Diplolaemus varicolor VRDOLJAK, AVILA, MOLINA, BENITEZ-VEYRA & MORANDO, 2026
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Diplolaemus varicolor?
Diplolaemus varicolor
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| Higher Taxa | Leiosauridae (Leiosaurinae), Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Diplolaemus varicolor VRDOLJAK, AVILA, MOLINA, BENITEZ-VEYRA & MORANDO 2026: 13 Diplolaemus bibronii — BELL 1843 (part) Diplolaemus bibronii — PETERS et al. 1970 Diplolaemus bibronii — DONOSO-BARROS 1966 Diplolaemus darwinii — CEI 1973 Diplolaemus ‘forma altopatagónica’ – CEI 1986 Diplolaemus sexcinctus — VICTORIANO et al. 2010 Diplolaemus leopardinus — CEI 1971 Diplolaemus leopardinus – CEI et al. 2021 Diplolaemus leopardinus – GARCÍA et al. 2015 Diplolaemus leopardinus – MORANDO et al. 2015. Diplolaemus sexcinctus L4 — FEMENIAS et al. 2020 Diplolaemus sexcinctus L4 – VRDOLJAK et al. 2025 |
| Distribution | Argentina (Neuquén) Type locality: Ruta Provincial 13, 16.5 km W to Kilka (38° 53’ 09.25’’ S, 70° 57’ 48.7’’ W, 1598 m), Aluminé Department, Neuquén Province, Argentina |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype (Fig. 8): LJAMM 17238, Adult male. Collected by L.J. Avila on 3 March 2016. Paratopoypes (Supporting Information, Figs S11, S12): LJAMM 17237, 17239, 17240, and 17241 adult females with same date and collector as holotype. Paratypes (Supporting Information, Figs S11, S12): LJAMM 939 (38° 53’ 13’’S, 70° 58’ 33’’ W, 160 m, no collector data on 11 January 1999), 2634, 2635, 2636, 2695 (38° 53’ 12’’ S, 70° 58’ 42’’ W, 1614 m, collected by L.J. Avila, and M. Morando on 7 March 2000), 14202 (38° 49’ 20.5’’S, 71° 11’ 26.3’’ W, 1761 m, collected by L.J. Avila, C. Medina, & M. Olave on 16 February 2011), 15146 (39° 07’ 09.6’’S, 71° 02’ 02.6’’ W, 1065 m, collected by L.J. Avila on 27 January 2013), adult males. 1163 (38° 53’ 13’’S, 70° 58’ 33’’ W, 1600 m, no collector data on 11 January 1999) adult female. All specimens were collected in Aluminé Department, Neuquén Province, Argentina. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Diplolaemus varicolor is genetically distinct from the other described species of the clade, for its lower number of VS (mean = 159.7, range = 138–171; D. bibronii mean = 184.55, range = 162–220, z = -2.07; D. darwinii mean = 173.78, range = 155–193, z = -1.37; D. leopardinus mean = 172.91, range = 155–188, z = -1.26; D. sexcinctus mean = 189.27, range = 163–222, z = -2.39; D. vulcanus mean = 192.72 range = 178–217, z = -3.15), and also can be statistically distinguished from them with at least 95% confidence based on several individual morphological traits, mainly scale counts (Supporting Information, Fig. S9, mean values of TL = 13.55 mm, HW = 12.58 mm, HL = 19.53 mm, SVL = 72.34 mm, SNG = 58.23, SSS = 2.39, SNR = 2.54, LP = 27.92, LM = 17.15, ANAS = 10.77, ILS = 10.62, SLS = 11.69, DS = 168.8, SAMB = 175.8) from D. bibronii (mean values of HW = 15.55 mm, SVL = 86.12 mm, SNG = 66.12, SSS = 3.45, LP = 30.24, LM = 18.07, ANAS = 12.12, ILS = 11.36, DS = 179.21, SAMB = 183.21), D. darwinii (mean values of TL = 11.42 mm, HL = 16.98 mm, SSS = 1.91, SNR = 1.61, LP = 29.35, LM = 18.43, ILS = 9.26, SLS = 10.13), D. leopardinus (mean values of SNG = 64.91, SSS = 3.09, ANAS = 12), D. sexcinctus (SVL = 87.01 mm, SNG = 71.49, SSS = 3.38, SNR = 3.08, LP = 30.43, LM = 18.73, ANAS = 12.3, ILS = 11.51, DS = 185.11, SAMB = 187.27), and D. vulcanus (HW = 16.68 mm, SVL = 89.85, SNG = 73, SSS = 3.67, SNR = 3.11, LP = 30.17, LM = 18.94, ILS = 11.83, 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 between half a page and a page) 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 after the remarkable variation in dorsal coloration observed in live individuals of this species. We have recorded specimens with predominantly green, greenish-blue, and greenish-yellow tones, while García et al. (2015) observed individuals displaying a clear yellow coloration. |
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