Echinosaura fischerorum YÁNEZ-MUÑOZ, TORRES-CARVAJAL, REYES-PUIG, URGILES-MERCHÁN & KOCH, 2021
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Echinosaura fischerorum
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| Higher Taxa | Gymnophthalmidae (Cercosaurinae), Sauria, Gymnophthalmoidea, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Echinosaura fischerorum YÁNEZ-MUÑOZ, TORRES-CARVAJAL, REYES-PUIG, URGILES-MERCHÁN & KOCH 2021 Echinosaura sp. OTC-2021a — NCBI 2021 |
| Distribution | Ecuador (Imbabura and Carchi) Type locality: Reserva Dracula, Sector El Guapilal (0.891°S, 78.203°W; 1,689 m), Carchi Province, Ecuador |
| Reproduction | oviparous; gravid females were collected in April and November. One female paratype (DHMECN 15210) contained two large oval eggs in the oviduct (Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2021). |
| Types | Holotype: DHMECN 15208, adult male, from Reserva Dracula, Sector El Guapilal (0.891, -78.203; 1,689 m), Carchi Province, Ecuador, collected on 22 April 2019 by Juan P. Reyes-Puig, Daniela Franco and Héctor Yela. Paratypes: (n = 10): DHMECN 12767, 14058, 14059, 14060, 14061, 15209, 15210, 15211, 16109, 16110 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: The new species can be distinguished from all congeners by the combination of the following characteristics: (1) snout pointed; (2) internasal single; (3) frontonasals paired; (4) frontal single; (5) frontoparietal paired; (6) supraoculars three, large; (7) supralabials five; (8) infralabials four; (9) postmental single; (10) chin shields enlarged, in one pair; (11) dorsum with a vertebral row of paired, enlarged, keeled scales; (12) two paravertebral series of short oblique rows of projecting scales, with scales increasing in size posteriorly on each row so that the most posterior scale of each row is a greatly enlarged, projecting spine; (13) spiny scales forming oblique lines on body flanks; (14) ventral scales squared, keeled; (15) subdigital lamellae on fourth finger 14-18; (16) subdigital lamellae on fourth toe 24-27; (17) femoral pores per hind limb in males 7-9; (18) dorsal surface of tail with two longitudinal rows of enlarged keeled scales that are more conspicuous on the anterior half of tail; (19) subcaudals per caudal segment three (anterior third of tail excluded); (20) tip of snout with creamy orange marks; (21) dorsal background dark brown with creamy orange paravertebral blotches extending onto anterior end of tail; (22) intense orange nuchal spines; (23) base of tail dorsally with a pair of pale orange blotches; (24) venter gray, marmorated with black and dark brown; (25) femoral pores yellowish cream; (26) premaxillary tooth loci 11-12; (27) maxillary tooth loci 17-18; (28) dentary tooth loci 22-23; (29) nasal bones in medial contact along most of their length; (30) postfrontal expands posteriorly to form part of the anterior border of the supratemporal fenestra (Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2021). |
| Comment | Diet: One female paratype (DHMECN 15210) contained several snail shells in the stomach (Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2021) |
| Etymology | Named after Beat Fischer and Urs Fischer, donors who have contributed significantly to the consolidation of the Dracula Reserve in the sectors of Peñas Blancas and El Pailón, which not only protect the populations of this new endemic species, but also important populations of threatened amphibians and reptiles of the Mira river basin. |
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