Echinosaura embera VÁSQUEZ-RESTREPO & DAZA, 2025
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Echinosaura embera?
Echinosaura embera
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| Higher Taxa | Gymnophthalmidae (Cercosaurinae), Sauria, Gymnophthalmoidea, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Echinosaura embera VÁSQUEZ-RESTREPO & DAZA 2025: 133 Echinosaura horrida palmeri — UZZELL (1965) (in part) Echinosaura palmeri — FRITTS et al. (2002) (in part) Echinosaura palmeri — VÁSQUEZ-RESTREPO et al. (2020) (in part) |
| Distribution | Colombia (Antioquia) Type locality: Finca La Mejía, vereda Juradó, Chigorodó municipality, Antioquia department, Colombia (76° 35’ 38.328” W, 7° 31’ 30.323” N, WGS84 datum, at 94 m above sea level), |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. MHUA-R 12591: an adult male (Fig. 3; Fig. 4A) from collected on 2013 by Juan M. Daza (JMD 1825). Paratypes. A series encompassing 16 adult specimens (14 males + 2 females). MHUA-R 10702: an adult male from La Playona, Acandí municipality, Chocó department, Colombia (77° 13’ 1.920” W, 8° 26’ 57.281” N, WGS84 datum, at 10 m above sea level), collected on 2002 by Juan M. Daza. MHUA-R 12306: an adult male from Finca La Mejía, vereda Juradó, Chigorodó municipality, Antioquia department, Colombia (76° 33’ 36.719” W, 7° 31’ 15.959” N, WGS84 datum, at 56 m above sea level), collected on 2010 by Juan P. Hurtado (JPH 342). MHUA-R 12328: an adult male from Camagüey, Mutatá municipality, Antioquia department, Colombia (76° 24’ 46.155” W, 7° 11’ 49.679” N, WGS84 datum, at 304 m above sea level), collected on 2010 by Claudia Molina (CMZ 384). MHUA-R 13256: an adult female from the border between the corregimientos of Campo Bonito (Quibdó municipality) and Chachajo (Alto Baudó municipality), Chocó department, Colombia (76° 55’ 38.938” W, 5° 42’ 35.650” N, WGS84 datum, at 187 m above sea level), collected on February 18, 2013 by Guido F. Medina (GFM 668). CBUCES-D 921: an adult male from Piedras Blancas, Chigorodó municipality, Antioquia department, Colombia (76° 33’ 47.870” W, 7° 43’ 7.910” N, WGS84 datum, at 123 m above sea level), collected on May 24, 2023 by Esteban Garzón- Franco (EGF 002). CBUCES-D 1867: an adult male from Quebrada Chorro Frío, vereda Guaduas, Carmen de Atrato municipality, Chocó department, Colombia (76° 11’ 32.520” W, 5° 43’ 22.950” N, WGS84 datum, at 1295 m above sea level), collected on March 10, 2024 by Esteban Garzón-Franco (EGF 401). CBUCES-D 1876: an adult male from Finca La Guaduala, vereda Guaduas, Carmen de Atrato municipality, Chocó department, Colombia (76° 11’ 42.990” W, 5° 44’ 9.570” N, WGS84 datum, at 1000 m above sea level), collected on March 10, 2024 by Esteban Garzón- Franco (EGF 410). KUH 113622: an adult male from SE slope Cerro Pirre, Darien province, Panama (approx. 77° 42’ 9.000” W, 7° 55’ 41.070” N, WGS84 datum), collected on 1965 by Charles W. Myers (CWM 5003). AMNH-R 49187, 49199: adult males from Chalichiman’s Creek, Darien province, Panama (approx. 77° 46’ 53.760” W, 8° 47’ 34.660” N, WGS84 datum, at ca. 390 m above sea level), collected on February 1924. AMNH-R 49195: an adult male from Camp Townsend, Darien province, Panama (approx. 77° 41’ 30.930” W, 8° 9’ 22.680” N, WGS84 datum, at ca. 10 m above sea level), collected on February 1924. AMNH-R 49201: an adult female from Three Falls Creek, Darien province, Panama (approx. 77° 41’ 30.930” W, 8° 9’ 22.680” N, WGS84 datum, at ca. 10 m above sea level), collected on February 1924. CH 9058: an adult male from Cerro Sapo, Darien province, Panama (78° 21’ 26.570” W, 7° 58’ 50.450” N, WGS84 datum, at 694 m above sea level), collected on June 2010 by Andrew Crawford et al. CH 9109: an adult male from Cabecera del río Cana, campamento de Pirre, Darien province, Panama (approx. 77° 41’ 24.870” W, 7° 45’ 15.300” N, WGS84 datum, at 604 m above sea level), collected on July 2010 by Kelly Zamudio. CH 9117: an adult male from Sendero al campamento de Pirre, Darien province, Panama (approx. 77° 41’ 24.870” W, 7° 45’ 15.300” N, WGS84 datum, at 604 m above sea level), collected on July 2010 by Karen Lips. CH 9151: an adult male from Campamento Serranía de Pirre, Darien province, Panama (77° 41’ 24.870” W, 7° 45’ 15.300” N, WGS84 datum, at 604 m above sea level), collected on July 2010 by Myra Hughey et al. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Echinosaura embera sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by the combination of the following characteristics (in the same order as in Vásquez-Restrepo et al. 2020): (1) snout pointed; (2) internasal divided longitudinally; (3) frontonasals paired; (4) frontal single (rarely divided); (5) frontoparietals paired; (6) supraoculars two or three; (7) supralabials 4–5 (usually five); (8) infralabials 4–5 (usually four); (9) postmental single (rarely divided); (10) one pair of enlarged chin shields (rarely two pairs); (11) two paravertebral ridges, separated from each other by usually five or more small irregular scales; (12) spine-like scales forming oblique lines on lateral surface of body; (13) ventral scales squared, usually smooth (rarely keeled); (14) subdigital lamellae on the fourth finger 12–17; (15) subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe 21–25; (16) femoral pores per hind limb in males 6–10; (17) dorsal surface of tail with two oblique ridges per autotomic segment disposed in a V-shaped pattern (Fig. 5), formed by a series of increasing in size scales from the anterior margin of each caudal segment (present in 92% of examined specimens, barely to none visible in juveniles); in lateral view, usually with only more developed scales on the distal portion of each segment, forming a ring; (18) subcaudals per caudal segment three (anterior third of tail excluded); (19) in life, dorsum brown or dark brown, relatively uniform, sometimes with yellowish marks and/or two spots more or less distinguishable at the base of tail (Fig. 4B); ventral surface of head and neck mainly light brown, except on the anterior part where there is a darker ground color with some transverse cream blotches extending to labial scales; ventral surface of body (including limbs) mainly light brown spotted with dark brown or cream, while that of tail almost completely dark; (20) hemipenes (in males) lacking enlarged hook-like spines on sides and asulcate face. The in life and in preservative coloration is similar, sometimes slightly darker in some preserved specimens. (VÁSQUEZ-RESTREPO & DAZA 2025) Additional details (6475 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Distribution: see map in Vásquez-Restrepo & Daza 2025: 132 (Fig. 2) |
| Etymology | Named after the indigenous Emberá people inhabiting in Panama and Colombia, from the Darien region along the Pacific coast in the Chocó. An ethnic subgroup known as Emberá-Dobidá, referred to as “river people”, beautifully aligns with the behavioral characteristics of our newly described species, which is frequently observed wandering along small creeks and streams. |
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