Stenocercus puyango Torres-Carvajal, 2005

Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2007, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF SOUTH AMERICAN STENOCERCUS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIA) LIZARDS, Herpetological Monographs 21 (1), pp. 76-178 : 148-149

Stenocercus puyango Torres-Carvajal

( Fig. 21 )

Stenocercus puyango Torres-Carvajal, 2005 a: 79 . Holotype: QCAZ 6723 , a male from ‘‘ Puyango, 03 ° 53'S, 80 ° 04'W, 300 m, Provincia El Oro, Ecuador.̕̕

Diagnosis.— Stenocercus puyango can be distinguished from other species of Stenocercus except S. erythrogaster , S. huancabambae , S. iridescens , S. limitaris and S. santander by having imbricate scales on posterior aspect of thighs, nostrils medial to canthal ridge, and a longitudinal row of enlarged supraoculars occupying most of the supraocular region. Of these species, only S. huancabambae , S. limitaris , S. puyango , and S. santander have a postfemoral mite pocket. S. puyango is unique among these four species in having smooth dorsal head scales and smooth ventrals (these scales are keeled in S. huancabambae , S. limitaris , and S. santander .)

Description.—(1) Maximum SVL in males 115 mm (n = 19); (2) maximum SVL in females 82 mm (n = 16); (3) vertebrals 42–50; (4) paravertebrals 43–53; (5) scales around midbody 30–45; (6) supraoculars 4–6; (7) internasals 2–3; (8) postrostrals four; (9) loreals 2–4; (10) gulars 18–22; (11) subdigitals on Finger IV 15–20; (12) subdigitals on Toe IV 22–27; (13) posthumeral mite pocket present as a shallow depression with a wide opening; (14) postfemoral mite pocket distinct with slit-like opening; (15) parietal eye visible through interparietal cornea in 97% of specimens; (16) scales on occipitoparietal region large, smooth, imbricate; (17) projecting angulate temporals absent; (18) enlarged supraoculars occupying most of supraocular region in one row; (19) scales on frontonasal region weakly imbricate anteriorly; (20) preauricular fringe present; (21) neck folds absent; (22) lateral and dorsal nuchals similar in size; (23) posterior gulars rhomboidal, smooth or slightly keeled, imbricate, not notched; (24) lateral and dorsal body scales similar in size; (25) vertebrals larger than adjacent paravertebrals; (26) dorsolateral crest absent; (27) ventrals in adults smooth, imbricate; (28) scales on posterior surfaces of thighs keeled, imbricate; (29) inguinal granular pocket absent; (30) inguinal groove absent; (31) preanals projected; (32) tail strongly compressed laterally in adult males; (33) tail length 68–73% 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 present; (37) dark patch extensively covering gular region in 50% of females; (38) dark patch extensively covering gular region in adult males absent; (39) black patch on ventral surface of neck in 72% of adult males; (40) dark midventral longitudinal mark such as faint line, conspicuous stripe, or extensive patch in adult males always present; (41) dark patches on ventral surface of thighs in adult males absent; (42) postxiphisternal inscriptional ribs not in contact midventrally, Pattern 1B.

Color in life.—Dorsum brown with dark chevrons longitudinally arranged over vertebral line; cream vertical line on shoulder; cream line extending longitudinally from subocular region to level of insertion of fore limbs in females; subocular and loreal regions cream; posteroventrally oriented dark brown band on subocular region in some specimens; dorsum of head with dark brown interorbital bar; flanks of body with scattered red marks in males; gular region background rosy in males and brown in females; chin, gular region, and ventral and lateral aspects of neck with scattered red marks in males; black or dark red blotch on ventromedial aspect of neck in most males; throat bright yellow in males and cream, sometimes with an 8-shaped dark brown mark in females; ventral surface of body between pectoral and pelvic girdles lavender in males and cream in females, with a faint, narrow dark midventral line in both sexes; three large cream blotches on posterior surface of each thigh in females ( Torres-Carvajal, 2005 a).

Natural History.—A female laid two eggs in January 2004; after 96 days, a 0.7 g neonate (SVL = 26.7 mm, TL = 54.7 mm) hatched from one of the eggs ( Torres-Carvajal, 2005 a). Juveniles and females are more common in leaf litter, whereas adult males prefer exposed rocks and logs.

Distribution.— Stenocercus puyango occurs between 6 ° S–3 ° 30'S in the Pacific lowlands and adjacent slopes of the western Cordilleras of the central and northern Andes ( Fig. 19 ). This species is known from elevations of 90– 1500 m in southern Ecuador (Provincias El Oro, Loja) and northern Peru (Departamentos Lambayeque, Piura, and Tumbes). S. puyango is sympatric with S. limitaris (Peru: Tumbes) and possibly S. carrioni in Ecuador ( Torres-Carvajal, 2005 a).

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. 19.—Distribution of six species of Stenocercus in Ecuador and Peru.