Cnemidophorus cyanurus Arias, Carvalho, Rodrigues & Zaher, 2011, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Arias, Federico
name: Carvalho, Celso Morato De
name: Rodrigues, Miguel Trefaut
name: Zaher, Hussam
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Cnemidophorus
Cnemidophorus cyanurus

description: Cnemidophorus cyanurus sp. nov.
(Fig. 6, 7)
Holotype. MZUSP 65781, adult male from Morro do Chapéu (11°33´10´´ S, 41°09´02´´ W), state of Bahia, Brazil, elevation 995 m, collected by Miguel T. Rodrigues, on 16 September 1984.
Paratypes. MZUSP 56115 to 56127, collected by Miguel T. Rodrigues on 30 November 1980; MZUSP 62801 to 62810, and MZUSP 65780, MZUSP 65782 to 65784, collected by Miguel T. Rodrigues from 16–18 September 1984; MZUSP 74179, MZUSP 74215 to 74222, collected by Miguel T. Rodrigues from 3–5 October 1990, all from Morro do Chapéu, state of Bahia, Brazil. MZUSP 56287, collected by Miguel T. Rodrigues on 3 December 1980 and MZUSP 72420 and 72421, collected by Miguel T. Rodrigues on 22 August 1988, from Santo Inácio (11 06’S, 42 43’ W), state of Bahia, Brazil, elevation 500– 800 m. Male adults: MZUSP 56115, 56117, 56120, 56124, 56125, 56126, 56287, 62801, 62802, 62805, 62808, 62809, 62810, 65783, 65784, 72421, 74215, 74216, 74218, 74221 and 74222. Undetermined sex MZUSP 56127. Female adults: MZUSP 56116, 56118, 56119, 56121, 56122, 56123, 62803, 62804, 62806, 62807, 65780, 72420, 65782, 74179, 74217, 74219 and 74220.
Diagnosis. A species of the Cnemidophorus ocellifer group with granules in the supraorbital semicircles, and no anal spurs in males. Cnemidophorus cyanurus differs from C. ocellifer, C. mumbuca, C. jalapensis, and C. confusionibus by having 31–38 (x= 34.5) femoral pores (a maximum of 20 in all other species); 8–10 longitudinal rows of ventral scales (6–8), 29–33(x= 30.4) transverse rows of ventrals (a maximum of 29 in all other species), 6– 7 superciliaries (always 5), 1–2 row of spurs in the heel in males (absent), one row of distinctive enlarged scales in the arm (2–4, never enlarged), no enlarged scales in temporal region posterior to third subocular (present), vertebral stripe present (absent), lateral spots absent (present), and bluish-green tail (brown tail). C. cyanurus differs from C. abaetensis by having 31–38 (x= 34.5) femoral pores (27–31, x= 24), 190–215 (x= 201.8) dorsal scales (210–240, x= 221.8), second supraocular totally separated from frontal by supraocular granules (second supraocular contacts frontal), four supraoculars (usually 3), stripe on the tail absent (present). Cnemidophorus cyanurus differs from C. littoralis by having 31–38 (x= 34.5) femoral pores (28–36, x= 32.6 in C. littoralis), 190–215 (x= 201.8) dorsal scales (168–191, x= 174.9), frontonasal never divided (35.6 % of individuals with a divided frontonasal, according to Rocha et al., 2000), second supraocular separated from frontal by supraocular granules (second supraocular contacts frontal), and tail stripe absent (present). Cnemidophorus cyanurus differs from C. venetacaudus by having 31–38 (x= 34.5) femoral pores (34–45, x= 38 in C. venetacaudus), 26–31 (x= 28.6) fourth toe lamellae (30–35, x= 33), vertebral and lateral stripes present (absent), and body color blue gray (brown).
Description of holotype. Measurements: snout-vent-length 76.6 mm; trunk length 39.39 mm; head length 18.2 mm; head width 10.31 mm; head height 8.39 mm; tail length 137.87 mm (regenerated); femur length 12.53 mm; tibia length 10.48 mm; foot length 24.33 mm; hindlimb 47.34 mm; humerus length 5.24 mm, and arm length 22.9 mm. Snout pointed. Rostral large, wider than high, visible from above, separated from frontonasal by contact between anterior nasals. Anterior and posterior nasals in broad contact at midline through an oblique suture. Nostril rounded in lower part of suture. Frontonasal roughly hexagonal, with almost rounded vertices, contacting posterior nasals and prefrontals. Prefrontals roughly trapezoidal, pentagonal, in broad and straight contact along midline, contacting laterally posterior nasal, loreal and first supraocular. Frontal approximately pentagonal, longer than wide, wider anteriorly, contacting only partially first supraocular and separated from the second and third supraoculars by a row of granules. Two frontoparietals, longer than wide, separated from supraoculars by a row of granules. A small scale between the frontoparietals, anteriorly in contact with the frontal. Five parietals, interparietal longer than wide, sub-hexagonal, bordered at each side by larger parietals. External parietals, smaller, slightly larger than interparietal and diagonally disposed. Occipital scales irregular and variable in size, larger than dorsals. Four supraoculars on each side, second and third largest, and first in contact with frontal, prefrontal, and first and second supraciliaries. Seven supraciliaries on each side, third the largest, separated from supraoculars (excepted first and second) by a row of granules. Loreal single, large, in contact with posterior nasal, prefrontal, first supraocular, first supraciliary, preocular, first subocular, and third and fourth supralabials. Preocular keeled, narrow, higher than wide, in contact with first subocular, loreal, and first superciliary. Three suboculars on each side, anteriormost keeled, approximately pentagonal, in contact with fourth supralabial; second subocular keeled, longer than anterior, approximately rectangular, in contact with fifth and sixth supralabials; third subocular smooth, slightly shorter than second one, approximately rectangular. A continuous keel runs from preocular to second subocular. Seven supralabials on each side. Temporal region with irregular scales, granular centrally, sub-equal, enlarging in size towards eye and ear opening. A supratemporal row with moderately large scales, decreasing in size posteriad. Ear opening large, semicircular, higher than wide. All dorsal and lateral head scales juxtaposed, smooth, except for keeled preoculars and suboculars. Symphysal wider than long, concave anteriorly, convex posteriorly, ellipsoid, contacting posteriorly first infralabials and postsymphysal. Postsymphysal single, pentagonal, as long as wide, in contact with first and second infralabials; followed by five pairs of enlarged chinshields. First pair of chinshields the longest, in broad contact along midline, in contact with third infralabials; second, third and fourth pairs separated from infralabials by row of small granules and internally marginated by a series of enlarged scales. Six infralabials on each side, followed posteriorly by series of small scales extending to labial commissure; first infralabials the smallest. Chin scales irregular in size and shape, diagonally disposed, increasing in size posteriorly. Gular region divided in two areas: anterior one with irregularly shaped, roughly elongate, juxtaposed scales, disposed in roughly oblique and transverse rows from first pair of chinshields, to an imaginary line uniting the lower margin of ear openings; lateral scales largest. Posterior gular region with minute granules disposed in transverse rows, identical to those on antegular fold. Gular and antegular folds with diminute granules; a series of enlarged mesoptychial scales between the two folds. Scales on nape and sides of neck similar to dorsals. Dorsal and flank scales granular, rounded, smooth, sub-imbricate; 202 scales along a middorsal line from nape to base of tail; 110 scales around midbody (excluding ventrals), 29 scales around tail. Ventrals large, smooth, wider than long, rectangular, imbricate, in 31 transverse rows; 8 longitudinal rows of ventral scales across midbody. Ventral scales separated from scales on flanks by a row of moderately enlarged scales. Preanal plate with four enlarged scales, the central one largest, contacting one anterior, surrounded laterally by small scales, and two posterior ones that form the lower border of the anal plate. Preanal spurs absent. Thirty five femoral pores in a continuous row with a short gap medially; 18 on right side, 17 on left. Scales at the base of the tail rectangular, smaller than ventrals, in transverse rows; keeled dorsally and laterally, ventrally smooth. Tail scales becoming gradually longer and narrower from the base to tip; subcaudal scales becoming keeled distally, but less markedly than in dorsals. Limbs with large, smooth, imbricate scales on dorsal aspect of upper arms, antero-dorsal aspect of forearms, antero-ventral aspect of thighs, and ventral aspect of lower legs; elsewhere scales small, granular. Larger scales on upper arms, disposed in longitudinal rows. Forearms with one row of distinctively enlarged scales, wider than long. Dorsal surface of arm with one row of enlarged scales. Anterior scales on thigh decreasing in size proximally, with five rows of enlarged scales. Lower legs with two rows of enlarged, hexagonal scales. Ventral aspect of hands and feet granular; one enlarged tubercle at base of pollex. Sub-digital lamellae single; 18 on left and right fourth fingers; 34 on left and 35 on right fourth toe. Heel with one row of spurs.
Color in preservative. Dorsum and dorsal parts of limbs light blue. A white vertebral stripe extends from neck to the anterior quarter of the tail. A dark-blue, dorsolateral band edged inferiorly by a wider light gray band extends on the lower flanks from nostril to groin. Belly, and ventral region of tail bluish white. Head color follows dorsal and lateral body patterns: light brown dorsally and light gray laterally, separated by the dark lateral stripe. Ventral aspect of head bluish white. Ventral aspect of fore and hind limbs brownish white. Dorsal and lateral aspects of tail blue.
Variation. The following is based on 39 paratypes. Head longer (16.13–22.1mm; x= 18.89 mm), than wide (8.27–17.67 mm; x= 11.85 mm). Head height 7.88–10.32 mm (x= 9.21mm). Snout-vent length 65.56–81.93 mm (x= 75.71mm). Tail length 126.3–191.7 mm, (x= 152.99 mm), 2.05 times longer than SVL. Humeral length 4.35– 7.1mm, (x= 5.75 mm). Fore limb length 21.75–27.4 mm, (x= 24.5 mm). Tibia length 9.37– 13 mm, (x= 11.43 mm).
Thigh length 11.52–15.44 mm, (x= 13.88). Foot length 23.21–27.24 mm, (x= 25.64 mm). Hind limb twice longer than foot. Hind limb length 44.1–55.24 mm, (x= 50.95 mm).
There is no sexual dichromatism in adult pattern. In juveniles, tail color is bright blue, which becomes bright bluish-green in adults (Fig. 8 A, B). Males have spurs on heel. MZUSP 65781, 65780 and 65782 have seven supraciliaries. Only the male MZUSP 56126 has small scale between the frontoparietals, as the holotype. Variation in other meristic characters is summarized in Table 3.
group. Supraocular scales (SO); supraciliary scales (SC); fourth finger lamellae (FFL): fourth toe lamellae (FTL); number of
granules around midbody (SAM); number of scales around tail (SAT); number of dorsal granules (D); longitudinal rows of
enlarged scales in dorsal part of arm (RH); longitudinal rows of ventral scales (VL); transverse rows of ventral scales (VT);
total number of femoral pores (FP); spurs on heel of males (HSPUR).
Color in life. (Fig. 6). Dorsal surface of head brown grayish; body and limbs dark brown. A dark-gray dorsolateral band runs from the nostril, crosses the eye, to reach the hindlimbs. Below it, a light gray area that darkens towards the posterior region covers all the lateral surface of the head and flanks. A creamy white and narrow vertebral stripe extends from the neck to the base of the tail. Below it, a pair of parallel wide dark brown paravertebral stripes, separated from the dorsolateral band by a narrower creamy white stripe. The paravertebral stripe runs from the supraciliary region to the base of tail, the dorsolateral one from the subocular region to the hindlimb.. The belly and ventral region of the head and tail are light blue. The ventral aspect of the fore- to hindlimbs is brownish white. The dorsal aspect of the tail is bright bluish-green, while the lateral aspect is predominantly bluish green (Fig. 6).
Etymology. The specific epithet, cyan, is a Latin adjective meaning ‘‘bluish,’’ and the Latin superlative suffix urus, means ‘‘tail’’ in allusion to the characteristic ‘‘bluish tail’’ in members of this species.
Distribution and natural history. Both type localities are in the Serra do Espinhaço, a prominent mountain ridge that reaches up to 2000 m and stretches (in a southeastern-northestern direction) along approximately 1100 km in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. Its northern portion, characterized by extensive and discontinuous flat plateaus, is usually referred to as the Chapada Diamantina (Fig. 9). Santo Inácio is situated at 480 m, in the northern portion of the Chapada Diamantina where a contact zone is created between the dissected mountains and the alluvial plain of the São Francisco river, the latter being situated around 430 m of elevation. The Santo Inácio area is characterized by extensive and highly eroded quartzitic and conglomerate rock outcrops, separated by coarsegrained white sandy soils that result from rock intemperism (Fig. 10). The Caatinga is the dominant vegetation in both rocky and sandy areas, with abundance of Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Leguminoseae. The area dominated by rock outcrops is covered by a thorny vegetation, with small and deciduous leaves, with some scattered Cerrado trees diagnosed by their leathery leaves and thickened bark. In the alluvial plain of the Rio São Francisco, rocks are absent and the region is completely dominated by a typical Caatinga vegetation, with scattered Copernicia palms that grow on eolic yellowish sandy soils sometimes built in small dunes. Further data on the area is given by Rodrigues (1996). Cnemidophorus nigrigula is one of the most abundant lizards in the area, occurring in the alluvial plain and sandy soils around rocky areas, from the base of mountains to about 800 m of elevation. It is active from early morning to the end of the day, and is frequently seen foraging on the ground between and within vegetation tickets. Cnemidophorus cyanurus is much less abundant and was exclusively found in the white sandy soils of the rocky area in Santo Inácio, where it is syntopic with C. nigrigula. Other lizards that occur at Santo Inácio are: Ameiva ameiva, Tupinambis teguixin, Iguana iguana, Tropidurus amathites, Tropidurus erythrocephalus, Tropidurus hispidus, Tropidurus pinima, Mabuya heathi, Acratosaura mentalis, Calyptommatus sinebrachiatus, Psilophthalmus paeminosus, Hemidactylus mabouia, Phyllopezus pollicaris, Lygodactylus klugei, and Polychrus acutirostris (Rodrigues, 1996).
Morro do Chapéu is also located in the northern portion of the Chapada Diamantina, but in a more central position, at about 1000 m of elevation and approximately 180 km southeastern from Santo Inácio. The dominant landscape at Morro do Chapéu is characterized by rocky outcrops of quartzites that are less dissected and eroded than those from Santo Inácio. The area has the characteristic vegetation of the “campos rupestres,” recognized by the dominance of plant families adapted to rocky areas, like Velloziaceae, Euriocaulaceae, Xiridaceae and Melastomartaceae, with some influence from the Caatinga vegetation due to its geographical proximity. It is in these sandy areas that C. cyanurus is found (Fig. 11). The species is syntopic with C. ocellifer, and forages on the ground, where it can be seen in much less abundance than its congener. The conspicuity conferred by the contrast between its bright blue tail and the white sand is astonishing. Other lizards obtained at Morro do Chapéu are: Ameiva ameiva, Tupinambis teguixin, Iguana iguana, Tropidurus cocorobensis, Tropidurus erythrocephalus, Tropidurus hispidus, Tropidurus semitaeniatus, Mabuya heathi, Gymnodactylus geckoides, Hemidactylus mabouia, Hemidactylus brasilianus, Phyllopezus pollicaris, and Polychrus acutirostris.
description: Published as part of Arias, Federico, Carvalho, Celso Morato De, Rodrigues, Miguel Trefaut & Zaher, Hussam, 2011, Two new species of Cnemidophorus (Squamata: Teiidae) of the C. ocellifer group, from Bahia, Brazil, pp. 1-21 in Zootaxa 3022 on pages 9-16, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.278680