Aurivela, Harvey & Ugueto & Gutberlet, 2012

Harvey, Michael B., Ugueto, Gabriel N. & Gutberlet, Ronald L., 2012, 3459, Zootaxa 3459, pp. 1-156 : 99-102

Aurivela New Genus

Figure 63

Type Species.— Type species Ameiva longicauda Bell by original designation.

Diagnosis.— Aurivela is the only teiid genus with a subtriangular auricular flap partially covering the external auditory meatus, 2–3 suboculars, the first and second chinshields in medial contact, a single subtriangular preanal plate larger than the scale in front of it, and a single row of 3–4 poorly developed tibiotarsal spurs consisting of large triangular scales with raised and pointed distal ends.

Content.— Aurivela longicauda (Bell) , Aurivela tergolaevigata (Cabrera) .

Definition.—Small lizards reaching 62 mm SVL; tail about 2.6X as long as body ( Table 8); posterior maxillary and dentary teeth longitudinally compressed, tricuspid; pupil reniform.

Prefrontal in contact with nasal, separated from first supraciliary; frontal entire, lacking longitudinal ridge, its posterior suture contacting third supraocular; scales of frontoparietal region smooth, outwardly convex to flat (keyhole shaped depression absent); frontoparietals paired; parietals consisting of three regular scales; interparietal entire, smaller than flanking parietals; medial pair of enlarged occipitals absent; occipitals 10–14, usually larger than first row of dorsals; supratemporals slightly to moderately enlarged, separated from parietals by one or more scales.

Rostral groove present; nostril oval and oriented anteroventrally, in front of suture and not touching it; loreal single; supraoculars eight; first supraocular entire, subequal to or smaller than fourth supraocular, partially separated from second supraocular; circumorbital semicircles consisting of 18–25 small scales, extending to posterior border of first supraocular; supraciliaries 12–19, separated from supraoculars by 1–1.5 rows of 28–42 granular scales; supraciliaries subequal ( Aurivela tergolaevigata ) or first supraciliary long ( A. longicauda ); angulate keel extending from first subocular to elongate subocular below eye; suboculars two ( A. longicauda ) or three ( A. tergolaevigata ); first subocular entire, contacting or separated from first supraciliary, contacting supralabials; scales in front of auditory meatus not enlarged; subtriangular auricular flap covered in granular scales, projecting posteriorly and ventrally from anterodorsal edge of external auditory meatus; preauricular fold absent.

Supralabials 12–14; first supralabial smaller than second, its ventral margin “toothy”; infralabials 12–16; first pair of chinshields broadly contacting infralabials or partially to completely separated from them by small granular scales; first and second pairs of chinshields in broad medial contact; interangular sulcus absent; anterior gulars 15–28; gular patch absent; posterior gulars 11–16; intertympanic sulcus absent; larger anterior gulars undergoing sharp transition to smaller posterior gulars at intertympanic crease; mesoptychials not to slightly enlarged; larger scales of mesoptychium forming serrated edge along gular fold.

Dorsals smooth; scales on flank subequal to middorsals, not projecting laterally, supported by small apical granules; scales on rump much smaller than proximal subcaudals; scales of chest large and flat; pectoral sulcus absent; ventrals smooth, in 30–35 transverse and ten longitudinal rows; lateral-most ventrals flanked by small scales (i.e., ventrals not gradually decreasing in size on flanks); preanals 4–5; preanal plate present, bordered by subtriangular scales; preanal scale single, subtriangular, larger than scale in front of it; preanal spurs, postcloacal buttons, and postanal plates absent; scales on dorsolateral edge of tail like those on top and sides, denticulate edge and dorsolateral crests absent; caudal annuli complete; proximal subcaudals smooth.

Enlarged scales of brachium connected by continuous band of enlarged subtriangular plates on dorsal surface of arm; preaxial brachial scales 1–2X as wide as long, extending to or beyond center of arm; postaxial brachials 1–2X as wide as long, restricted to patch at elbow; antebrachial scales enlarged and smooth, broadly separated from preaxial brachial scales by gap of small scales; postaxial antebrachial scales slightly enlarged; subdigital lamellae of hand homogeneous in size, 16–19 under fourth finger.

Prefemorals 5–8; femoral and abdominal pores 25–33 in continuous row on each side (abdominal pores not separated from femoral pores by gap); each compound pore-bearing scale consisting of partially fused prefemoral or abdominal scale and 2–6 granular scales; 2–3 scales separating right and left pore rows; scales at heel relatively small and numerous; tibiotarsal spurs consisting of 3–4 large triangular scales with thickened, elevated, and pointed distal ends; tibiotarsal shields absent; lamellae under fourth toe 28–31; distal lamellae of fourth toe smooth; continuous low, serrate row of keeled scales along postaxial edge separating digital lamellae of toes 2–4; noticeably enlarged postaxial scales between fourth and fifth toe absent; fifth toe well-developed, base of its claw extending beyond level of skin between third and fourth toes when adpressed.

β- keratin containing layers of dorsal scales folded into macrohoneycomb; dorsal and caudal scales with one subterminal lenticular scale organ; ventrals lacking scale organs; generation glands absent.

Snout same color as dorsal head scales. In juveniles, light vertebral and paravertebral stripes solid and straight ( Aurivela longicauda ) or absent ( A. tergolaevigata ); dark dorsolateral field solid; dorsolateral light stripe solid and extending to tail; dark lateral field solid; in juveniles, upper lateral light stripes solid and extending to groin; lower lateral light stripe absent; thigh and flanks lacking light spots. In adult males, turquoise ventrolateral spots absent; venter immaculate, lacking melanic areas; juvenile dorsal color pattern present in adult males with only slight modification.

Morphology of hemipenis unknown.

Etymology.— Aurivela is a feminine Latin noun in the nominative singular derived from the Latin words auris meaning ear and velatus meaning covered or concealed. The new name alludes to the auricular flap diagnostic of this genus.

Distribution.— Endemic to the Monte Desert region of western Argentina ( Cabrera 2004; Cabrera & Etheridge 2006; Frutos et al. 2005; Yoke et al. 2006).