Potamites strangulatus (COPE, 1868)
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Potamites strangulatus
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| Higher Taxa | Gymnophthalmidae (Cercosaurinae), Sauria, Gymnophthalmoidea, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | Potamites strangulatus strangulatus (COPE 1868) Potamites strangulatus trachodus UZZELL 1966 |
| Common Names | E: Big-scaled Neusticurus |
| Synonym | Euspondylus strangulatus COPE 1868: 99 Euspondilus Festae PERACCA 1897: 10 Neusticurus strangulatus — UZZELL 1961 Neusticurus festae — UZZELL 1961 Neusticurus strangulatus strangulatus — UZZELL 1966: 302 Neusticurus strangulatus — PETERS & DONOSO-BARROS 1970: 207 Neusticurus strangulatus — CASTOE et al. 2004 Potamites strangulatus — DOAN & CASTOE 2005 Neusticurus strangulatus trachodus UZZELL 1966 Neusticurus strangulatus trachodus — PETERS & DONOSO-BARROS 1970 Neusticurus strangulatus trachodus — SHERBROOKE & COLE 1972 Potamites strangulatus trachodus — DOAN & CASTOE 2005 (by implication) Potamites (Neusticurus) trachodus — TORRES-CARVAJAL et al. 2016 Potamites trachodus — CHÁVEZ et al. 2021 |
| Distribution | Ecuador, Peru (Amazonian slopes of Andes) trachodus: Peru (Huánuco, Andes of central Peru, elevation 750-1600 m); Type locality: Divisoria (= Cordillera Azul, Huánuco, Peru, 1300-1600 m. Type locality: Ecuador (according to UZZELL 1966 probably either between Papallacta and Napo, or along Río Napo, before it joins Río Marañón, in Ecuador or Peru.) |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: ANSP 7538 Holotype: FMNH 55992 (given as CNMH), adult male, collected by Jose M. Schunke, September 8, 1947; paratypes: FMNH, MCZ [trachodus] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Potamites differs from members of subfamily Alopoglossinae by having its tongue covered in imbricate, scale-like papillae instead of oblique plicae (Harris, 14), from subfamily Gymnophthalminae by having moveable eyelids, from subfamily Rhachisaurinae by having external ear openings and from sub-family Ecpleopinae by having heterogeneous dorsal scalation. Within subfamily Cercosaurinae (sensu Castoe et al., 2004), Potamites differs from all genera except Echinosaura, Neusticurus, and Teuchocercus by having heterogeneous dorsal scalation. It differs from Echinosaura by lacking basal spines on the hemipenes, from Teuchocercus by lacking conical scales on the tail, and from Neusticurus (character states in parentheses) by having a slightly compressed tail (strongly compressed), subimbricate ventral scales (imbricate), and calcareous spinules on flounces of hemipenes (no spinules). Definition of the genus: Tongue with imbricate, scale-like papillae. Nostril pierced in a single nasal; nasals separated usually by paired or single frontonasals, occasionally by irregular scales; prefrontals paired or irregular; in-terparietal usually bordered by a pair of parietals laterally, by a series of two to eight smaller scales posteriorly; occipital and temporal scales differentiated or not; rostral large, mental and postmental single, followed by several paired chin shields; gular crease feeble or absent. Collar fold well developed. Lower eyelid developed, with a palpebral disc undivided or divided into two to seven scales, transparent or pigmented. Tympanum at surface of head or slightly recessed, overhung by surrounding scales of surface of head. Dorsal scales heterogeneous, imbricate, with large, keeled tubercles intermixed with small flat scales, in transverse or longitudinal rows. Ventral scales wider than dorsals, usually flat, rectangular or slightly rounded posteriorly, subimbricate, in transverse and 6–10 longitudinal rows; lateral rows raised or keeled in some species. Limbs pentadactyl, digits clawed; forefoot with enlarged, plate-like scales along inner margin between thumb and wrist; under side of third and fourth toes with paired scales proximally, inner scale a rounded tubercle. Tail slightly compressed; a double caudal crest, feebly to strongly developed. Total femoral and preanal pores: 10–5 in males; 0–2 in females. Preanal plate in 2–3 rows, posterior row 2–5 scales in both sexes. Males and females with or without conspicuous, white- or brown-centred, black-bordered ocelli on their lateral body surfaces. Hemipenis without basal hooks; flounces with minute calcareous spinules. |
| Comment | Synonymy after PETERS & DONOSO-BARROS 1970. Type species: Euspondylus strangulatus COPE 1868 is the type species of the genus Potamites DOAN & CASTOE 2005. |
| Etymology | Potamites is a masculine Greek noun, meaning water finder. It refers to the fact that most members of this genus are semiaquatic, walking on the bottom of streams and often diving into streams to escape predation. |
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