Microlophus theresiae (STEINDACHNER, 1901)
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Microlophus theresiae
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| Higher Taxa | Tropiduridae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Theresia's Pacific Iguana |
| Synonym | Tropidurus theresiae STEINDACHNER 1901 Tropidurus theresiae — STEINDACHNER 1902: 100 Tropidurus theresiae — DIXON & WRIGHT 1975: 12 Microlophus theresiae — TORRES-CARVAJAL 2004 |
| Distribution | WC Peru Type locality: “Ancon bei Lima” (original description) “Ancón, Lima” (label data) [= Ancón near Lima, Peru]. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: ZSM 141/1926, adult, collected by Therese Prinzessin von Bayern, no date. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Tropidurus theresiae is a member of the peruvianus group differing from peruvianus. tigris. and thoracicus by having a greenish blue or blue-black throat spot and an orange-red eye ring in adult males, and no enlarged keeled vertebral row of scales [DIXON & WRIGHT 1975]. |
| Comment | Variation: There is a striking amount of ontogenetic change in color and pattern from juvenile to adult in this species (Fig. 7 and page 14 in DIXON & WRIGHT 1975). Habitat: Juveniles of this species were taken from sandy beaches on the Paracas Peninsula, and adults were taken from rocky bluffs from Paracas and Punta EI Paraiso. Mertens (1956) indicated that theresiae mainly inhabit sand, but occasionally frequent rocks. Our observations indicate that there is a relatively distinct segregation between juvenile and adult habitats, juveniles prefer sandy substrata while adults prefer rocks. We did not observe this species farther than 500 m from the ocean [DIXON & WRIGHT 1975]. Diet: All stomachs examined were packed with hundreds of aquatic Hemiptera (waterboatmen) [DIXON & WRIGHT 1975]. |
| Etymology | named after the collector of the type specimens, Therese Prinzessin von Bayern. |
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