Liolaemus thermarum VIDELA & CEI, 1996
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Liolaemus thermarum?
Liolaemus thermarum
Find more photos by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Liolaemidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Las Damas River Lizard [riodamas] S: Lagarto del Rio Las Damas [riodamas] |
| Synonym | Liolaemus thermarum VIDELA & CEI 1996 Liolaemus thermarum — ESPINOZA, LOBO & CRUZ 2000 Liolaemus riodamas ESQUERRÉ, NÚÑEZ & SCOLARO 2013 Liolaemus thermarum — ESQUERRÉ et al. 2022 |
| Distribution | Argentina (S Mendoza), elevation 2400-2500 m Type locality: “Baños de Azufre, 2500 m, 10 km from Peteroa Volcano, Malargüe Department, Mendoza Province, Argentina". riodamas: C Chile; Type locality: Las Damas River, Termas del Flaco, Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins Region; S 34°56'714-887 ́ ́ W 70°23 ́634 - 682’’ ́ 2012-2057 m elevation. |
| Reproduction | viviparous (phylogenetic imputation, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Holotype: MACN 36681 (= Mus. Argent. Cien. Nat.) Holotype: MNHNC (= MNHNCL) 4684, male. Collected by Damien Esquerré and Herman Núñez, between February 1 and 2, 2011. Paratypes. MNHNC (= MNHNCL) 1962 to 1966 and MNHNCL-4682, 4683, 4685 and 4686. MNHNCL-1962, 4682 and 4686 are males and MNHNCL-1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 and 4685 are females. MNHNCL 4682-4686 same data as holotype. MNHNCL-1962-1966 same locality, collected by Herman Núñez and Antonieta Labra, February 24, 1985. MNHNCL-1964 and 4683 were used for diaphanisation [riodamas] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (thermarum). A medium-size, stout Liolaemus, belonging to the "chiliensis" group, being characterized by high scale number at midbody, softly keeled dorsal scales medially thickening on a vertebral line, absence of precloacal pores and a peculiar coloration stressed by a very wide and dark, bilateral lower stripe on the flanks. It is easily recognizable from the several species of the "chiliensis" group, except coeruleus, bellii neuquensis and cristiani in having a different color pattern and lacking precloacal pores in males. It is distinguishable from Liolaemus coeruleus and Liolaemus bellii neuquensis, also lacking pre-cloacal pores, in having a larger and stouter body, higher scale number at mid-body and a very different dorsal and ventral coloration (Col. Pl. 1 and 2). In accordance with the original description of L. cristiani (Nunez et al., 1991; Navarro and Nuñez, 1992) it differs from this Chilean form in having a very different lepidosis and dorsal coloration: no scale numbers at midbody are reported in the original description of L. cristiani. Liolaemus ramonensis Müller and Hellmich 1932 has been reported as lacking precloacal pores (Navarro and Nuñez, 1992), but in the original description (Müller and Hellmich, 1932) of the two male paratypes "... 5 Präanalporen" and “... 6 Präanalporen auf der Hinterseite des Randes der Analklappe gelegen ...” are clearly indicate. The holotype of L. ramonensis was L. a female specimen. (Videla & Cei 1996) |
| Comment | Group: Belongs to the Liolaemus elongatus group (fide ESPINOZA et al. 2000). Belongs to the “neuquensis” group of Liolaemus according to CEI & VIDELA 2003. Synonymy: ESQUERRÉ et al. 2022 synonymized Liolaemus riodamas with L. thermarum. |
| Etymology | Named after the Latin word thermae, thermarum, in reference to the sulfureous thermal springs from its montane Andean habitat, near to the still active Peteroa Volcano. Liolaemus riodamas was named after the type locality, Rio Las Damas. |
| References |
|
| External links |