Stenocercus santander Torres-Carvajal, 2007

Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2007, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF SOUTH AMERICAN STENOCERCUS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIA) LIZARDS, Herpetological Monographs 21 (1), pp. 76-178 : 152-153

Stenocercus santander Torres-Carvajal

( Fig. 21 )

Stenocercus santander Torres-Carvajal, 2007 b: 57 . Holotype: UIS-R 478 , a male from ‘‘ Vereda Tres Esquinas , approximately 6 ° 59'22"N, 73 ° 3'13"W, Municipio Piedecuesta, Departamento Santander, Colombia.̕̕

Stenocercus erythrogaster (part); Ayala, 1986:563; Cadle, 2001:217; Harvey et al., 2004:941.

Diagnosis.— Stenocercus santander can be distinguished from other species of Stenocercus except S. erythrogaster , S. huancabambae , S. iridescens , S. limitaris , and S. puyango 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. santander differs from S. huancabambae (character states in parenthesis) by lacking projected angulate temporals (2–3 dorsally-projected angulate temporals), and by having two canthals (canthal single). From S. puyango it differs by having keeled dorsal head scales and keeled ventrals (smooth in S. puyango ). S. santander is different from S. limitaris in color patterns (e.g., males of S. santander lack a distinct black mark on the ventral surface of neck, which is characteristic of S. limitaris ); moreover, males of S. santander have a more prominent vertebral crest.

Description.—(1) Maximum SVL in males 96 mm (n = 7); (2) maximum SVL in females 78 mm (n = 2); (3) vertebrals 33–40; (4) paravertebrals 45–57; (5) scales around midbody 37–47; (6) supraoculars 3–5; (7) internasals 3–4; (8) postrostrals 4–6; (9) loreals 2–3; (10) gulars 16–21; (11) subdigitals on Finger IV 15–19; (12) subdigitals on Toe IV 24–29; (13) posthumeral mite pocket present as a deep depression; (14) postfemoral mite pocket distinct with slit-like opening; (15) parietal eye visible through interparietal cornea in 69% of specimens; (16) scales on occipitoparietal region small, keeled, imbricate; (17) projecting angulate temporals absent; (18) enlarged supraoculars occupying most of supraocular region in one row; (19) scales on frontonasal region 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 keeled, imbricate; (28) scales on posterior surfaces of thighs keeled, imbricate; (29) inguinal granular pocket absent; (30) inguinal groove absent; (31) preanals not projected; (32) tail strongly compressed laterally in adult males; (33) tail length 70–74% 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 in 50% of females; (38) dark patch extensively covering gular region of adult males absent; (39) black patch on ventral surface of neck in 14% 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 continuous midventrally, Pattern 6A.

Color in preservative.—Dorsum brown, dorsal aspect of head dark brown or black with large, light blotches in males (brown without marks in females); some vertebrals black in males; cream-white longitudinal stripe extends posteriorly from rostral through dorsal border of tympanum to scapular region, where it merges with a thin, vertical, cream-white line that extends ventrally to fore limb insertion; flanks brown; gular and ventral background light brown in males; venter yellowish cream in females; dark patch on ventral surface of neck in some males; black midventral stripe between pectoral and pelvic regions in some males; light transverse stripe extending across pectoral region between fore limbs in males, light (probably yellow in life) patch covering ventral surface of thighs, pelvic region, and base of tail in males.

Natural History.—An adult female collected on January 2003 contained four oviductal eggs; the smallest individual (SVL = 35, TL = 70) was collected on November 2003 ( Torres-Carvajal, 2007 b)

Distribution.— Stenocercus santander is known from the northern Andes in the eastern Cordillera in Colombia at elevations of 1189– 1570 m ( Fig. 16 ). This species is known from Departamento Santander between 6 ° N–7 ° N, and might occur in sympatry with S. lache and S. trachycephalus ( Fig. 16 ).

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. 16.—Distribution of four species of Stenocercus in Colombia and Venezuela.