A new liolaemus lizard belonging to the elongatus group from central Neuquén, Argentina. (Iguania: tropiduridae: liolaminae)

LUCIANO AVILA; MARIANA MORANDO; CRISTIAN PÉREZ

Bariloche

Jornada; XV Reunión de Comunicaciones Herpetológicas; 2000

Centro Regional Universitario de Bariloche, Universidad Nacional del Comahue

During field works carried out between 1995 to 2000, we collected distributional, biological and ecological information for several species of Liolaemus of northern Patagonia. In these studies we found an undescribed distinctive member of the elongatus group related to Liolaemus petrophilus. This species belongs to the Liolaemus elongatus group which includes several species of mid-sized, long-tailed and essentially saxicolous lizards. The majority of these species are distributed in rocky boulders along the Andean Cordillera of western Argentina and Patagonian steppes. Here we describe Liolaemus sp. nov., a new species inhabiting a small area in central Neuquén province and present some data on cytogenetic and biological characteristics. The new species differs from other members of L. elongatus group in coloration pattern and several scale characters. From L. elongatus, L. austromendocinus and L. petrophilus it differs in several morphological characteristics such as high number of scales around midbody, scales along dorsal surface of body, and number of scales around the neck. From L. ceii, L. kriegi and L. buergeri it differs in dorsal and ventral coloration pattern and dorsal squamation pattern. From all species of the elongatus group it differs in its brilliant yellow green coloration not observed in any of the other Liolaemus species.