A new species of the genus stenocercus (Iguania: Tropiduridae) from the peruvian pacific coast (ica region)

Alejandro Mendoza, César Ramírez, Diego Barrera, César Aguilar-Puntriano

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

A new species of the genus Stenocercus is described from the Peruvian coastal desert in the Ica region. The new species is similar in ecology and morphology to Stenocercus modestus, but differs from it in lacking an oblique neck fold, a distinct patch of small scales posterior to the lateral region of the neck, and bright yellow lateral dots on the head and body in males. The new species also has more subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe than S. modestus, and females exhibit a wide dark stripe between the subocular and antehumeral regions, as well as dark reticulations in the gular region. Distribution models of the new species and S. modestus suggest no geographical overlap. In conclusion, morphology and species distribution models strongly imply the new Stenocercus species to be an undescribed lineage and different from all other species of the genus. This new species is the most southerly distributed Stenocercus in the Pacific coastal desert of Peru thus far. We propose the new species be classified as ‘Endangered’ based on its area of occupancy and threat-defined locations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-14
Number of pages14
JournalSalamandra
Volume57
Issue number1
StatePublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde e.V. (DGHT), Mannheim, Germany.

Keywords

  • Coastal desert
  • Distribution model
  • New species
  • Squamata
  • Taxonomy

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