Diplolaemus crypticus VRDOLJAK, AVILA, MOLINA, BENITEZ-VEYRA & MORANDO, 2026
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Diplolaemus crypticus?
Diplolaemus crypticus
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| Higher Taxa | Leiosauridae (Leiosaurinae), Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Diplolaemus crypticus VRDOLJAK, AVILA, MOLINA, BENITEZ-VEYRA & MORANDO 2026: 11 Diplolaemus bibronii — BELL 1843 (part) Diplolaemus bibronii — BURT & BURT 1930 Diplolaemus bibronii — DONOSO-BARROS 1966 Diplolaemus bibronii — PETERS et al. 1970 Diplolaemus bibronii — BOTTARI 1976 Diplolaemus bibronii — CEI 1986 Diplolaemus darwinii — BOULENGER 1885 Diplolaemus darwinii — CEI 1973. Diplolaemus sexcinctus — CEI et al. 2021 Diplolaemus sexcinctus — MORANDO et al. 2015. Diplolaemus sexcinctus L3 — FEMENIAS et al. 2020 Diplolaemus sexcinctus L3 – VRDOLJAK et al. 2025 |
| Distribution | Argentina (Chubut) Type locality: Ruta Nacional 40, 39 km N to Gobernador Costa (43° 51’ 22.5’’ S, 70° 54 57.4’’ W, 859 m), Tehuelces Department, Chubut Province, Argentina |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype (Fig. 7): LJAMM 17031, Adult male, Collected by L.J. Avila on 30 January 2016. Paratopoypes (Supporting Information, Figs S7, S8): LJAMM 17035 adult female with same date and collector as holotype. Paratypes (Supporting Information, Figs S7, S8): LJAMM 2127 (45° 25’ 54’’S, 69° 50’ 25’’ W, 502 m, Río Senguer Department, collected by L.J. Avila and M. Morando on 25 January 2000), 13076 (45° 26’ 01.1’’ S, 69° 50’ 17.3’’ W, 479 m, Río Senger Department, collected by L.J. Avila, M. Kozykariski, M.F. Breitman and R. Martinez on 15 March 2010), 13079 (44° 43’ 51.7’’S, 70° 00’ 13.4’’ W, 567 m, Tehuelches Department, same collectors and date as 13076), 13082 (43° 26’ 23.9’’S, 70° 00’ 12.7’’ W, 743 m, Languiñeo Department, same collectors and date as 13076), 15603 (43° 54’ 31.3’’ S, 70° 18’ 45.9’’ W, 1072, Tehuelches Department, Collected by M.A. Gonzalez Marin, C.H.F. Pérez & L.J. Avila), adult males. 3657, 3658 (both from 43° 33’ 43.8’’ S, 71° 10’ 01.3’’ W, 816 m, Languiñeo Department, collected by N. Frutos, C.H.F. Pérez, M. Morando, P. Frutos, L.J. Avila and T. Avila on 9 February 2006), 11616 (from 43° 54’ 34.5’’ S, 70° 18’ 49.2’’ W, 1085 m, Tehuelches Department, collected by L.J. Avila, M. Kozykariski, M. Nicola, M.F. Breitman and N. Feltrin), 15590, 15591 (44° 43’ 37.8’’ S, 69° 36’ 48.9’’ W, 892, Sarmiento Department, collected by M.A. Gonzalez Marin, C.H.F. Pérez and L.J. Avila), 15604 (same as 15603), adult females. All specimens were collected in Chubut Province, Argentina. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Diplolaemus crypticus is genetically distinct from the other described species of the clade and can be statistically distinguished from them with at least 95% confidence based on several individual morphological traits (Supporting Information, Fig. S9, mean values of TL = 14.20 mm, HH = 10.82 mm, HL = 21.58 mm, SVL = 77.10 mm, SNG = 63.04, SSS = 3.17, SNR = 2.78, LM = 16.91, ANAS =11.83, ILS = 11.39, SLS = 12.35, VS = 178.6, DS = 177.5, and SAMB = 180) from D. bibronii (HH = 12.56 mm, SLS = 11.60), D. darwinii (TL = 11.42 mm, HL = 1.98 mm, SVL = 67.38 mm, SNG = 55.61, SSS = 1.91, SNR = 1.61, LM = 18.43, ANAS = 10.78, ILS = 9.26, and SLS = 10.13), D. leopardinus (SLS = 11.64, and DS = 164.55 mm), D. sexcinctus (SVL = 87.01 mm, SNG = 71.49, SNR = 3.08, LM = 18.73, VS = 189.27, DS = 185.11, SAMB = 187.27), D. vulcanus (SVL = 89.85 mm, SNG = 73, SSS = 3.67, SNR = 3.11, LM = 18.94, VS = 192.72, DS = 187.56, SAMB = 197.28). (VRDOLJAK et al. 2026) Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data. However, these details, e.g. detailed descriptions (about about 3.26 pages) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us if you need any of this material. |
| Comment | Distribution: see map in Vrdoljak et al. 2026: Fig. 1, and guess which color and lineage this species is (we hope it’s there). |
| Etymology | Named from the term ‘cryptic’ which is used commonly in zoological literature to indicate species that are virtually indistinguishable morphologically; from the Greek krypto meaning hide or conceal, in reference to be difficult to differentiate this species from relatived species given that the highest phenotypic variation of the genus. |
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