First records for Liolaemus grosseorum Etheridge, 2001 (Squamata, Iguania, Liolaemini) in eastern Neuquén province, Patagonia, Argentina

AVILA, L.J.; PÉREZ, C.H.F.; M. MORANDO; PEREZ, D.

Herpetozoa

Austrian Herpetological Society

Lugar: Austria; Año: 2008 vol. 21 p. 86 - 87

1013-4425

Liolaemus grosseorum is a small liolaemid lizard described by Etheridge (2001) for a few localities around south El Nihuil town, in southern Mendoza province. Later the species was cited for several localities in western La Pampa and northwestern Rio Negro provinces (Avila et al. 2002). Several field trips carried out during the summers of 2003 and 2007 to Neuquén province resulted in the collection of a number of samples of Liolaemus grosseorum  that represent significant new geographic records for this species. All lizards were collected by hand, euthanased with pericardic injection of Tiopental Sódico (Abbot®), fixed with formalin 20% and later transferred to 70% ethanol. Latitude, longitude, and elevation were determined with a Garmin™ GPS 12 Global Position Device. All specimens are deposited in the LJAMM private field collection, Centro Nacional Patagónico-CONICET, Puerto Madryn (Chubut), Argentina. The general habitat where Liolaemus grosseorum was found is in the lowlands of Añelo basin, characterized by an extreme aridity (less than 200 mm of average annual rain), reddish sandy soils and mainly aeolian dunes. The vegetation is characteristic of austral Monte with a mix of low to high shrubs steppes (mainly with Larrea divaricata, L. cuneifolia, Prosopidastrum globosum, Schinus polygamus, Ephedra ochreata, Atriplex lampa, Suaeda divaricata shrubs mixed with Stipa spp. grass). All new collection sites are depicted in figure 1, were we show the previous known geographic distribution of the species. New localities represent an extension 100 km S from the nearest Mendoza province record, and 60 km W from the nearest La Pampa province record. The number before locality corresponds to locality numbers in figure 1. All localities are in Neuquén province: Añelo Department:1) Provincial Road7, 28.7 Km N Añelo (38º11’04.9’’S, 69º01’22.5’’W, 259 m). 6 February 2003. 1) Provincial Road7, 28.7 Km N Añelo (38º11’04.9’’S, 69º01’22.5’’W, 259 m). 6 February 2003. L. Avila, K. Dittmar, M. Morando, C. Pérez: MLP.S. 2450. 2) Provincial Road 8, 23 km N Añelo (38º13’49’’S, 68º573’6.2’’W). 15 November 2003. D. Pérez: LJAMM 4529. 3) Provincial Road1, 31 km SW Aguada Pichana (38º31’27.3’’S, 69º21’26.8’’W, 710 m). 17 February 2007. L. Avila, M. Morando, T. Avila: LJAMM 7807. Pehuenches Department:4) Provincial Road8, 2.7 km S Crucero Catriel (37º42’22.6’’S, 68º27’12.4’’W, 556 m). 21 February 2007. L. Avila, D. Pérez, C. Pérez: LJAMM 7703. 5) Provincial Road7, 43.9 km SW junction Provincial Road 9 (37º37’56.1’’S, 69º35’45.4’’W, 758 m). 21 February 2007. L. Avila, D. Pérez, C. Pérez: LJAMM 7730. 6) Provincial Road7, 50.2 km SW junction Provincial Road 9 (37º38’41.2’’S, 69º32’5.8’’W, 686 m). 21 February 2007. L. Avila, D. Pérez, C. Pérez: LJAMM 7742.