Stenocercus ochoai Fritts, 1972

Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2007, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF SOUTH AMERICAN STENOCERCUS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIA) LIZARDS, Herpetological Monographs 21 (1), pp. 76-178 : 139-140

Stenocercus ochoai Fritts

( Fig. 20 )

Stenocercus ochoai Fritts, 1972:13 . Holotype: KU 133888 , a male from ‘‘ Chilca , 10 km NW Ollantaytambo, 2700 m, Departamento Cuzco, Perú ̕̕; Fritts, 1974:60.

Diagnosis.— Stenocercus ochoai is distinguished from other species of Stenocercus except S. formosus by having imbricate scales on the posterior surface of thighs, a welldeveloped postfemoral mite pocket, antehumeral and oblique neck folds, and by lacking an antehumeral mite pocket. S. ochoai differs from S. formosus (character states in parentheses) in having three caudal whorls per autotomic segment (four), smooth dorsal head scales (keeled), lateral nuchals less than half the size of dorsal nuchals (lateral and dorsal nuchals similar in size), fewer (56–69, X = 61.83) scales around midbody (74–82, X = 77.88), and a black venter with some yellow laterally in adult males (pink ventral coloration).

Description.—(1) Maximum SVL in males 92 mm (n = 14); (2) maximum SVL in females 74 mm (n = 15); (3) vertebrals 46–67; (4) paravertebrals 59–91; (5) scales around midbody 56–69; (6) supraoculars 5–7; (7) internasals 3–4; (8) postrostrals 4–7; (9) loreals 2–4; (10) gulars 16–23; (11) subdigitals on Finger IV 15–20; (12) subdigitals on Toe IV 21–29; (13) posthumeral mite pocket absent; (14) postfemoral mite pocket distinct with slit-like opening; (15) parietal eye not visible through interparietal cornea in 3% of specimens; (16) scales on occipitoparietal region small, smooth, juxtaposed or slightly imbricate; (17) projecting angulate temporals absent; (18) one row of enlarged supraoculars occupying most of supraocular region absent; (19) scales on frontonasal region weakly imbricate anteriorly; (20) preauricular fringe present; (21) antehumeral and oblique 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 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 smooth or keeled, imbricate; (29) inguinal granular pocket absent; (30) inguinal groove absent; (31) preanals not projected; (32) tail not strongly compressed laterally in adult males; (33) tail length 63–67% of total length; (34) caudal whorls per autotomic segment three; (35) caudals not 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 7% of adult males; (39) black patch on ventral surface of neck in 20% of adult males; (40) dark midventral longitudinal mark such as faint line, conspicuous stripe, or extensive patch in 87% of adult males; (41) dark patches on ventral surface of thighs in 7% of adult males; (42) postxiphisternal inscriptional ribs not in contact midventrally, Patterns 1A, 2A, and 2B.

Color in life.—Dorsum brown, with small black blotches in males and beige or light gray scales in females; lateral surface of body, limbs, and tail with lime-green suffusion in males; ventrolateral aspect of body greenish yellow in males and grayish brown with bronze or reddish-orange suffusion in females; gular region yellow with black suffusion in males and beige with gray suffusion in females; venter dull black (yellow laterally) in males and beige-white in females; ventrally, pelvic region, base of tail, and thighs dull yellow in males ( Fritts, 1972).

Natural History.—This species is active on ground and rock (mostly males) substrates ( Fritts, 1972, 1974).

Distribution.— Stenocercus ochoai occurs between 14 ° S–12 ° S in the eastern Cordillera of the central Andes in Peru ( Fig. 10 ). This species is known from the upper valleys of Río Apurimac and Río Urubamba (Atlantic drainage) at elevations of 2000–3000 m in Departamentos Apurimac and Cusco. S. ochoai is sympatric with S. apurimacus in Apurimac and S. crassicaudatus in Cusco.

Figures

FIG. 20.—Eight species of Stenocercus. (A) S. marmoratus (AMU); (B) S. melanopŋgus (PVE); (C) S. modestus (MLU); (D) S. nigromaculatus (WED); (E) S. nubicola (PVE); (F) S. ochoai (WED); (G) S. orientalis (PVE); (H) S. ornatissimus (MLU).

FIG. 10.—Distribution of six species of Stenocercus in Peru.