Liolaemus cazianiae LOBO, SLODKI & VALDECANTOS, 2010
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Liolaemus cazianiae
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| Higher Taxa | Liolaemidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Liolaemus cazianiae LOBO, SLODKI & VALDECANTOS 2010 Liolaemus cazianae — PAZ et al. 2013 (in error) Liolaemus cazianae — ABDALA et al. 2013 (in error) Liolaemus cazianae —ABDALA et al. 2014 |
| Distribution | Argentina (Salta) Type locality: Vega situated in the southwestern border of Salar de Arizaro, Salta Province, Argentina, 3,498 m elevation (25°06.402’S, 67°38.391’W). |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: MACN 39213. Adult male, collected on 27 February 2007 by J. P. Julia´ , F. Lobo, D. Slodki, and S. Valdecantos. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Liolaemus cazianiae belongs to the Liolaemus montanus section (Schulte et al., 2000) because it has a bladelike process on the posterior margin of the tibial bone associated with a hypertrophy of the tibialis anticus muscle (Etheridge, 1995; Abdala et al., 2006). It differs from all species of the boulengeri group because it lacks a patch of enlarged scales on the posterior surface of thighs. Within the montanus section, it is included in the subgroup ‘‘andinus’’ characterized by having very small, juxtaposed or subimbricate dorsal round scales. Lateral scales of their neck are granular, the temporal scales are smooth, and they show strong sexual dichromatism. It differs from all species of the dorbignyi group (Dı ´az Go´ mez, 2007a,b) because they exhibit fewer, large, and flat dorsal scales. Within the andinus group, males of L. cazianiae exhibit a unique color pattern only shared with L. nigriceps formed by of 6–10 dorsolateral bright red spots. Liolaemus cazianiae has smooth dorsal scales different from L. multicolor, Liolae- mus orko, Liolaemus pulcherrimus, and Liolaemus ruibali that have slightly developed to very conspicuous keels. They also can be distin- guished from Liolaemus famatinae and Liolaemus manueli because they are smaller (altogether 42– 59 mm vs. 58–76 mm SVL). Liolaemus cazianiae is not as large as Liolaemus foxi, L. nigriceps, and Liolaemus patriciaiturrae (81–97 mm of SVL). Liolaemus cazianiae differs from L. andinus (Koslowsky, 1895; Laurent, 1982), L. nigriceps, and Liolaemus rosenmanni in having fewer scales around midbody (97–104 vs. 80–97). More body scales are found in L. cazianiae than in Liolaemus erguetae, L. famatinae, L. orko, and L. ruibali (54–72 scales around midbody). Liolaemus cazianiae has a higher number of dorsal scales counted between occiput and the anterior level of thighs than L. orko and L. pulcherrimus (90–114 in L. cazianiae; 63–75 in L. orko; and 75–90 in L. pulcherrimus). Liolaemus cazianiae differs from Liolaemus eleodori in the number of scales along a midline over the dorsum of head (16–23 in L. cazianiae vs. 24–35 in L. eleodori), and this counting is lower than those of L. pulcherrimus and L. ruibali (but with a slight overlap: 16–23 vs. 21–29). Liolaemus cazianiae lacks light blue scales which are present in L. andinus (according to Laurent, 1982), Liolaemus duellmani, L. famatinae, Liolaemus molinai, L. multicolor, and L. pulcherrimus. Liolaemus cazianiae has fewer infralabial scales than L. andinus (according to Laurent, 1982; 6–8 vs. 9–10). It differs from Liolaemus vallecurensis and Liolaemus huacahuasi- cus in that its tail is longer than SVL, whereas in L. cazianiae the tail is as the same length as SVL. In L. cazianiae, auricular and tympanic scales are not conspicuously differentiated as in Liolaemus robertoi. Forty-two percent of L. cazianiae females show 2–7 precloacal pores, whereas in L. foxi, L. patriciaiturrae, L. robertoi, and L. rosenmani, they are absent; according to Abdala and Quinteros (2007), precloacal pores are also absent in females of L. andinus, L. duellmani, L. robertoi, L. rosenmanni, and L vallecurensis. In L. poecilo- chromus and L. multicolor, the presence of precloacal pores in females is quite rare. No females of L. multicolor studied in this research have precloacal pores, but three females of Laurent’s sample had said pores (Laurent, 1991). Liolaemus cazianiae has paravertebral markings forming transversal slender stripes, whereas in Liolaemus pleopholis they are subqua- drangular with their anterior margins concave. Liolaemus cazianiae has a variegated throat, with sides of head dark grey and almost melanistic, but its dorsum is never black, whereas in L. nigriceps, throat, sides, and dorsum of head are completely melanistic (like some specimens of L. foxi; Pincheira-Donoso and Nu´ n˜ ez, 2005). Supernumerary precloacal pores are reported only in L. cazianiae, L. multicolor, L. orko, and L. poecilochromus. Liolaemus cazianiae has more scales around midbody than Liolaemus griseus and L. huacahuasicus (fewer than 80 in both species). Color of dorsum of males in L. cazianiae is gray–dark gray, yellow to orange in L. huacahuasicus; L. cazianiae has black paraverte- bral markings distributed among red spots that are absent in L. huacahuasicus; males of L. cazianiae have orange patches in lateral halves of abdomen, whereas in males of L. huacahuasi- cus chest and abdomen are entirely yellow. |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | Named “in honor of Sandra Caziani in recognition of her contribution to the knowledge of animal communities of the central Andes and particularly for her friendship, wisdom, and courage”. |
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