Liolaemus camarones Abdala, Gómez & Heredia, 2012, sp. nov

Liolaemus camarones sp. nov. (Figs. 8–12) 1977, Liolaemus fitzingerii fitzingerii, Cei J. M. and J. A. Scolaro, Physis 36 (92): 225–226. 2006, Liolaemus fitzingerii, Ávila, L. J., M. Morando, and J. W. Sites, Jr. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 89, 241 – 275. 2008, Liolaemus fitzingerii, Ávila, L. J., M. Morando, and J. W. Sites, Jr. Journal of Herpetology 42: 186–196. 2007, Liolaemus sp. 9, Abdala, C. S. Zootaxa, 1538, 84 pp. Holotype. ― FML 23301. Adult male. Beach 3 km south of Camarones, Bahia Camarones, Florentino Ameghino Department, Chubut Province, Argentina. Collected by C. S. Abdala, J. S. Abdala and E. Malovini. January 22 2002. (Figs. 9–10). Paratypes. ― FML 23302 -23308. Seven individuals, 5 males, 2 females. Same data as holotype. FML 24140 - 144. 5 individuals, 3 males, 2 females. Beach 1 km south of Camarones, road to Elola beach, Bahía Camarones, Florentino Ameghino Department, Chubut Province, Argentina. S 44 ° 48´33.0´´ W 69 ° 44´8.9 ´´. Collected by C. S. Abdala, F. Cruz, G. Perotti and R. Semhan. December 18 2009. Diagnosis.― Liolaemus camarones sp. nov. belongs to the Liolaemus boulengeri group, which is characterized by having a patch of enlarged scales on the posterior medial surface of the thigh (Etheridge 1995; Abdala 2007) and a hypertrophy of the flexor tibialis internus muscle (Abdala et al. 2006). It differs from the species of the Liolaemus anomalus group (Table 2) reported in Abdala (2007), in having tail long relative to body length, head proportionally longer than wide, palpebral ‘comb’ not developed, and more precloacal pores in males and females. It differs from the species of the L. darwinii (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) and four scales in contact with mental (six in the L. wiegmannii group). L. camarones sp. nov. differs from L. boulengeri, L. donosobarrosi, L. goetschi, L. hermannunezi, L. inacayali, L. josei, L. loboi, L. martorii, L. rothi, L. sagei, L. senguer, L. tehuelche, and L. telsen in having an evident black antehumeral arch, which is lacking in the aforementioned species. It differs from all the species from the L. telsen group, except L. rothi and L. sagei, in having longer snout-vent length (max SVL 95.6 mm vs. 62.3–77.1 mm). It differs from L. mapuche in having four scales in contact with mental (four to six in L. mapuche) and more marked ventral melanism. It differs from L. cuyanus in having four scales in contact with mental (six in L. cuyanus) and more marked ventral melanism. Liolaemus camarones 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. camarones sp.nov. differs from L. canqueli and L. melanops in lacking head melanism and in the dorsal coloration pattern; it does not present the intense green dorsum with irregular, transversal black paravertebral spots of L. melanops or the transversal black and yellow-orange bands of L. canqueli. Liolaemus camarones differs from L. chehuachekenk and L. morenoi in lacking pre- and postescapular spots and having different coloration pattern; it differs from L. fitzingerii in having shorter snout-vent length (maximum SVL 95.6 mm vs. 106 mm), evident sexual dichromatism with different dorsal coloration pattern in males and females, and evident paravertebral spots, and in lacking dorsolateral markings and red scales in the vertebral region. It differs from L. xanthoviridis in the dorsal coloration pattern, with paravertebral spots and vertebral region more uniform, without irregular markings and antehumeral arch narrower, never reaching forelimbs. Description of the holotype. ― (Figs. 9,10) Adult male. SVL 92.7 mm. Trunk length 42.5 mm. Head longer (18.1 mm) than wide (15.5 mm). Head height 12.2 mm. Eye diameter 4.1 mm. Interorbital distance 8.4 mm. Orbit– auditory meatus distance 5.9 mm. Auditory meatus 2.9 mm high, 1.7 mm wide. Orbit–commissure of mouth distance 3.2 mm. Internares 2.9 mm. Subocular scale 4.6 mm. Femur length 15.5 mm, tibia 18.1 mm, and foot 24.8 mm. Humerus length 13.1 mm. Tail length 125.8 mm. Dorsal surface of the head smooth, with 15 scales. Rostral wider than tall, bordered by six scales. Mental larger than rostral, trapezoidal, bordered by four scales. Nasal not in contact with rostral. Four internasals. Nasal surrounded by eight scales, separated from canthal by two scales. Five scales between frontal and supercilliaries. Six scales between frontal and rostral. Frontal divided into two scales. Two postrostrals. Interparietal smaller than parietals, in contact with six scales. Orbital semicircles complete. Preocular separated from lorilabial row by one scale. Four scales in anterior margin of auditory meatus and two in superior margin of auditory meatus. Nine smooth temporals. Three lorilabials in contact with subocular. Ten supralabials, none in contact with subocular. Nine supraoculars. Eight lorilabials. Seven infralabials, second in contact ventrally with two scales. Six chinshields, second pair separated by two scales. Seventy-two scales around midbody. Seventy-eight round, imbricate, keeled dorsals from occiput to hind limbs. Thirty-six scale rows in dorsum. Scales of flank same size and shape as dorsals. A hundred-sixteen ventrals, same size as dorsals, flat, imbricate. Thirty-seven smooth, weakly imbricate gulars. Seven precloacal pores. Antehumeral scales flat, of equal size to or larger than dorsals. Postauricular, rectal and longitudinal folds present. Scales on the longitudinal fold granular and smooth. Fourth finger with 18 subdigital lamellae; fourth toe with 24. Infracarpals flat, imbricate, trifid and infratarsals flat, imbricate, not trifid. Color in life. ―Head greenish-grey with scattered red scales on the frontal and parietal regions. Conspicuous, black antehumeral arch. Dorsum and lateral region of the body dark green with small white-yellowish paravertebral spots, surrounded by a black line, thicker on the anterior margin of the spot. Vertebral region brown with two brown-orange longitudinal stripes. Small orange spots scattered between paravertebral spots and dorsolateral stripes. Body size with several white-yellowish scales and spots. Fore- and hind limbs same color as dorsum and lateral region of body with white-yellowish scales. Dorsal tail light green with scattered white-yellowish spots. Throat bluish green. Gular region with an incomplete melanic collar. Chest to cloacal region, ventral forelimbs and base of tail melanic; ventrolateral region, thighs and ventral tail bluish green. Variation.― (Table 3) Based on 12 specimens. Head longer (14.5–18.5 mm; mean = 16.8 mm) than wide (11.8–15.5 mm; mean = 14.0 mm). Head height 11.2–13.7 mm (mean = 13.3 mm). Neck wider than head. SVL 67.8–95.6 mm (mean = 84.7 mm), averaging 2.3 times longer than trunk. Tail length 91.1 – 132.0 mm (mean = 116.1 mm). Humerus length 10.7–15.1 mm (mean = 13.9 mm). Dorsal surface of head smooth, with 15–17 scales. One row of lorilabials, same size as supralabials. Seven to eight lorilabials. Eight to 11 supralabials. Frontal divided horizontally, into two to four scales. Interparietal always smaller than parietals, surrounded by 5–7 scales. Nasal surrounded by eight scales. Six to seven infralabials. Mental in contact with four scales. Nine to ten smooth or slightly keeled round temporals. Longitudinal, postauricular, and antehumeral folds present. Horizontal fold Yshaped between the shoulder and the auditory meatus. Scales around midbody 71–79 (mean = 73.6). Gulars 33–37 (mean = 34.8). Dorsal scales between occiput and hind limbs 71–78 (mean = 74.1). Ventrals 103–120 (mean = 110.9). Males with 7–10 (mean = 8.6) precloacal pores. Females without precloacal pores. Dorsals flat, imbricate, keeled. 1720 infradigital lamellae on fourth finger and 24–26 on fourth toe. Variation in color pattern.― With sexual dichromatism. Males with head greenish grey or brown with reddish scales. Black antehumeral arch present. Dorsum and lateral region of the body dark green or brownish green, small yellowish white paravertebral spots, surrounded by a black line, thicker on the anterior margin of the spot. Some individuals with a diffuse white or yellow vertebral line. Paravertebral spots almost quadrangular with anterior margin diagonal and posterior rounded. Vertebral region brown. Two thin, faint orange-brown dorsolateral stripes. In some specimens, these stripes are discontinuous or absent. Between paravertebral spots and dorsolateral stripes, several orange, yellow or brown scales or markings. Lateral region of the body, tail and fore- and hind limbs with numerous yellowish white and light blue scales. Fore- and hind limbs same color as dorsum. Dorsal tail green or brown, lighter than dorsum. Throat greenish blue or yellowish with grey markings. Gular region with a melanic, sometimes incomplete collar. Chest to cloacal region, hind limbs and base of tail melanic, greenish grey or whitish. When melanic, lateral region of the body, forelimbs and tail greenish grey or light green ventrally. Females with head grey or reddish orange (Figs. 11–12). Dorsum reddish brown or bright brown. Antehumeral arch light grey or absent. Vertebral line discontinuous, yellowish white. Paravertebral spots similar to males. Faint dorsolateral stripes with yellowish white markings. Lateral region of the body always lighter than dorsum, with spots similar to paravertebral. Forelimbs grey with few markings dorsally. Throat to cloacal region and tail bluish white with some black scales, more intense on sides of the body. Natural history.― Liolaemus camarones sp. nov. inhabits sand dunes near Bahía Camarones. The predominant vegetation is the shrub Chuquiraga sp. (shrub with orange flowers and light green leaves) or two plants adapted to saline soils: Atriplex lampa (zampa) and Suaeda divaricata (vidriera). Liolaemus camarones is insectivorous and oviparous. Adults live in small holes under shrubs and usually bask during the hours of highest solar radiation. There is no more information about its biology. Distribution.― Liolaemus camarones sp nov. inhabits the beaches of Bahía Camarones and nearby areas, Chubut Province, Argentina (Fig. 8). Etymology.― The word camarones refers to the locality where this new species occurs, Bahia Camarones.