Liolaemus shehuen ABDALA, DÍAZ-GÓMEZ & JUAREZ-HEREDIA, 2012
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Liolaemus shehuen
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| Higher Taxa | Liolaemidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Liolaemus shehuen ABDALA, DÍAZ-GÓMEZ & JUAREZ-HEREDIA 2012 Liolaemus fitzingerii — CEI & SCOLARO 1999 Liolaemus sp7 — ABDALA 2007 Liolaemus shehuen — GRUMMER et al. 2021 |
| Distribution | Argentina (Chubut) Type locality: 60 km west of Telsen, Telsen Department, Chubut Province, Argentina. |
| Reproduction | Oviparous (by implication, see below)<br><br>Hybridization: L. melanops and L. xanthoviridis each hybridize with L. shehuen and L. fitzingerii (Grummer et al. 2021). |
| Types | Holotype: FML 22191. Adult male. C. S. Abdala, J. S. Abdala and M. Juarez cols. January 23, 2004. Paratypes. FML 22192-195.4 individuals.1 male, 3 females. Same data as holotype. FML 22204-205.2 individuals. 2 males, same data as holotype. FML 22217-219.3 individuals. 1 male, 2 females. 80 km west of Telsen, Telsen Department, Chubut Province, Argentina. C. S. Abdala, J. S. Abdala and M. Juarez cols. January 23, 2004. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis:― Liolaemus shehuen belongs to the L. boulengeri group, characterized by having a patch of enlarged scales on the posterior medial surface of the thigh (Etheridge 1995; Abdala 2007) and hypertrophy of the flexor tibialis internus muscle (Abdala et al. 2006); tail long relative to body length, head proportionally longer than wide, palpebral ‘comb’ not developed, and more precloacal pores both in males and females than in the remaining species of the clade. Liolaemus shehuen differs from the species of the L. darwinii group (Table 2) in having posterior teeth with expanded crowns and different body proportions, and in lacking a transversal black line on the eye. It differs from the species of the L. wiegmannii group (Table 2) in having a row of lorilabial scales (never two or three). Liolaemus shehuen differs from L. boulengeri, L. donosobarrosi, L. goetschi, L. hermannunezi (Pincheira-Donoso, Scolaro & Schulte), L. inacayali (Abdala), L. josei (Abdala), L. loboi (Abdala), L. martorii (Abdala), L. rothi (Koslowskyi 1898) L. sagei (Etheridge & Christie), L. senguer (Abdala), L. tehuelche (Abdala), and L. telsen (Cei & Scolaro) in having an evident black antehumeral arch that is absent in the aforementioned species. The species differs from all the species of the L. telsen group, except L. rothi and L. sagei, in having longer snout-vent length (max SVL 90.8 mm vs 32.3–77.1 mm). It differs from L. mapuche (Abdala) in having different dorsal body coloration, lacking light blue scales and having more marked ventral melanism. It differs from L. cuyanus in having more marked ventral melanism and different dorsal coloration. Liolaemus shehuen sp. nov. belongs to the L. fitzingerii clade (Abdala, 2007), which is characterized by its tricuspidate posterior teeth with expanded crowns, neck equal to or wider than head, cylindrical body, short limbs relative to the trunk, black antehumeral arch present and ventrally expanded, and males with ventral melanism. Within the Liolaemus fitzingerii clade, L. shehuen sp.nov. has four to six scales in contact to mental (as the southern populations of L. fitzingerii). In L. shehuen the head melanism characteristic of L. canqueli and L. melanops is absent. Liolaemus shehuen lacks the intense green dorsum with irregular, transverse black paravertebral spots of L. melanops, and the transverse black and yellow-orange bands of L. canqueli. Liolaemus shehuen differs from L. chehuachekenk in lacking a conspicuous vertebral band, having fewer individuals with pre- and postscapular spots, fewer ventral scales (109-121, mean=115.6 vs. 99-116, mean=106), and shorter snout-vent length (SVL 90.8 mm vs. 98.3 mm); it differs from L. fitzingerii in having shorter snout-vent length (SVL 90.8 mm vs. 106 mm), and lacking the bluish green or light blue dorsum coloration with red paravertebral spots and red scales speckled, as L. fitzingerii has. Liolaemus shehuen differs from L. morenoi in lacking evident scapular markings and having more ventral scales (109-121, mean=115.6 vs. 98-113, mean=107.6). L. morenoi never presents yellow-red dorsal coloration either. Liolaemus shehuen differs from L. xanthoviridis in having different dorsal and ventral coloration, with paravertebral spots and more uniform vertebral region without irregular markings. |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | Named after the Tehuelche word “shehuen”, that means 'Sun', and makes reference to the dorsal coloration of Liolaemus shehuen. The tehuelches, also known as Patagones, are ancient indigenous people that have inhabited Patagonia for more than 10000 years. |
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