Liolaemus warjantay UBALDE-MAMANI, GUTIÉRREZ, CHAPARRO, AGUILAR-KIRIGIN, CERDEÑA, HUANCA-MAMANI, CÁRDENAS-NINASIVINCHA, LAZO-RIVERA & ABDALA, 2021
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Liolaemus warjantay
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| Higher Taxa | Liolaemidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Liolaemus warjantay UBALDE-MAMANI, GUTIÉRREZ, CHAPARRO, AGUILAR-KIRIGIN, CERDEÑA, HUANCA-MAMANI, CÁRDENAS-NINASIVINCHA, LAZO-RIVERA & ABDALA 2021 Liolaemus aff. qalaywa – HUAMANÍ-VALDERRAMA et al. 2020 Liolaemus aff. qalaywa – QUIROZ et al. 2021 |
| Distribution | Peru (Pampamarca, Department of Arequipa, Peru; at elevations between 4,500–4,529 m asl) Type locality: 6.4 km NE of Pampamarca, District of Pampamarca, Province of La Unión, Department of Arequipa, Peru (15°5’41.24”S, 72°57’7.06”W) at 4,529 m |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: MUSA 5700, adult male, collected by M. Ubalde and L. Arapa, on 20 December 2019. Paratypes (n = 12): MUSA 5691–96, MUSA 5698–99, MUSA 5701–02, MUBI 17683–4. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: “We assign Liolaemus warjantay sp. nov. to the L. montanus group because it presents a blade-like process on the tibia, associated with the hypertrophy of the tibial muscle tibialis anterior (Etheridge 1995; Abdala et al. 2020) and based on molecular (Fig. 6) and morphological evidence. The species of the L. montanus group differ from those of the L. boulengeri group by the complete absence of patches of enlarged scales in the posterior part of the thigh (Abdala 2007). Compared to the species of the L. montanus group, Liolaemus warjantay sp. nov. is a robust lizard differing by its larger size (max SVL = 89.56 mm) from Liolaemus andinus, L. anqapuka, L. audituvelatus, L. balagueri, L. cazianiae, L. chiribaya, L. duellmani, L. eleodori, L. erroneus, L. etheridgei, L. evaristoi, L. fabiani, L. famatinae, L. fittkaui, L. foxi, L. gracielae, L. griseus, L. hajeki, L. halonastes, L. huacahuasicus, L. insolitus, L. montanus, L. multicolor, L. nazca, L. omorfi, L. orko, L. ortizi, L. pantherinus, L. poconchilensis, L. poecilochromus, L. porosus, L. pulcherrimus, L. reichei, L. robertoi, L. rosenmanni, L. ruibali, L. schmidti, L. stolzmanni, L. tajzara, L. thomasi, L. torresi, L. vallecurensis, L. williamsi, and L. yarabamba (all with SVL between 50–80 mm). The presence of imbricate dorsal scales with keels differentiates L. warjantay sp. nov. from species with smooth juxtaposed or sub-imbricate scales, such as Liolaemus andinus, L. audituvelatus, L. balagueri, L. cazianiae, L. chiribaya, L. eleodori, L. fabiani, L. foxi, L. gracielae, L. halonastes, L. insolitus, L. jamesi, L. nigriceps, L. omorfi, L. patriciaiturrae, L. pleopholis, L. poconchilensis, L. poecilochromus, L. porosus, L. reichei, L. robertoi, L. robustus, L. rosenmanni, L. ruibali, L. schmidti, L. scrocchii, L. torresi, L. vallecurensis, L. victormoralesii, and L. vulcanus. The new species differs from Liolaemus chiribaya, L. evaristoi, L. etheridgei, L. insolitus, L. multicolor, L. omorfi, L. poconchilensis, L. pulcherrimus, L. robertoi, L. ruibali, and L. schmidti, by the absence of sky blue or light blue scales on the sides and dorsum of the body and tail. The number of scales around midbody in L. warjantay sp. nov. varies between 55–64 (mean = 60.3), which differentiates it from several species of the group with more than 65 scales, such as L. andinus, L. audituvelatus, L. cazianiae, L. duellmani, L. eleodori, L. erroneus, L. forsteri, L. foxi, L. gracielae, L. halonastes, L. inti, L. multicolor, L. nigriceps, L. patriciaiturrae, L. pleopholis, L. poecilochromus, L. porosus, L. pulcherrimus, L. robertoi, L. rosenmanni, L. ruibali, L. schmidti, L. multiformis, and L. vallecurensis. The number of ventral scales between the mental scale and the border of the vent in L. warjantay sp. nov. varies between 72–85 (mean = 78.2), and is lower than the number in the following species (with more than 90 ventral scales): L. andinus, L. cazianiae, L. erroneus, L. foxi, L. gracielae, L. halonastes, L. inti, L. multicolor, L. nigriceps, L. pachecoi, L. patriciaiturrae, L. pleopholis, L. poecilochromus, L. porosus, L. robertoi, L. rosenmanni, L. torresi, and L. vallecurensis; and higher than the number in the following species (with less than 70 ventral scales): L. dorbignyi, L. fittkaui, L. melanogaster, L. polystictus, and L. thomasi. The number of dorsal scales of L. warjantay sp. nov. varies between 45–63 (mean = 52.8), while the species with more than 70 scales are L. andinus, L. audituvelatus, L. cazianiae, L. duellmani, L. eleodori, L. erroneous, L. fabiani, L. famatinae, L. forsteri, L. foxi, L. gracielae, L. halonastes, L. multicolor, L. nigriceps, L. orko, L. patriciaiturrae, L. pleophlolis, L. poecilochromus, L. porosus, L. pulcherrimus, L. robertoi, L. rosenmanni, L. ruibali, L. schmidti, L. torresi, and L. vallecurensis; and the species with less than 45 dorsal scales are L. jamesi and L. pachecoi. and in greater quantity as in L. aymararum, L. cazianiae, L. chiribaya, L. chlorostictus, L. dorbignyi, L. eleodori, L. erroneus, L. etheridgei, L. fabiani, L. famatinae, L. griseus, L. hajeki, L. huayra, L. huacahuasicus, L. inti, L. jamesi, L. montanus, L. nazca, L. nigriceps, L. orko, L. pachecoi, L. pantherinus, L. patriciaiturrae, L. porosus, L. pulcherrimus, L. qalaywa, L. scrocchii, L. multiformis, and L. vulcanus. The color pattern clearly differentiates the new species from Liolaemus yauri, mainly the dorsal color of the head in both sexes of L. warjantay sp. nov. is dark grey and always darker than body, while in L. yauri the coloration is lighter and not in contrast with the body color; the color of the palpebral scales in females of L. warjantay sp. nov. is pale yellow, and in L. yauri is chestnut or grey; the shapes of the paravertebral spots in both sexes of L. warjantay sp. nov. are in the form of thin transversal lines and curved posteriorly (ocelli-shaped), while in L. yauri they are circular rhomboid or sub-quadrangular. (Ubalde-Mamani et al. 2021) Comparisons: Liolaemus warjantay sp. nov. can be distinguished from L. annectens and L. qalaywa (two geographically close species) by a combination of the following characters: trifid scales from the plantar surface, absence of pores in the base of the tail, presence of gular fold, and the presence of ocelli in males. The analysis of DNA sequences of L. warjantay sp. nov. reveals differences of 2.4–5.1% with L. qalaywa, and 9.2–9.5% with L. annectens. (Ubalde-Mamani et al. 2021 and table and figure therein). Color in life: Head completely melanic. Temporal region with clear edges, supralabial, infralabial, and lorilabial scales are gray with black spots. Palpebral scales pale yellow. Neck dorsally black and yellow on the sides with some black or dark hues. Body uniform brownish-yellow color, vertebral field not defined, vertebral line and dorsolateral bands absent. Paravertebral spots diffuse, imperceptible, black in color, and in the form of thin transversal lines, curved posteriorly. These spots project to the sides of the body, which are lighter yellow in color with no obvious spots. Front and rear legs brown with yellow hues and dark scales. Fingers light gray. Tail of the same color as the body, a little lighter on the sides and at its distal end. Venter light gray or whitish throughout the body, with some dark shades in the center of the abdomen and yellow on the sides of the abdomen. Liolaemus warjantay sp. nov. shows evident sexual dichromatism. In males, head and temporal region are gray or dark brown, always darker than body. Lorilabial, supralabial, and infralabial scales are always lighter in color than the rest of the head. Color of body is highly variable, varying from brown to dark gray. Paravertebral spots are dark and can vary in shape and intensity. Most of the specimens have the shape of light ocelli with two edges, one light internal and the other dark external, which can vary in intensity and thickness. These edges can project to the sides of the body. Paravertebral spots are more evident in juvenile specimens, and in larger males they can be very diffuse or imperceptible. No vertebral line, dorsolateral bands, antehumeral arch, or scapular spots. The sides of the body are lighter than the back, and can vary from yellow to orange. No lateral spots, with small circular spots, with yellow orange scales. No blue scales anywhere on the body. The forelimbs and hindquarters are generally lighter in color than the body and with yellow or black dots or scales. Tail with spots and lines of the body change merging or fading until they are completely lost by approximately the first fifth of the tail, then they become lighter or darker in color than the rest of the body. Ventrally, the color is variable, some males are completely yellow, orange, or white; some with dark spots or scales on different parts of the body. Females have a similar design as males, but with less dramatic colors. Head color also varies from chestnut to dark gray. Supralabial, infralabial, and lorilabial scales are lighter in color than the back of the head, with gray being the most common color. Dorsal body is light to dark brown. Paravertebral spots are also ocelli-shaped, but they are black or dark brown with a white border. These ocelli are more evident in smaller females and may be absent in larger ones. Some females with edges of the paravertebral spots projecting to the sides of the body in a “zigzag” line shape, with no obvious vertebral line or dorsolateral bands. Lateral body is generally the same color as dorsum. No lateral spots. Tail and hind limbs have the same design and color as the body, however, they are lighter in color after the first third. Immaculate white underneath. Some have dark spots or scales on different parts of the body. (Ubalde-Mamani et al. 2021) |
| Comment | Similar species: L. qalaywa (Ubalde-Mamani et al. 2021) |
| Etymology | The specific name in the Quechua language (“warjantay”) refers to the local name in Reserva Paisajística Subcuenca del Cotahuasi and its surroundings assigned to the high Andean lizards of the genus Liolaemus. |
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