Cnemidophorus venetacaudus Arias, Carvalho, Rodrigues and Zaher, 2011

Silva, Marcélia Basto Da & Ávila-Pires, Teresa C. S., 2013, The genus Cnemidophorus (Squamata: Teiidae) in State of Piauí, northeastern Brazil, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3681 (4), pp. 455-477 : 461-464

Cnemidophorus venetacaudus Arias, Carvalho, Rodrigues and Zaher, 2011

( Figure 3 A)

Cnemidophorus venetacaudus Arias, Carvalho, Rodrigues and Zaher, 2011a: 44 Arias, Carvalho, Rodrigues and Zaher, 2011b: 1

Material examined. Brazil. PIAUÍ. Municipality of Caracol, Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões (09°27’S, 43°05’W): MPEG 28619–28628. Municipality of Dom Expedito Lopes, Água Mineral Manaíra (6°56’32”S, 41°41’46”W), CHNUFPI 0 0 35.

Diagnosis. Cnemidophorus venetacaudus is a member of the littoralis subgroup. It is characterized by (between parentheses species from which it differs in that respect) being bisexual (only females in C. nativo ); 185– 211 dorsals along a mid-dorsal line (224–259 in C. abaetensis , 168–191 in C. littoralis ); 84–116 dorsals around midbody (115–138 in C. abaetensis , 96–123 in C. littoralis , 104–112 in C. cyanurus ); 33–45 femoral pores (27–31 in C. abaetensis , 28–36 in C. littoralis and 31–38 in C. cyanurus –all littoralis subgroup; 14–21 in c. confusionibus , 11–16 in C. jalapensis , 16–23 in C. cf. ocellifer and 16–24 in the new species–all ocellifer subgroup); 6–7 supraciliaries (five in ocellifer subgroup), not enlarged scales in the temporal region posterior to the third subocular (enlarged in ocellifer subgroup). Regarding color pattern, C. venetacaudus is unique in not being striped, but presenting a dorsolateral dark brown band wider at midbody than anteriorly and posteriorly; ocelli are absent; tail varies from light brown with a bluish tinge to bluish-green (tail brown in C. cf. ocellifer , C. mumbuca , C. jalapensis , C. confusionibus , C. nigrigula and in the new species; lateral ocelli present in C. cf. ocellifer , C. mumbuca and in the new species).

Hemipenis (MPEG 28621, MPEG 28624, MPEG 28625). Short and slightly bilobed (lobes about 10% the size of the organ). It extends to level of the eighth row of subcaudals when inverted. Sulcus spermaticus slightly forked, deep and centripetal. Border of sulcus spermaticus smooth and very distinct. Base of lobes with a flap-shaped fold, which extends to the sides as an awn. Base of these lobular crests surrounded by flounces, seen on the sulcate and asulcate faces. Body covered by transverse flounces, both on the sulcate and asulcate faces. On the sulcate face, flounces cover about 80% of the hemipenis body, not reaching the apical region. Middle region of body smooth, with pleats starting at mid-lateral portion. On the asulcate face, flounces cover most of body, not reaching the apex. Region between lobes folded on the sulcate face and smooth on the asulcate face. Asulcate face with a shallow medial furrow that extends from a point close to the lobular crotch to the middle of the organ, where basal folds begin. Basal region folded on the asulcate face, with a smooth protuberance on the sulcate face ( Figure 4 ).

Distribution. This species was recorded in an area of ‘caatinga’ in the Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões, in southeastern Piauí. According to Arias et al. (2011a), C. venetacaudus probably also occurs in Canto do Buriti, 120 km from the type-locality. One specimen of C. venetacaudus (CHNUFPI 0 0 35, female) was collected in Água Mineral Manaíra, municipality Dom Expedito Lopes, 313 km northeast of the type-locality ( Figure 5 ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. A— Cnemidophorus venetacaudus (adult male), Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões, Piauí (photo by Wáldima Rocha). B— Cnemidophorus confusionibus (adut male), Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões, Piauí.

FIGURE 4. Right hemipenis of Cnemidophorus venetacaudus (MPEG 28625). A—Sulcate face, B—Asulcate face. Scale 5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Cnemidophorus records in the State of Piauí (PI), Brazil. Black circles (1 – 10) = Cnemidophorus pyrrhogularis sp. nov.; Squares (11, 12, probably 14 — Canto do Burití [see text]) = C. venetacaudus; Star (11) = C. cf. ocellifer; Crosses (12 and 13) = C. confusionibus; White circles (15) = non-identified specimens. Numbers represent: 1 — Pedra do Sal (Parnaíba); 2 — Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades (Piracuruca); 3 — Eco Resort Nazareth (José de Freitas); 4 — Fazenda Santa Fé (José de Freitas); 5 — Riachão (Lagoa Alegre do Piauí); 6 — Cacimba de Dentro (Cabeceiras do Piauí); 7 — Fazenda Bonito (Castelo do Piauí); 8 — Fazenda Guarani (Campo Maior); 9 — Usina Hidrelétrica de Parnaíba (Floriano); 10 — Fazenda São Pedro (Guadalupe); 11 — Água Mineral Manaíra (Dom Expedito Lopes); 12 — Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões (Caracol). 13 — Serra Vermelha (Curimatá); 14 — Canto do Buriti (Boqueirão Grande); 15 — Estação Ecológica Uruçuí-Una (Uruçuí). Vegetation map modified from IBGE (2004).