Liolaemus inti ABDALA, QUINTEROS & ESPINOZA, 2008
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Liolaemus inti
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| Higher Taxa | Liolaemidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Liolaemus inti ABDALA, QUINTEROS & ESPINOZA 2008 Liolaemus dorbignyi — PETERS & DONOSO-BARROS 1970 (part) |
| Distribution | Argentina (Salta) Type locality: Near 15th station of Via Crucis, Cerro de la Virgen, Cachi Adentro, Departamento Cachi, Provincia de Salta, Argentina (25° 03’ 07.6’’ S, 66° 17’ 29.4’’ W; 3938 m elevation). |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: FML 18399. Adult male. Collected by C. S. Abdala and A. S. Quinteros, 18 November 2006. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Liolaemus inti is a member of the montanus series (sensu Schulte et al., 2000), or the non-boulengeri group members of the montanus group (sensu Etheridge, 1995), which are characterized as possessing a bladelike process on the distal posterior tibia (Etheridge, 1995) that is associated with a greatly hypertrophied M. tibialis anticus (Abdala et al., 2006), and lacking an enlarged patch of scales on the posterior thighs (Etheridge, 1995). The dorsal color pattern of L. inti—a bold chain-link fence pattern of irregular black transverse stripes on a bright yellow background (Fig. 5)—distinguishes the new species from all other members of the montanus series (and all other Liolaemus), and is the principal difference between this new species and L. chlorostictus (green with small black spots), L. disjunctus (dark dorsum with small light-colored spots), and L. williamsi (black with oblique and transverse bands and marks). Furthermore, among members of the montanus series, L. inti is a robust, large-bodied lizard (maximum SVL 90.4 mm), which distinguishes most adults of this new species from L. andinus, L. audituvelatus, L. eleodori, L. erroneous, L. etheridgei, L. fabiani, L. famatinae, L. fililorum, L. fittkaui, L. griseus, L. hajeki, L. huacahuasicus, L. insolitus, L. islugensis, L. manueli, L. molinai, L. montanus, L. multicolor, L. ortizi, L. orko, L. pantherinus, L. pleopholis, L. poconchilensis, L. poecilochromus, L. pulcherrimus, L. reichei, L. rosenmanni, L. ruibali, and L. vallecurensis, which are smaller (maximum SVL 50–85 mm). Liolaemus inti has flat, weakly imbricate to imbricate and slightly keeled dorsals, which distinguishes this new species from L. andinus, L. audituvelatus, L. eleodori, L. erroneous, L. fililorum, L. forsteri, L. insolitus, L. islugensis erguetae, L. i. islugensis, L. manueli, L. molinai, L. patriciaiturrae, L. poecilochromus, L. robertoi, L. rosenmanni, L. scrocchii, L. schmidti, L. stolzmanni, and L. torresi, which have smooth dorsals, from L. huayra, which have keeled weakly imbricate dorsals, from L. signifer annectens, which have slightly keeled and juxtaposed dorsals, and from L. aymararum, L. etheridgei, L. fittkaui, L. huacahuasicus, L. montanus, L. ortizi, and L. thomasi, which have imbricate, strongly keeled, and mucronate dorsals. The number of scales around midbody in L. inti is 61–76, which distinguishes this new species from L. andinus, L. duellmani, L. eleodori, L. foxi, L. molinai, L. multicolor, L. nigriceps, L. patriciaiturrae, L. robertoi, L. rosenmanni, and L. vallecurensis, which have 77–110 midbody scales, and from L. aymararum, L. dorbignyi, L. etheridgei, L. fililorum, L. fittkaui, L. insolitus, L. juanortizi, L. melanogaster, L. ortizi, L. robustus, and L. stolzmanni, which have 40–60 midbody scales. Five of seven adult female L. inti examined have 1–6 precloacal pores, in contrast to female L. andinus, L. audituvelatus, L. aymararum, L. duellmani, L. fabiani, L. griseus, L. hajeki, L. islugensis, L. jamesi, L. melanogaster, L. polystictus, L. puritamensis, L. robertoi, L. rosenmanni, L. ruibali, L. s. signifer, L. stolzmanni, and L. vallecurensis, which lack precloacal pores. The absence of supernumerary pores in L. inti distinguishes this new species from L. huayra sp. nov. and L. orientalis [from ABDALA et al. 2008]. |
| Comment | Distribution: Map in Quinteros & Abdala 2011. |
| Etymology | ‘‘Inti’’ is a Quechuan word, attributable to the indigenous peoples of present-day northern Argentina and southern Bolivia, which means sun. The epithet of this new species refers to the bright golden-yellow dorsal and ventral color of Liolaemus inti. |
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