Liolaemus vhagar, 2020

Quinteros, A. S., Ruiz-Monachesi, M. R. & Abdala, C. S., 2020, Solving the Liolaemus bibronii puzzle, an integrative taxonomy approach: redescription of L. bibronii and description of three new species (Iguania: Liolaemidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 189, pp. 315-348 : 339

LIOLAEMUS VHAGAR QUINTEROS ET AL. , SP. NOV.

( FIG. 11)

Liolaemus bibronii 4 in part. Morando et al. (2007), L. sp. 15. Portelli & Quinteros (2018), ‘ L. sp. from Comallo’.

L S I D: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. o r g: a c t: 6 D 0 B F B 6 4 - 05D1-4891-A14E-DEC894365885

Holotype: FML 10064 . Male. Cerro Alto, Pilcaniyeu , Rio Negro. 40°44,074’ S; 70°34,696’W. Abdala C.S. and R. E. Espinoza cols.

Paratypes: FML 10063 ; 10065–67. Two females and two males. Same data as the Holotype . FML 21484 . Male. National Road 40, near Cerro Alto, Pilcaniyeu, Río Negro. 40°52’17.4’’S; 70°3357.3’’ W. Abdala, Quinteros, Scrocchi and Stazzonelli, Cols.; 21540–41. One female and two males. Five km West of Comallo. 41°03’21.8’S; 70°23’15’ W. Abdala, Quinteros, Scrocchi and Stazzonelli, Cols .

Diagnosis: Liolaemus vhagar is a small, slender Liolaemus (Max SVL 56.5), which belongs to the L. alticolor – bibronii group, because it shares a set of character states as defined by Quinteros (2012, 2013) and Quinteros et al. (2014). Liolaemus vhagar was previously considered as a population of L. bibronii , but has a combination of characters that allow us to distinguish it from L. bibronii and from all members of the L. alticolor – bibronii group.

Liolaemus vhagar differs from L. bibronii in the number of scales between nasal and canthal (2 and 1, respectively).The number of scales between frontal and supercilliaries is higher in L. vhagar (average) than in L. bibronii (average) . Liolaemus vhagar shows enlarged scales in the anterior margin of the auditory meatus; these enlarged scales are absent in L. bibronii . The number of scales of circumorbital semicircles is higher in L. vhagar (average) than in L. bibronii (Average) . The dorsal scales of L. vhagar are mucronless, whereas the dorsal scales of L. bibronii show an evident mucron. The antegular fold is evident in L. vhagar , but absent in L. bibronii . The fourth supralabial never contacts the subocular in L. bibronii ; in most (90%) specimens of L. vhagar that contact exists. Paravertebral spots are rounded in L. bibronii , being irregularly shaped in L. vhagar . The ventral region of tail in L. vhagar is without spots, whereas in L. bibronii that region is spotted.

Liolaemus vhagar can be distinguished from L. balerion and L. meraxes by several characters. Dorsal scales of L. balerion have a mucron, while these are mucronless in L. vhagar . The number of temporal scales in L. balerion (average) is lower than in L. vhagar (8–9). In the dorsum of the head of specimens of L. vhagar , there is a black line surrounding the interparietal scale, but this line is absent in L. balerion . The lengths of the first, second, third and fourth toes are larger in L. balerion than in L. vhagar . The number of neck and gular scales is lower in L. balerion than in L. vhagar . The number of infradigital lamellae of the second finger is higher in L. balerion than in L. vhagar . The number of infradigital lamellae on the first, second, third and fourth toes is higher in L. balerion than in L. vhagar . The subocular scale is white (lighter than loreal region) in L. vhagar , being the same colour as the loreal region in L. meraxes . Paravertebral spots in L. meraxes are merged, forming a longitudinal stripe, whereas in L. vhagar , these spots are irregularly shaped, but never merged. Dorsolateral stripes in L. meraxes are bordered by a black line, while in L. vhagar , dorsolateral stripes lack this black border. In the dorsal side of the head of specimens of L. vhagar , there is a black line surrounding the interparietal scale, which is absent in L. meraxes . Dorsal scales show a mucron in L. meraxes , being absent in dorsal scales of L. vhagar . Snout–vent length is larger in L. vhagar than in L. meraxes . The fifth finger is longer in L. meraxes than in L. vhagar . The head is longer in L. meraxes than in L. vhagar , but the head of L. vhagar is wider than the head of L. meraxes . The tibia of L. meraxes is longer than L. vhagar . The number of neck and gular scales is lower in L. meraxes than in L. vhagar . The number of infradigital lamellae on the second finger is larger in L. vhagar than in L. meraxes .