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Microlophus thoracicus (TSCHUDI, 1845)

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Higher TaxaTropiduridae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
SubspeciesMicrolophus thoracicus thoracicus (TSCHUDI 1845)
Microlophus thoracicus talarae DIXON & WRIGHT 1975
Microlophus thoracicus icae DIXON & WRIGHT 1975 
Common NamesE: Tschudi's Pacific Iguana 
SynonymSteirolepis thoracica TSCHUDI 1845
Tropidurus thomasi BOULENGER 1900: 184
Tropidurus thomasi — WERNER 1910: 24
Tropidurus thoracicus — DIXON & WRIGHT 1975: 15
Tropidurus thoracicus — HENLE & EHRL 1991
Microlophus thoracicus — FROST 1992
Microlophus thoracicus — LEHR 2002: 85
Tropidurus thoracicus — TORRES-CARVAJAL 2004
Microlophus thoracicus — TOYAMA et al. 2018

Microlophus thoracicus talarae DIXON & WRIGHT 1975: 23
Microlophus thoracicus talarae — LEHR et al. 2002: 381

Microlophus thoracicus icae DIXON & WRIGHT 1975: 22
Microlophus thoracicus icae — LEHR et al. 2002: 381
Microlophus thoracicus icae — PÉREZ et al. 2015 
DistributionWC Peru

Type locality: Huacho, Ica, Pisco, and Islay, Peru (restricted to the vicinity of Huacho, Lima Dept., Peru, by DIXON & WRIGHT 1975).

talarae: vicinity of Talara, Peru; Type locality: 2 km N Talara, Piura Dept, Peru.

icae: vicinity of Ica, Peru; Type locality: 12 km NE (rd), Ica, Ica Dept, Peru.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesLectotype: ZMB 4318 (Mertens 1956).
Holotype: LACM 48987. Collected J 5 December 1968 by James R. Dixon and John W . Wright. [icae]
Holotype: TCWC 28507. Collected 3 December 1968 by John W. Wright and James R. Dixon [talarae] 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: Tropidurus Ihoracicus is a member of the peruvianus group and is distinguished from Iheresiae by the presence of an enlarged, usually continuous, keeled, vertebral row of scales and the absence of an orange-red eye ring in adult males; from peruvianus and tigris by the presence of two or more rows of scales between the nasal and first labial scales. Furthermore, Ihoracicus is the only member of the peruvianus group with a distinct black spot in, and extending posterior from, the antehumeral folds. These spots are present in juveniles and adults of both sexes. The scales on the posterior margin of toes on the limbs are enlarged and keeled, forming a conspicuous fringe. This condition is not present in other members of the genus [DIXON & WRIGHT 1975].


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CommentSynonymy: Tropidurus thoracicus icae has been placed in the synonymy with T. t. thoracicus by HENLE & EHRL 1991. 
EtymologyNamed after Latin thoracicus, pertaining/belonging to the thorax or upper body. [“...pectore nigro, nitido...”]. (from Esteban Lavilla, pers. comm., May 2024) 
References
  • Boulenger, George A. 1900. Descriptions of new batrachians and Reptiles collected by Mr. P. O. Simons in Peru. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) 6 (32): 181-186 - get paper here
  • Chávez, G. & Venegas, P. 2007. Looking for Macanches in the dry forest of Peru. Reptilia (GB) (51): 54-59 - get paper here
  • Dixon, J.R. & WRIGHT,J.W. 1975. A review of the lizards of the iguanid genus Tropidurus in Peru. Contributions in Science (Los Angeles) (271): 1-39 - get paper here
  • Gemel, R.; G. Gassner & S. Schweiger 2019. Katalog der Typen der Herpetologischen Sammlung des Naturhistorischen Museums Wien – 2018. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, B 121: 33–248
  • Goldberg, S.R. & Bursey, C.R. 2009. Helminths from seven species of Microlophus (Squamata: Tropiduridae). Salamandra 45 (2): 125-128 - get paper here
  • HARVEY, Michael B. & RONALD L. GUTBERLET JR 2000. A phylogenetic analysis of the tropidurine lizards (Squamata: Tropiduridae), including new characters of squamation and epidermal microstructure. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 128: 189–233. - get paper here
  • Henle K. and EHRL A. 1991. Zur Reptilienfauna Perus nebst Beschreibung eines neuen Anolis (Iguanidae) und zweier neuer Schlangen (Colubridae). Bonner Zoologische Beiträge 42 (2): 143 - 180. - get paper here
  • Lehr, E. 1997. Das Portrait: Microlophus thoracicus thoracicus. Sauria 19 (4): 1-2 - get paper here
  • Lehr, E. 2002. Amphibien und Reptilien in Peru. Natur und Tier-Verlag (Münster), 208 pp. - get paper here
  • Lehr, E.; Köhler, G. & Streit, B. 2002. Die Herpetofauna von Mittelperu entlang eines Transektes von der pazifischen Küste bis in die Hochanden (Amphibia et Reptilia). Faun. Abh. Mus. Tierk. Dresden 22 (2): 361-392
  • Mendoza A, Pérez J, Alvarado E, Barrera D, Castillo E, Fernandez M, Milla J, Olivera D, Ramirez C, Santa Cruz R, Salazar E, Torres-Ccasani G, Aguilar-Puntriano C. 2023. Anfibios y reptiles del departamento de Ica con comentarios sobre su distribución. Revista peruana de biología 30(1): e23425 001- 014 (Marzo 2023)
  • Pérez, J., Fuentes, E., Jordán J. 2015. Dieta de la lagartija de los gramadales Microlophus thoracicus icae en el valle del río Ica, Perú. Revista Peruana de Biología 22(2): 233-238 - get paper here
  • Schlüter, U. 2000. Wüstenkielschwanzleguane aus Peru. Draco 1 (4): 44-49
  • Torres-Carvajal, O. 2004. The abdominal skeleton of Tropidurid lizards (Squamata: Tropiduridae). Herpetologica 60 (1): 75-83 - get paper here
  • Toyama, K. S., Junes, K., Ruiz, J., Mendoza, A., & Pérez, J. M. 2018. Ontogenetic Changes in the Diet and Head Morphology of an Omnivorous Tropidurid Lizard (Microlophus thoracicus). Zoology, 129: 45–53 - get paper here
  • Toyama, Ken Sebastian 2016. Evidence of adaptive evolution in the cranial morphology of Tropidurid lizards from coastal Peru. Herpetology Notes 9: 47-53 - get paper here
  • Tschudi,J. J. von 1845. Reptilium conspectum quae in republica Peruana reperiuntur er pleraque observata vel collecta sunt in itenere. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 11 (1): 150-170 [reprint 1968, SSAR; sometimes cited as being published in 1846]. - get paper here
  • Werner,F. 1910. Über neue oder seltene Reptilien des Naturhistorischen Museums in Hamburg. ii. Eidechsen. Jahrb. Hamburg. Wiss. Anst., vol. 27 (1909), suppl. no. 2, 1910, pp. 1-46; reprinted: 1910, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, vol. 27: 205-) - get paper here
 
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