Stenocercus roseiventris Duméril and Bibron, 1837

Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2007, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF SOUTH AMERICAN STENOCERCUS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIA) LIZARDS, Herpetological Monographs 21 (1), pp. 76-178 : 151-152

Stenocercus roseiventris Duméril and Bibron ( Fig. 21 )

Stenocercus rosei-ventris Duméril and Bibron, 1837:350 . Holotype: MNHN 6879 from ‘‘Bolivia̕̕ (restricted to the slopes of the Irupana mountains, in the province of Yungas, toward the valley of Rio de la Paz [Departamento La Paz], Bolivia, by d̕ Orbigny [1847]).

Steironotus (Stenocercus) rosei-ventris Fitzinger, 1843:71 .

Stenocercus atrigularis Werner, 1913:11 . Holotype: ZMH missing male specimen, probably destroyed during World War II (Hallerman, 1998:216), from ‘‘Provinz [Departamento] Beni, Bolivia̕̕; Burt and Burt, 1933:42. Synonymy fide Etheridge in Peters and Donoso-Barros, 1970:257.

Stenocercus roseiventris Gray, 1845:219 ; Boulenger, 1885 a:133; Koslowsky, 1898:170; Burt and Burt, 1931:288; Burt and Burt, 1933:43; Etheridge, in Peters and Donoso-Barros, 1970:257; Fritts, 1974:63; Cei, 1993:309; Avila-Pires, 1995:159.

Diagnosis.—Among species of Stenocercus with imbricate scales on the posterior surface of thighs, S. roseiventris and S. marmoratus are unique in having caudal scales with strongly projected mucrons. S. roseiventris is distinguished from S. marmoratus (character states in parentheses) by having a conspicuous and continuous vertebral crest (low and discontinuous), keeled and imbricate temporals (granular), lateral and dorsal body scales similar in size (laterals half the size of dorsals), ventrolateral fold inconspicuous or absent (distinct ventrolateral fold), 55–82 (X = 69.80) scales around midbody (44–59, X = 52.00), and a preauricular fringe (absent).

Description.—(1) Maximum SVL in males 99 mm (n = 24); (2) maximum SVL in females 96 mm (n = 12); (3) vertebrals 44–66; (4) paravertebrals 63–84; (5) scales around midbody 55–82; (6) supraoculars 5–7; (7) internasals 4–6; (8) postrostrals 4–7; (9) loreals 2–5; (10) gulars 24–32; (11) subdigitals on Finger IV 13–20; (12) subdigitals on Toe IV 17–24; (13) posthumeral mite pocket present as one or more vertical folds or ridges; (14) postfemoral mite pocket distinct with slit-like opening; (15) parietal eye not visible through interparietal cornea; (16) scales on occipitoparietal region smooth, weakly imbricate or juxtaposed; (17) projecting angulate temporals absent; (18) row of enlarged supraoculars occupying most of supraocular region absent; (19) scales on frontonasal region juxtaposed or weakly imbricate anteriorly; (20) preauricular fringe inconspicuous or absent; (21) antegular (continuous medially), antehumeral, gular, longitudinal, oblique, postauricular, and supra-auricular neck folds present; (22) lateral nuchals less than half the size of dorsal nuchals; (23) posterior gulars rhomboidal, smooth, 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, slightly keeled in some specimens; (28) scales on posterior surfaces of thighs keeled, imbricate; (29) inguinal granular pocket absent; (30) inguinal groove present; (31) preanals not projected; (32) tail not compressed laterally in adult males; (33) tail length 49–57% of total length; (34) caudal whorls per autotomic segment two; (35) caudals strongly spinose; (36) dark brown stripe extending anterodorsally from subocular region to supraciliaries absent; (37) dark patch extensively covering gular region in 23% of females; (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 57% of adult males; (41) dark patches on ventral surface of thighs in adult males absent; (42) postxiphisternal inscriptional ribs not in contact midventrally, Pattern 1A.

Color in life.—Dorsum greenish brown, bluish gray, or reddish brown with darker transverse bars or shallow chevrons; vertebral crest with cream and light green spots in some specimens; flanks reddish brown with yellowish-green spots; vertical black bar on antehumeral region bordered with yellow or white posteriorly; labials yellowish cream; gular region gray or white with brown and black spots; venter pink with faint, brown, longitudinal midventral line; tail gray dorsally and pinkish ventrally; iris reddish brown, gold towards periphery ( Avila-Pires, 1995; Cei, 1993; d̕ Orbigny, 1847; Duellman, 2005).

Natural History.—A gravid female (SVL = 96 mm) collected in December 1991 contained two oviductal eggs ( Duellman, 2005). Food items of S. roseiventris include ants, beetles (adults and larvae), dipterans, orthopterans, and roaches; this species was found in the stomach of the snake Siphlophis cervinus in Cusco Amazónico, Peru ( Duellman, 2005).

Distribution.— Stenocercus roseiventris occurs in the western Amazon basin and eastern slopes of the central and southern Andes between 24 ° S–4 ° S ( Fig. 11 ). This species is known at elevations of 37–2000 m in Argentina (Provincias Entre Ríos, Jujuy, and Salta), Bolivia (Departamentos Cochabamba and Santa Cruz), Brazil (Estado Acre), and Peru (Departamentos Ayacucho, Cusco, Huánuco, Loreto, Madre de Dios, and Puno). S. roseiventris is sympatric with S. apurimacus (Peru: Ayacucho), S. caducus (Bolivia: Santa Cruz), S. fimbriatus (Peru: Loreto, Madre de Dios), and S. prionotus (Peru: Madre de Dios, Huánuco, Puno).

Figures

FIG. 21.—Eight species of Stenocercus. (A) S. ornatus (OTC); (B) S. percultus (MLU); (C) S. praeornatus (WED); (D) S. puŋango (LAC); (E) S. quinarius (CNO); (F) S. roseiƲentris (WED); (G) S. santander (MPR); (H) S. simonsii (WED).

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