Stenocercus praeornatus Fritts, 1972

Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2007, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF SOUTH AMERICAN STENOCERCUS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIA) LIZARDS, Herpetological Monographs 21 (1), pp. 76-178 : 146-147

Stenocercus praeornatus Fritts

( Fig. 21 )

Stenocercus praeornatus Fritts, 1972:16 . Holotype: KU 134231 , a male from ‘‘ Comas, 3220 m, Departamento Junín, Perú ̕̕; Fritts, 1974:62.

Diagnosis.— Stenocercus praeornatus and S. imitator are unique among species of Stenocercus with granular scales on the posterior surface of thighs in that adult males have a distinct black transverse band across the ventral surface of neck and a pink or lavender ventral background. S. praeornatus can be distinguished from S. imitator by having more vertebrals (65–71, X = 67.83 and 49–66, X = 56.87, respectively), more gulars (38–50, X = 46.50 and 29–44, X = 34.98, respectively), and more scales around midbody (99–122, X = 107.67 and 85–124, X = 102.96, respectively).

Description.—(1) Maximum SVL in males 100 mm ( Cadle, 1991); (2) maximum SVL in females 81 mm ( Cadle, 1991); (3) vertebrals 65–71; (4) paravertebrals 90–101; (5) scales around midbody 99–122; (6) supraoculars 4–7; (7) internasals 4–5; (8) postrostrals 5–9; (9) loreals 3–5; (10) gulars 38–50; (11) subdigitals on Finger IV 19–22; (12) subdigitals on Toe IV 27–30; (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 small, smooth, juxtaposed; (17) projecting angulate temporals absent; (18) 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 strongly compressed laterally in adult males; (33) tail length 62–66% 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 of adult males absent; (39) black patch on ventral surface of neck in adult males always present; (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 1A.

Color in life.—Dorsum in males grayishbrown with faint, dark brown, diamondshaped marks; dorsum in females grayish beige with pairs of brown blotches middorsally; head brown with yellowish-beige spots in males; nape with diagonal yellow marks and spots in males; lateral aspect of body yellowish-brown with dull yellow spots in males; chin bluish-green with yellow spots in males, beige with brown spots or reticulations in females; gular region rose pink with gray reticulation in males; ventral aspect of neck black in males; venter grayish-white in females and rose pink with narrow, yellow midventral line in males; ventrally, base of tail yellowish-orange in males and thighs slightly yellow in females ( Fritts, 1972).

Natural History.—This species has been collected in large rock piles and terraces made of rocks ( Fritts, 1972, 1974).

Distribution.— Stenocercus praeornatus is known only from its type locality, 11 ° 46'0"S, 75 ° 5'0"W, 3220 m, in the eastern Cordillera of the central Andes in Peru ( Fig. 10 ). This locality lies in the upper valley of Río Tulumayo (Atlantic drainage), Departamento Junín. Specimens of S. praeornatus reported from northwestern Peru by Fritts (1972, 1974) correspond to S. imitator ( Cadle, 1991) .

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