Stenocercus doellojuradoi (Freiberg)

Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2007, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF SOUTH AMERICAN STENOCERCUS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIA) LIZARDS, Herpetological Monographs 21 (1), pp. 76-178 : 104-105

Stenocercus doellojuradoi (Freiberg)

( Fig. 14 )

Proctotretus doello-juradoi Freiberg, 1944: 473 . Holotype: MACN 1670 from ‘‘ La Rioja [Provincia La Rioja], Argentina ̕̕; Peters and Donoso-Barros, 1970:241; Cei, 1986:278.

Stenocercus doellojuradoi Frost, 1992:43 ; Cei, 1993:306.

Diagnosis.—Among species of Stenocercus that lack posthumeral and postfemoral mite pockets and have imbricate scales on the posterior surface of thighs (i.e., S. azureus , S. doellojuradoi , S. dumerilii , S. pectinatus , S. quinarius , S. sinesaccus , S. squarrosus , and S. tricristatus ), those species formerly assigned to ‘‘ Proctotretus ̕̕ (i.e., S. azureus , S. doellojuradoi and S. pectinatus ) are unique in having posteriorly projected preanals that form a denticulate border, and two longitudinal rows of lorilabials between the anterior portion of the subocular and the corresponding supralabials. S. doellojuradoi can be distinguished from S. azureus by having notched and smooth ventrals and gulars (unnotched and strongly keeled in S. azureus ). It can be distinguished from S. pectinatus by not having the mental in contact with the first pair of sublabials and by lacking an antehumeral fold. In addition, S. doellojuradoi differs from S. azureus and S. pectinatus in having a longitudinal series of large, cream circular blotches ventral to each dorsolateral crest, as well as pink ventrolateral body edges.

Description.—(1) Maximum SVL in males 72 mm (n = 11); (2) maximum SVL in females 78 mm (n = 17); (3) vertebrals 33–41; (4) paravertebrals 39–46; (5) scales around midbody 32–41; (6) supraoculars 4–5; (7) internasals 3–4; (8) postrostrals four; (9) loreals 2– 4; (10) gulars 15–19; (11) subdigitals on Finger IV 11–15; (12) subdigitals on Toe IV 19–24; (13) posthumeral mite pocket absent; (14) postfemoral mite pocket absent; (15) parietal eye always visible through interparietal cornea; (16) scales on occipitoparietal region small, keeled, imbricate; (17) projecting angulate temporals absent; (18) row of enlarged supraoculars occupying most of supraocular region absent; (19) scales on frontonasal region imbricate anteriorly; (20) preauricular fringe present; (21) neck folds absent; (22) lateral and dorsal nuchals similar in size; (23) posterior gulars rhomboidal, smooth, imbricate, notched; (24) lateral and dorsal body scales similar in size; (25) vertebrals larger than adjacent paravertebrals; (26) dorsolateral crest absent; (27) ventrals smooth, imbricate; (28) scales on posterior surfaces of thighs keeled, imbricate; (29) inguinal granular pocket absent; (30) inguinal groove absent; (31) preanals projected; (32) tail not compressed laterally in adult males; (33) tail length 61–66% of total length; (34) caudal whorls per autotomic segment two; (35) caudals not spinose; (36) dark brown stripe extending anterodorsally from subocular region to supraciliaries present; (37) dark patch extensively covering gular region of females absent; (38) dark patch extensively covering gular region of adult males absent; (39) black patch on ventral surface of neck in adult males absent; (40) dark midventral longitudinal mark such as faint line, conspicuous stripe, or extensive patch in adult males absent; (41) dark patches on ventral surface of thighs in adult males absent; (42) postxiphisternal inscriptional ribs not in contact midventrally, Pattern 1B.

Color in life.—Dorsal background dark olive-green or brown with a longitudinal series of 10–11 pairs of dark, semicircular blotches posteriorly bordered with white, cream, or yellow; flanks with longitudinal series of dark blotches dorsally and whitish cream blotches ventrally; ventrolateral aspect of body and base of tail faint pink; dorsal aspect of head with two transverse black bands bordered with white, of which the posteriormost extends posteroventrally to comisure of mouth; ventral surfaces reddish-cream; throat and lateral aspect of gular region with scattered dark flecks ( Cei, 1986, 1993).

Natural History.—One female specimen (FML 1347; SVL = 78 mm) collected around November–December 1982 in Provincia Santiago del Estero contained seven eggs occupying more than half of the body volume. Volumes of these eggs were 395.52– 727.47 mm 3 (mean = 543.20). This species occupies xeric habitats ( Cei, 1993).

Distribution.— Stenocercus doellojuradoi is known from the eastern slopes of the southern Andes and adjacent lowland areas (100–1000) in Argentina ( Fig. 11 ). It occurs between 34 ° S–24 ° S in Provincias Córdoba, Formosa, Salta, Santiago del Estero, and Tucumán. This species also has been reported for Provincias Catamarca, San Juan, and San Luis ( Cei, 1986; Laspiur and Acosta, 2006).

Figures

FIG. 14.—Eight species of Stenocercus. (A) S. chota (LAC); (B) S. chrŋsopŋgus (MLU); (C) S. crassicaudatus (WED); (D) S. cupreus (MLU); (E) S. doellojuradoi (JAS); (F) S. dumerilii (TAP); (G) S. empetrus (RON); (H) S. festae (OTC).

FIG. 11.—Distribution of six species of Stenocercus in South America.