest relative species are greater than 3% (L. cuyanus 7.48–12.02%; L. josei 7.56–9.60%; L. puelche 8.23–9.93%; L. mapuche 8.51–9.79%). Molecular and morphological phylogenetic results show L. mapuche as the sister species of the new one. The new species is larger than L. mapuche. Dorsal and ventral scales are more numerous in the new species than in L. mapuche, precloacal pores in females are present in L. mapuche and absent in the new species. It has strict psammophilic habits, using sand mounds and sheltering, under Alpataco (Neltuma alpataco) bushes. The L. boulengeri group now contains 75 species distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

 

Keywords: Boulengeri group, Liolaemus, Neuquén, Phylogeny, Taxonomy

Details of Liolaemus kulinko sp. nov., holotype (MPCN-H-469) (SVL 79.93 mm, tail 112.35 mm).
A,  C.  Dorsal  and  ventral  views  of  the  body.  B,  E–F.  Lateral,  ventral  and  dorsal  views  of  the  head.  D.  Ventral view of precloacal pores.

Photographs: P. Chafrat

 

Liolaemus kulinko sp. nov. 

Diagnosis: Liolaemus kulinko sp. nov. belongs to the section of Liolaemus montanus Koslowsky, 1898 of the Liolaemus boulengeri group (Abdala 2007; Abdala et al. 2021c) because it has a patch of enlarged scales on the posterior aspect of the thigh (Etheridge 1995; Abdala 2007) (Fig. 1D). Within the group of L. boulengeri it belongs to the clade of L. melanops, subclade of L. goetschi, and L. cuyanus complex because it has light blue scales on the flanks of the body and tail, a black margin on the posterior border of the paravertebral spots, four to six scales in contact with mental scale (Fig. 1E), presence of a melanic gular ring, evident scapular spots, and the same body shape and similar lepidosis (Abdala 2007; Abdala et al. 2012b, 2021c). It differs from the species of the clades of L. anomalus and L. darwinii by having posterior teeth with crowns of expanded edges and four to six scales in contact with mental scale. It also differs from the species of the clade L. anomalus (Abdala & Juárez Heredia, 2013) (Liolaemus acostai Abdala & Juárez-Heredia, 2013, L. anomalus, L. ditatadi Cei, 1983, L. lentus Gallardo, 1966, L. millcayac Abdala & Juárez-Heredia, 2013, L. pipanaco Abdala & Juárez-Heredia, 2013 and L. pseudoanomalus Cei, 1981) by having less developed palpebral strap or ‘comb’, males with a greater number of precloacal pores, a greater relationship between snout–vent length (SVL) and the tail length (TL). ...

  

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘kulinko’ means ‘aguada’ in the language of the Mapuche, a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia, and refers to the place where the species lives, “Aguada Pichana”.

Cristian S. Abdala, Pablo Anselmo Chafrat, Juan C. Chaparro, Iván Ezequiel Procheret, Julián Valdes, Vanina Lannutti, Laura Perez and Sebastián Quinteros. 2023. A New Species of Liolaemus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from the hot deserts of northern Patagonia, Argentina. European Journal of Taxonomy. 890(1), 136–164. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.890.2257

[Herpetology • 2023] Liolaemus attenboroughi • A New Lizard Species of the Liolaemus kingii group (Squamata: Liolaemidae) from northwestern Chubut Province, Argentina

Liolaemus attenboroughi 

Sánchez, Morando & Avila, 2023

 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5264.2.5

 twitter.com/Kevin_I_Sanchez

Abstract

We describe Liolaemus attenboroughi sp. nov., a lizard distributed in the northwestern Patagonian Steppe of Chubut province (Argentina) previously confused with L. kingii (Bell 1843). Recent studies based on molecular evidence supports its evolutionary independence. Here we provide a morphological diagnosis of this lineage, comparisons between three molecular species delimitation methods, and an updated phylogeny of the L. kingii group. Based on current knowledge of its distribution, this new species is allopatric with geographically close species of the L. kingii group.

Keywords: Reptilia, Patagonia, Liolaemus attenboroughi sp. nov., Integrative Taxonomy,

Kevin I. Sánchez, Mariana Morando and Luciano J. Avila. 2023. A New Lizard Species of the Liolaemus kingii group (Squamata: Liolaemidae) from northwestern Chubut Province (Argentina). Zootaxa. 5264(2); 235-255. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5264.2.5

 twitter.com/Kevin_I_Sanchez/status/1647435087074435073