Liolaemus darwinii (BELL, 1843)
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Liolaemus darwinii
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| Higher Taxa | Liolaemidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Darwin's Tree Iguana |
| Synonym | Proctotretus darwinii BELL 1843: 20 Liolaemus darwinii — GRAY 1845 Eulaemus darwini — GIRARD 1857 Liolaemus darwinii — BOULENGER 1885: 155 Liolaemus darwinii — MÜLLER & HELLMICH 1938 Liolaemus darwinii — CEI 1993 Liolaemus (Eulaemus) darwinii — SCHULTE et al. 2000 Liolaemus darwinii — CAMARGO et al. 2012 Liolaemus (Eulaemus) darwinii — MORANDO et al. 2020 Liolaemus darwinii — AVILA et al. 2021 |
| Distribution | Argentina (Patagonia; from SE Catamarca and SW Santiago del Estero southward to Rio Negro, and eastward to the Atlantic coast between S Buenos Aires and Chubut provinces, Mendoza, Neuquén, La Rioja) Type locality: Bahia Blanca, Northern Patagonia, Argentina |
| Reproduction | Oviparous |
| Types | Syntypes: BMNH xii.90.a-b (renumbered 1946.8.10.21-22). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: “Liolaemus darwinii may be distinguished from all other species in the L. darwinii complex save L. laurenti and L. olongasta by the presence of intensely dark pigment within the antehumeral fold in adult males, and from L. laurenti and L. olongasta by the presence of conspicuously enlarged, dark brown or black prescapular and postscapular spots in adult males.” (Etheridge 1993: 148). Variation. “Maximum adult size, and variation in tail/total length, scale counts and precloacal pore numbers are given in Tables 1-4. According to Gallardo (1966) L. darwinii and L. wiegmannii differ from other similar species in lacking an azygous frontal; however, this character is variable in both species. The lectotype is a subadult male and does not now exhibit the pattern characteristic of adult males of this species.” (Etheridge 1993: 149). Coloration: “Adult males nearly always have dorsolateral light stripes that are conspicuous on the neck and anterior body due to bright creamy-yellow scales, continuing posteriorly on body and tailor, more often, posteriorly fragmented. The middorsal light stripe is usually present and continuous, but inconspicuous, and the ventrolateral stripes absent or represented by a broken line. Paravertebral spots are usually discrete, little changed from standard pattern; prescapular and postscapular lateral spots are enlarged and dark, usually separate, sometimes contiguous. The sides of the body are usually without additional lateral dark spots and have light spots or a broken reticulum. The prescapular spot is continuous ventrally with the very dark pigment within the antehumeral fold, which in turn is continuous ventrally with dark pigment on the sides of the anterior chest region. The dorsal ground color is tan or light brown, sometimes tinged with brick-red. Cei (1986: Lam. 18) provided color photographs of both sexes. The pattern ofventral pigmentation is subject to ontogenetic change, and is variable among adult males within any population. Neonates of both sexes have a nearly immaculate white venter, or with some indistinct spotting on the throat. In males the throat markings become more conspicuous, and dark spots appear on the belly. The dark pigmentation within the antehumeral fold expands downward in front of the forelimbs, and thence medially toward the middle of the throat, and eventually may form a complete transverse bar across the posterior throat and anterior chest. As the throat bar is developing, a large patch ofdark pigment may appear on the anterior surface ofeach thigh, and a region ofvery dark pigment may develop on the abdomen. In 26 samples that included adult males from throughout the range of the species, in all but two samples at least some specimens exhibited a throat bar. Thigh patches occurred in at least some males of all but three samples, and dark abdominal pigmentation was present in at least some males of eight samples. In most of the samples examined, the great majority of males had at least some indication ofthe transverse chest bar and thigh patches, but there is no discernable geographic pattern to this variation; the degree ofdevelopment ofventral pigmentation appears to be independent ofactual size in adults, and the lack of males with abdominal pigment occurs mostly in samples of small size. Geographic patterns of the development of ventral pigmentation in L. dwwinii eventually may be detected, but at present the data are insufficient. Adult females variable, with standard pattern ofstripes and spots present or variously reduced, some virtually without a dorsal pattern except for ventrolaterallight stripes. Some adult females with prescapular and postscapular spots slightly enlarged and darkened, and with grey pigment in antehumeral fold. Throat with dark spots and streaks, belly immaculate or spotted.” (Etheridge 1993: 149). |
| Comment | Liolaemus darwinii, together with L. ornatus, L. irregularis and L. uspallatensis, form the L. darwinii complex. Distribution: not in Chile (fide D. Pincheira-Donoso, pers. comm., 23 May 2017). Member of the darwinii group of Liolaemus. |
| Etymology | Named after Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882), author of “On the Origin of Species ...”. |
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