Andinosaura stellae (SÁNCHEZ-PACHECO, 2010)
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Andinosaura stellae?
Andinosaura stellae
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| Higher Taxa | Gymnophthalmidae (Cercosaurinae), Sauria, Gymnophthalmoidea, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Riama stellae SÁNCHEZ-PACHECO 2010 Andinosaura stellae — SÁNCHEZ-PACHECO et al. 2017 Riama stellae — LINDKEN et al. 2024 |
| Distribution | SW Colombia Type locality: Reserva La Planada, corregimiento de Ricaurte, municipio de Barbacoas, Departamento de Nariño, Colombia. |
| Reproduction | oviparous (manual imputation, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Holotype: PSO-CZ 102, a male collected on 5 March 1986 by J. E. Orejuela and G. Cantillo F. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Riama stellae can be distin- guished from its congeners, except R. vieta, by the presence of rugose dorsal and ventral scales. Riama stellae can be distinguished from R. vieta by the following (condition for R. stellae in parentheses): usually two postoc- ular scales (three); femoral pores per hind limb in males 8–10, usually nine with total number of femoral pores 16–20 (seven to eight [14–15]), scales between femoral pores in males zero or one, usually zero with anterior cloacal plate scales absent or comprising one scale (two [anterior cloacal plate scales paired]); adult males with heavy black spots dorsally (dorsum brown, without heavy black spots) and black bands ventrally (venter yellowish cream without black bands), females have very little black in the dorsal color pattern (dorsum brown, with dark brown irregular spots) and white with small, indis- tinct gray or black spots ventrally (ventrally yellowish cream without indistinct gray or black spots). In addition, R. stellae (characters in parentheses) can be distinguished from Colombian congeners by a combination of meristic and morphometric characters. Riama columbiana has 42–49 (31–32) transverse dorsal scale rows; R. laevis has 18–20 (22–24) transverse ventral scale rows; R. striata has 33–39 (31–32) transverse dorsal scale rows. Riama simotera occurs on the Colombian–Ecuadorian border. In R. simotera, the limbs do not overlap when addpresed against the body,whereas they do overlap in R. stellae. Similar- ly, R. stellae can be distinguished from congeners occurring in Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago by meristic characters. Riama anatoloros has three post- parietals (two); R. orcesi has 10–14 femoral pores per hind limb in males, zero in females (seven to eight and one, respectively); R. cashcaensis, R. colomaromani, R. labionis, R. petrorum, R. raneyi, R. stigmatoral, and R. vespertina have the superciliary series incom- plete (complete); R. oculata has 7–11 (three to four) lateral scale rows; R. unicolor has 19–26 (14–17) longitudinal dorsal scale rows. In R. rhodogaster, the differentiated lateral scale rows is absent (present); R. inanis has 14–18 (22–24) transverse ventral rows; R. luctuosa has 9–14 (seven to eight in males, one in females) femoral pores per hind limb; in R. shrevei the suture nasoloreal is absent [5lo- real absent] (complete [5 loreal present]); R. achlyens has 37–40 (31–32) transverse dorsal scale rows. |
| Comment | Among the species of Riama, the new species most resembles R. vieta, with which it shares rugose dorsal and ventral scales. Unlike R. vieta, the new species has three postoculars and males lack heavy black spots dorsally and black bands ventrally. Males of the new species have seven to eight femoral pores per leg (total number 14–15) and two scales between the femoral pores (anterior cloacal plate scales paired). Abundance: only known from its original description (Meiri et al. 2017). Abundance: This is one of the species called “lost” and “rediscovered” by Lindken et al. 2024. |
| Etymology | The specific epithet of this lizard is a noun in the genitive case and matronym for Stella Pacheco, the author’s mother, who passed away while he was reviewing the Colombian species of Riama. |
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