On the geographic distribution of the South American genus Teius (Squamata: Teiidae).

CACCIALI, P.; MORANDO, M.; KOHLER, G.; AVILA, L.J.

Kansas

Congreso; 2015. Society for Study Amphibians and Reptiles Annual Meeting; 2015

University of Kansas

Organisms have distributions that respond to environmental factors according to their biological requirements. Thus, beyond the chorology, it is possible to correlate the distribution patterns with environmental variables and the distribution knowledge can be used for biogeographical studies as well as for conservation and wildlife management activities. Here we present the most complete distribution map of the Teius lizards. We plot the distribution of the three species of the genus. Maps were generated with DIVA GIS v.7.5. Our results show that T. teyou is distributed between the latitude -16.66º and -35.43º, and longitude -53.30º and -68.89º, being present in several ecoregions but mainly in Chaco and Monte. T. oculatus inhabit a wider area in the Alto Parana Atlantic Forest, Humid Chaco, Southern Mesopotanian Grasslands, Pampas, Espinal, Low Monte, and some records in the Dry Chaco; between the latitude -24.07º and -40.90º, and longitude -51.02º and -68.50º. Both species are parapatric along most of their distribution, with some areas of sympatry along the contact zones. T. suquiensis, the unisexual species, occurs in a couple of sympatric zones of the former species in the provinces of Santa Fe, San Luis and Córdoba.