Stenocercus bolivarensis Castro and Ayala

Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2007, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF SOUTH AMERICAN STENOCERCUS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIA) LIZARDS, Herpetological Monographs 21 (1), pp. 76-178 : 92-94

Stenocercus bolivarensis Castro and Ayala ( Fig. 7 )

Stenocercus bolivarensis Castro and Ayala, 1982:474 . Holotype: ICN 4210 , a male from ‘‘surroundings of Municipio Bolívar, 1 ° 50"N, 76 ° 58'W, 1650–1750 m, Departamento Cauca, Colombia ̕̕; Ayala, 1986:563.

Diagnosis.— Stenocercus bolivarensis differs from all other species of Stenocercus except S. carrioni , S. chlorostictus , S. crassicaudatus , S. empetrus , S. eunetopsis , S. simonsii , and S. torquatus in having granular scales on the posterior surface of thighs, two caudal whorls per autotomic segment, mucronate caudal scales, and a distinct longitudinal row of enlarged vertebral scales. Of these species, S. bolivarensis is unique in having strongly keeled and imbricate lateral body scales, which are granular or smooth and weekly imbricate in the species mentioned above.

Description.—(1) Maximum SVL in males 90 mm (n = 9); (2) maximum SVL in females 81 mm (n = 3); (3) vertebrals 60–83; (4) paravertebrals 76–95; (5) scales around midbody 67–82; (6) supraoculars 5–7; (7) internasals four; (8) postrostrals six; (9) loreals 3–5; (10) gulars 39–56; (11) subdigitals on Finger IV 22–27; (12) subdigitals on Toe IV 26–30; (13) posthumeral mite pocket present as one or more vertical folds or ridges; (14) postfemoral mite pocket present as one or more vertical folds or ridges; (15) parietal eye not visible through interparietal cornea; (16) scales on occipitoparietal region small, smooth, juxtaposed; (17) projecting angulate temporals absent; (18) one row of enlarged supraoculars occupying most of supraocular region absent; (19) scales on frontonasal region juxtaposed anteriorly; (20) preauricular fringe present; (21) antegular (continuous medially), antehumeral, gular, longitudinal, oblique, and postauricular neck folds present; (22) lateral nuchals less than half the size of dorsal nuchals; (23) posterior gulars cycloid, smooth, slightly imbricate, not notched; (24) lateral scales reduced in size, approximately half the size of dorsal body scales; (25) vertebrals larger than adjacent paravertebrals; (26) dorsolateral crest absent; (27) ventrals smooth, imbricate; (28) scales on posterior surfaces of thighs granular; (29) inguinal granular pocket present; (30) inguinal groove present; (31) preanals not projected; (32) tail not compressed laterally in adult males; (33) tail length 59–60% of total length; (34) caudal whorls per autotomic segment two; (35) caudals spinose; (36) dark brown stripe extending anterodorsally from subocular region to supraciliaries absent; (37) dark patch extensively covering gular region of females absent; (38) dark patch extensively covering gular region in 11% of adult males; (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, Patterns 4A and 4B.

Color in life.—Dorsum and flanks brown or olive green with numerous yellow or light green spots; pairs of black marks on each side of vertebral crest; black dorsal antehumeral collar bordered by pale lines; venter light green in juveniles and cream in adults, sometimes with pink tint; gular region light green in juveniles and gray with pale blotches in adults; borders of eyelids bright yellow ( Castro and Ayala, 1982).

Distribution.— Stenocercus bolivarensis occurs in the northern Andes between 2900– 3250 m ( Fig. 8 ). This species is known from the central Cordillera in Colombia, Departamento Cauca (1 ° N–2 ° N).

Figures

FIG. 7.—Eight species of Stenocercus. (A) S. angel (LAC); (B) S. angulifer (FAY); (C) S. apurimacus (WED); (D) S. azureus (SCA); (E) S. boettgeri (MLU); (F) S. boliƲarensis (FCA); (G) S. caducus (LSI); (H) S. chlorostictus (MLU).

FIG. 8.—Distribution of six species of Stenocercus in Colombia and Ecuador.