Liolaemus heliodermis a new lizard from Northwestern Argentina with remarks on the content of the elongatus Group (Iguania: Tropiduridae)

ESPINOZA, R.E., F. LOBO AND F.B. CRUZ

HERPETOLOGICA

HERPETOLOGISTS LEAGUE

Lugar: Lawrence; Año: 2000 vol. 56 p. 507 - 516

0018-0831

We provide a diagnosis for the Liolaemus elongatus group which currently includes six species (including the species  described herein) of midsized, long-tailed, primarily saxicolous lizards. Most of these species are distributed along the andean cordillera of western Argentina where they principally occur at elevations above 1000m. Here we describe Liolaemus heliodermis, a new species belonging  to this group from the region where the Cumbres Calchaquies and the Sierra of Aconquija mauntain ranges converge in Western Tucumán Province. The new species differs from all other members of the elongatus group in several meristic characters and in the distinct coloration of the males: black heads with vibrant yelow torsos. Liolaemus heliodermis is the most northerly distributed member of the elongatus group and is the only member of the group known to occur in Tucumán Province. Preliminary data on the biology of L. heliodermis and the relationships of the new species to other members of the elongatus group are discussed.