Liolaemus smaug ABDALA, QUINTEROS, SCROCCHI & STAZZONELLI, 2010
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Liolaemus smaug
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| Higher Taxa | Liolaemidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Liolaemus smaug ABDALA, QUINTEROS, SCROCCHI & STAZZONELLI 2010 Liolaemus elongatus elongatus CEI 1974 Liolaemus elongatus — CEI 1975 Liolaemus elongatus — CEI 1998 Liolaemus choique ABDALA, QUINTEROS, SCROCCHI & STAZZONELLI 2010 Liolaemus choique — VRDOLJAK et al.2020 |
| Distribution | Argentina (Mendoza) Type locality: between Las Loicas and Volcán Peteroa Provincial Road 186 (35°39'51.3''S 70°12'0.9''W), 1688 m elevation, Malargüe Department, Mendoza, Argentina. choique: Argentina (Mendoza); Type locality: Paso el Choique, on provincial road 221 (36°22'01.1''S, 69°48'07.2''W), 2407 m elevation, Malargüe Department, Mendoza Province, Argentina. |
| Reproduction | viviparous (not imputed, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Holotype: FML 22449 Holotype: FML 22453 [choique] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (smaug): A slender, medium size Liolaemus (Max SVL 71.25 mm), which belong to the L. chiliensis group, particularly in the L. elongatus group (sensu Lobo et al. 2010). Inside this group the new species is distributed far away south from the members of the L. capillitas group (Lobo, 2005) who inhabit in Northwestern Argentina and differs of them because the lack of red coloration on cloacal region and tiny spots spread in shoulder region (both character sates are synapomorphies of the L. capillitas group, sensu Lobo, 2005). Liolaemus smaug differs from all members of the L. petrophilus group in having a distinct color pattern and in character states of lepidosis. It differs from the southern members of the L. petrophilus group (L. austromendocinus, L. elongatus, L. gununakuna (Avila, Morando, Perez, and Sites, 2004), L. petrophilus, and L. thermarum) because it has a small SVL (max SVL 71.25 mm in L. smaug vs. 81 – 103 mm). Dorsal scales have a distinct keel in L. smaug, while in L. austromendocinus the dorsal scales are weakly keeled. Temporal scales are keeled in L. elongatus, L. petrophilus, and L. thermarum while in L. smaug the temporal scales are smooth. Liolaemus smaug have lower number of scales around midbody than L. gununakuna and L. thermarum (73- 80 in L. smaug vs. 84-97). The number of dorsal scales in L. smaug is lower than in L. gununakuna but higher than in L. elongatus (62-68 in L. elongatus; 69-83 in L. smaug; 83-90 in L. gununakuna). Liolaemus gununakuna has a lower number of ventral scales than L. smaug (108-112 in L. gununakuna vs. 119-131 in L. smaug). Precloacal pores are present in males of Liolaemus smaug, character state that differs with males of L. thermarum where the precloacal pores are absent. Sexual dichromatism is evident in L. smaug, being absent in L. austromendocinus, L. elongatus, L. gununakuna, L. parvus, L. petrophilus, and L. thermarum. It differs from the member of the L. kriegi group (sensu Morando et al., 2003) in a lower number of scales around midbody (73-80 vs 85-110 in L. burgeri and L. kriegi); lower number of dorsal scales (71-83 vs 87-110 in L. kriegi). Liolaemus burgeri exhibit a red coloration in cloacal region, absent in L. smaug. The max SVL in L. smaug is 71.3 mm, being 75-108 mm in L. burgeri and in 73-98 mm L. kriegi. |
| Comment | Synonymy: Medina et al. 2017 found that DNA from L. choique nested within L. smaug and L. antumalguen, but for convenience we list it with L. smaug here. Both L. smaug and L. choique were described based on 7 type specimens each although the text mentions 16 and 8 specimens used to determine variation, respectively. Although Abdala et al. 2010 showed pictures of the 3 new species (smaug, shitan, choique), no details of characters are shown. Similarly, Ruiz et al. 2019 revalidated L. choique based on morphological data from 8 specimen from unspecified locations (compared to 9 specimens of L. smaug from equally unspecified locations), without showing morphological details. The specimens are probably from around the type localities which are ~60 km apart (by air). KWET 2012 says that the ABDALA paper was published in 2011. |
| Etymology | named after Tokien’s “Smaug”, the Golden, the last of the Middle Earth dragons. The species also exhibits a golden color. L. choique was named after the type locality. |
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