Lizards, snakes and turtle fauna of Auca Mahuida volcanic field, Neuquén, Argentina.

IGNACIO MINOLI; LUCIANO J. AVILA; MÓNICA L. KOZYKARISKI; CINTIA D. MEDINA; CRISTIAN H. F. PÉREZ; FLORENCIA BREITMAN; DANIEL R. PÉREZ; MARIANA MORANDO

Bariloche

Congreso; XII Congreso Argentino de Herpetología; 2011

Auca Mahuida Volcanic Field is the southernmost basaltic complex of the Payenia region of Mendoza and Neuquen provinces. This volcanic field  comprises more than a hundred volcanic cones, but the Auca Mahuida Mountain is the main and more conspicuous geographic feature. Herein we presente a list of the reptiles of Auca Mahuida Volcanic Field (AMVF) (37°45? S, 68°52? W), obtained after three years of herpetological surveys. Main field work was conducted between two and six days per week in December 2009, November and December 2010, and February 2011. We also conducted data searches of all historical collections deposited in several herpetological collections carried out within the (AMVF)  for species records. Twenty seven species of reptiles are recorded from the (AMVF); eighteen species of lizards, eight species of snakes and a turtle were recorded from seven families: Liolaemidae (14), Phyllodactylidae (3), Teiidae (1), Leiosauridae (2), Dipsadidae (5), Elapidae (1), Viperidae (2) and Testudinidae (1). Five of the eighteen species found in the (AMVF)  are new species endemic to the Patagonian Steppe environment found above 2000 m.