Acanthocercus margaritae WAGNER, BUTLER, CERÍACO & BAUER, 2021
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Acanthocercus margaritae
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| Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Agaminae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Acanthocercus margaritae WAGNER, BUTLER, CERÍACO & BAUER 2021 Acanthocercus cyanocephalus — WAGNER et al. 2018: 27 Acanthocercus cyanocephalus — BRANCH et al. 2019: 313 [part] Acanthocercus sp. — MARQUES et al. 2018: 27 [part] Acanthocercus sp. — BUTLER et al. 2019: 235 Acanthocercus sp. — BAPTISTA et al. 2019: 107 |
| Distribution | Namibia (N Oshana Region, adjacent W Ohangwena Region, NW Oshikoto Region), S Angola. Type locality: near Oshikango, 200 m S of St. Mary’s Mission,” Kunene Region, Namibia [-17.471145 N, 15.935669 E] |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: MCZ R190193 (Fig. 4), adult male from “collected on November 26th 2011 by A.M. Bauer, M. Heinicke, W.R. Branch and J. Marais. Paratypes: MCZ R190194, male with the same data as the holotype; CAS 263908 (field number AMB 10159), male from Bicuar National Park, camp headquarters [-15.10161 N, 14.83986 E], Huila Province, Angola, collected on July 26th 2017 by L.M.P. Ceríaco, M. Marques, S. Bandeira, T. Julio, B. Butler, and M. Heinicke; CAS 263911 (field number AMB 9358), male from Lubango, Kimbo do Soba [-14.93419 N, 13.46925 E], Huila Province, Angola, collected on July 21st 2017 by M. Marques, L.M.P. Ceríaco, S. Bandeira, M. Heinicke, T. Julio, and B. Butler; MHNC-UP/REP 422 (field number AMB 10987), male from Matunto, Bicuar National Park [-15.36345 N, 15.28316 E], Huila Province, Angola, collected on March 10th 2018 by L.M.P. Ceríaco, M. Marques, H. Valério, S. Elizalde and D. Elizalde. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: The new species is included in the genus Acanthocercus because of the combination of a heterogeneous body scalation and a tail that is segmented in distinct whorls. Within this genus, the heterogeneous body scalation refers it to the cyanogaster/atricollis group and the high density of enlarged scales in combination with a black patch on the shoulders places it into the A. atricollis complex. Acanthocercus margaritae sp. n. is a medium sized lizard (mean SVL 112 mm [96–129 mm], mean total length 258 mm [217–299 mm]) of its genus and overall is very similar in morphology to A. atricollis and A. cyanocephalus. However, it is distinct from all other species of the complex in its meristic characters. The new species is characterized by its high numbers of scale counts (mean scale rows around midbody 136, mean dorsal scale rows 103, mean ventral scale rows 101). Displaying males are characterized by a blue coloration of the head, forelimbs, flanks of the upper part of the body and second half of the tail; a pale vertebral band, very distinct between the blue flanks and enlarged yellowish dorsal scales on the lower part of the body (Wagner et al. 2021). |
| Comment | Similar species: A. cyanocephalus; Most of the Angolan localities plotted as A. cyanocephalus by Wagner et al. (2018) may be A. margaritae sp. n. or a new species. Distribution: see map in Wagner et al. 2021: 459 (Fig. 8). |
| Etymology | The species epithet ‘‘margaritae’’ is formed as a genitive Latin noun to honor the Greek scientist Dr. Margarita Metallinou (1985 –2015) whose promising career was tragically cut short on the 2nd of July 2015 by a wildlife encounter in Zambia. This new species is a special tribute to her memory from all the authors of this publication to recognize her enthusiasm, passion and dedication to herpetology. |
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