Stenocercus nigrocaudatus VENEGAS, GARCÍA-AYACHI, CHÁVEZ-ARRIBASPLATA & GARCÍA-BRAVO, 2022
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Stenocercus nigrocaudatus
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| Higher Taxa | Tropiduridae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Stenocercus nigrocaudatus VENEGAS, GARCÍA-AYACHI, CHÁVEZ-ARRIBASPLATA & GARCÍA-BRAVO 2022: 15 |
| Distribution | Peru (Cajamarca) Type locality: San Lorenzo, San José de Lourdes (5o4’33.16”S, 78o52’53.749”W, 1,892 m), San Ignacio Province, Cajamarca Department, Peru |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. CORBIDI 19768, an adult male, collected by P.J. Venegas on 5 September 2018. Paratypes (8): CAJAMARCA DEPARTMENT: San Ignacio Province: CORBIDI 4387, an adult male from Tabaconas (5°14’8.16”S, 79°5’56.58”W, 1,716 m) collected by Maik Dobiey in August 2008; CORBIDI 4388-90, adult females, from Namballe (5°11’40.139”S, 79°4’49.738”W, 1,716 m) collected by M. Dobiey in August 2008; CORBIDI 19765-66, adult females, and CORBIDI 19767 and 19769, adult males, from San Lorenzo, San José de Lourdes (5°4’33.16”S, 78°52’53.749”W, 1,892 m), collected by P.J. Venegas on 5 September 2018. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Among the 80 species of Stenocercus (including the four species described herein), S. nigrocaudatus sp. nov. is only similar to species with granular scales on posterior surface of thighs, relatively short tail, caudal scales spinose, and two caudal whorls per autotomic segment; such as S. asenlignus sp. nov., S. arndti, S. qalaywasi sp. nov., S. flagracanthus, S. leybachi sp. nov., S. bolivarensis, S. carrioni, S. chlorostictus, S. crassicaudatus, S. empetrus, S. eunetopsis, S. torquatus and S. simonsii. Adult males of S. nigrocaudatus can be easily distinguished from the aforementioned species by a contrasting black tail with scattered turquoise flecks (Fig. 7C). Moreover, S. nigrocaudatus can be readily distinguished from S. qalaywasi, S. leybachi, S. bolivarensis, S. carrioni, S. chlorostictus, and S. eunetopsis by having granular scales on dorsal surface of neck (keeled in the compared species). Furthermore, S. leybachi possesses a distinct serrate low crest on neck (absent in S. nigrocaudatus), S. bolivarensis strongly keeled scales on flanks (granular), S. qalaywasi a distinct complete middorsally black antehumeral collar and two black nuchal bands (incomplete and absent, respectively), S. carrioni and S. chlorostictus by having strongly keeled dorsal scales on body (smooth and feebly keeled), and S. eunetopsis by having a longer tail with 62–66% of total length (50–55%). In addition, S. nigrocaudatus possesses more vertebrals (96–108) than S. carrioni (55–72), S. chlorostictus (63–73), and S. eunetopsis (59–80). Stenocercus nigrocaudatus shares with S. asenlignus, S. arndti, S. flagracanthus, S. crassicaudatus, S. empetrus, S. torquatus, and S. simonsii the presence of granular scales on neck. Nevertheless, the new species can be differentiated from these species by the coloration pattern, number of scales, or the length of tail. Adult males of S. arndti are easily distinguished from S. nigrocaudatus (state of character in parentheses) by having a bold black transverse band at midbody that extends ventrolaterally (bands on body absent); adult males of S. empetrus have the belly black (cream); S. simonsii has distinct black bands on body in both sexes (absent). Additionally, S. nigrocaudatus has a greater number of vertebrals (96–108) than S. arndti (74–94), more subdigitals (26–31) than S. empetrus (17–24), and a shorter tail in relation to the total length (50–55%) than S. simonsii (57–63%). Stenocercus asenlignus and S. flagracanthus differ from S. nigrocaudatus in having dorsal scales on the posterior half of body strongly keeled and mucronate (feebly keeled in S. nigrocaudatus). Moreover, adult males of S. asenlignus and S. flagracanthus have black bands on the body (absent in S. nigrocaudatus). Stenocercus crassicaudatus has a longer tail (57–62% of total length) than S. nigrocaudatus (50–55%). Adult males of S. torquatus differ from S. nigrocaudatus in having the antehumeral black collar complete middorsally and two distinct black nuchal transverse bands, whereas the new species has the antehumeral collar incomplete middorsally and lacks nuchal bands. (Venegas et al. 2022) Additional details (7141 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | The specific epithet nigrocaudatus is a noun in apposition that derives from the Latin word “nigrum” that means black and “cauda” that means tail, with the suffix “tus” that means provided with. It refers to the black tail that is characteristic of the adult males of this new species. |
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