Liolaemus yatel Abdala, Procopio, Stellatelli, Travaini, Rodríguez & Monachesi, 2014, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Abdala, Cristian Simón
name: Procopio, Diego Esteban
name: Stellatelli, Oscar Aníbal
name: Travaini, Alejandro
name: Rodríguez, Alejandro
name: Monachesi, Mario Ricardo Ruiz
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Reptilia
Squamata
Liolaemidae
Liolaemus
Liolaemus yatel

description: Liolaemus yatel sp. nov.
(Fig. 1–3)
1986, Liolaemus lineomaculatus, Cei (partim); Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino. Monografia IV: 527 pp. 2011, Liolaemus lineomaculatus, Breitman, Parra, Pérez, Sites (partim); Zootaxa. 3120: 1–28. 2014, Liolaemus lineomaculatus Breitman, Minoli, Avila, Medina, Sites, Morando (partim); Cuadernos de Herpetología. 28
(2): 83–110.
Holotype (Fig. 1): FML 24646 (CIPD 628). Adult female. Monumento Natural Bosques Petrificados, Puerto Deseado department, Santa Cruz province, 47º 41´21´´ S; 68° 01´03´´ W. D. Procopio Col. 03/03/2009.
Paratypes All individuals were collected in the Monumento Natural Bosques Petrificados, Puerto Deseado department, Santa Cruz province, Argentina.
FML 24647 (CIPD 329). Adult male. 47º 41´11´´ S; 68° 00´36´´ W. D. Procopio and O. Stellatelli cols. 27/10/ 2006.
FML 24648 (CIPD 629) Adult female. 47º 41´15´´ S; 68° 00´38´´ W. D. Procopio col. 06/03/2009.
FML 24649 (CIPD 394). Adult male. 47º 41´39´´ S; 68° 00´13´´ W. D. Procopio col. 11/03/2007.
FML 24650 (CIPD 396): Adult female. 47º 41´42´´ S; 68° 00´33´´ W. D. Procopio col. 11/03/2007.
MLP.R. 5704 (CIPD 395). Adult male. 47º 41´48´´ S; 68° 00´22´´ W. D. Procopio col. 11/03/2007.
MLP.R 5705 (CIPD 643): Adult female. 47º 41´34´´ S; 68° 00´21´´ W. D. Procopio col. 11/03/2007.
MLP.R 5706-07 (CIPD 644-45): Juveniles. 47º 41´40´´ S; 68° 00´11´´ W. D. Procopio col. 11/03/2007.
Diagnosis. Liolaemus yatel sp. nov. belongs to the L. lineomaculatus section (Breitman et al., 2011b; 2013) and, within this section, it belongs to the L. lineomaculatus group (Etheridge, 1995; Abdala & Lobo, 2006), along with the L. kingii and L. magellanicus groups (Breitman et al., 2013). The most striking differences between Liolaemus yatel sp. nov. and species of the L. kingii group (L. archeforus, L. baguali, L. chacabucoense, L. escarchadosi, L. gallardoi, L. kingii, L. sarmientoi, L. scolaroi, L. somuncurae, L. tari, L. tristis, L. uptoni, and L. zullyi) are the absence of precloacal pores in males, a shorter snout-vent length (max SVL 61.1 mm vs. range between 67 and 112 mm, respectively; an exception is L. scolaroi: max SVL: 61 mm), and clearly contrasting dorsal and ventral coloration patterns. Further, L. yatel sp. nov. and the species of the L. kingii group also differ in scalation patterns and morphometry (Breitman et al., 2013).
Among other diagnostic traits Liolaemus yatel sp. nov. differs from L. magellanicus and L. caparensis, that belong to the L. magellanicus group (Breitman et al., 2013), by the absence of precloacal pores in males.
Morphology showed differences between the new species and the other taxa of the L. lineomaculatus group (Tables 1, 2). Within this group, the absence of trifid scales distinguish the new taxon from all members of the L. lineomaculatus group and L. magellanicus (trifid scales present in: 58 % of the examined specimens of L. magellanicus (Fig. 4), 67 % of L. lineomaculatus, and 100% in L. avilae, L. hatcheri, L. kolengh L. morandae, and L. silvanae) (Table 1).
Liolaemus yatel sp. nov. also differs from L. hatcheri, L. kolengh and L. silvanae (L. silvanae group) for lacking either keeled nuchal scales or imbricate and subimbricated postfemorals (Table 1). In addition, body dorsal scales are subimbricated, slightly keeled and without mucron in L. yatel sp. nov., in contrast to L. magellanicus (Fig. 4), L. caparensis, and species of the L. lineomaculatus group whose scales are imbricated, strongly keeled and mucronated. Table 1 shows further differences in scalation and color patterns of body spots with other species of that group.
Morphological tests showed significant differences between the new species and the other taxa of the L. lineomaculatus group. Means and ranks for meristic and qualitative characters are summarized in Table 1. Univariate tests showed that the number of scales around midbody could be used to tell between L. yatel sp. nov. and all other species but L. silvanae, whereas the number of dorsal scales differed significantly between L. yatel sp. nov. and L. silvanae (Table 2). The DFA indicated that the first two discriminant functions were statistically significant (Table 3). The first discriminant function accounted for 63.70 % of the total variance; this function was significantly correlated with the number of scales around midbody, as well as the number of dorsal and ventral scales (Table 3; Fig. 5). The second discriminant function was significantly correlated with the number of nuchal scales (Table 3; Fig. 5). Based on both discriminant functions, the number of scales around midbody, and the number of dorsal, ventral and nuchal scales contributed significantly to separate the centroids of most species (Table 3; Fig. 5). Our analysis allowed the identification of L. yatel sp. nov. based on meristic traits. Table 4 indicates that the nine species (i.e. L. avilae, L. caparensis, L. hatcheri, L. kolengh, L. lineomaculatus, L. magellanicus, L. morandae, L. silvanae, and L. yatel sp. nov.) were each correctly classified with 95.86 % accuracy. All specimens of L. yatel sp. nov. were correctly classified (Table 4). These results indicate that this species possesses morphological characteristics which distinguish it from the other known species of the L. lineomaculatus group.
Description of the holotype. Adult female. Snout vent length (SVL) 60.3 mm. Head 1.14 times longer (11.4 mm) than wide (10.0 mm). Head height 6.9 mm. Interorbital distance 7.9 mm. Eye-auditory meatus distance 4.0 mm. Auditory meatus height 1.6 mm; width 1.2 mm. Trunk length 32.4 mm; width 17.1 mm. Tail length 48.9 mm, and not regenerated. The tail is shorter than the SVL. Width tail base 7.0 mm. Arm length 8.0 mm; forearm length 6.6 mm; and hand 7.6 mm. Thigh length 10.2 mm; leg 10.1 mm; Foot length 12.9 mm; IV toe 9.2 mm.
DISCRIMINANT FUNCTION Dorsal surface of head smooth. Rostral scale wider (2.7 mm) than high (1.6 mm), in contact with six scales. Mental scale trapezoidal, wider (3.1 mm) than high (2.8 mm), in contact with four scales. Lateral postrostral scale does not contact the first supralabial scale. There is no contact between nasal and rostral scales. Distal end of frontal scale separated from superciliaries by six scales. Six scales between rostral and frontal scales. Frontal scale is divided into three parts. Two postrostral scales, with one and two scale organs respectively. Interparietal scale shorter than paritetals, in contact with seven scales. Eight smooth, juxtaposed or subjuxtaposed temporals. Subocular (length 4.2 mm) is white, with the posterior end and the upper edge dark, and in contact with four lorilabials. Eye diameter 3.1 mm. The postocular scale is not divided. Five supraocular scales. The supraorbital scales form an incomplete semicircle. Six supralabial scales, the fifth is the largest and is curved upwards at its posterior end, without contacting the subocular scale. Four infralabial scales, the second one contacts three scales. Seven lorilabial scales. One scale between preocular and lorilabials. Seven scales surround the nasal scale, which is separated from the canthal scale by two scales. Four internasal scales. Two postmental scales. Six superciliaries.
Twelve upper cilliaries. Hellmich index (dorsal scales in head, from occiput to mental scale) 12. Scales around midbody 60. Seventy eight round, slightly keeled or without keels, without mucron and juxtaposed or subjuxtaposed dorsal scales (from occiput to forelimbs). Thirty-four rows of scales on the dorsum. Thirty-seven granular and smooth neck scales (counted from the posterior margin of the auditory meatus to the shoulder, along the longitudinal fold). Antehumeral scales subtriangular and differentiated. Neck folds (auricular, antehumeral and longitudinal) evident. Scales of longitudinal fold granular, juxtaposed and without keel. Thirty gular scales. Eightyeight larger than dorsals, laminar and imbricated ventral scales (from mental scale to cloaca). Thirteen pigal scales. Without precloacal pores. Sixteen infradigital lamellae on fourth finger and 22 on fourth toe. The scales of sides of the body are laminar and without keel. Anterior edge of the auditory meatus with one projected scale. Auricular scale (located in the antero-superior edge of the auditory meatus) absent. The central and lateral nuchal scales are undifferentiated, granular and without keel. Without trifid scales between nuchal areas and lateral cephalic.
Coloration (Fig. 1): The dorsal pattern of the head is a pale brown background with hints of gray and a few dark, irregularly scattered spots. The body back is light brown with 11 pairs of paravertebral, dark brown, crescentshaped spots that show an anterior indentation. Flanks have spots that follow the same pattern, color and shape than that of paravertebral design. The contact between paravertebral and lateral spots forms streaks transverse to the body axis. Paravertebral spots do not contact in the vertebral region. Vertebral line, dorsolateral stripes, antehumeral arch and scapular spots are absent. Some fuzzy spots appear along the lateral body midline. The background color of the body back continues in the dorsal region of limbs and tail. A few ring-shaped dark spots appear on dorsal areas of forelimbs and hindlimbs. In the distal region of the tail, lateral and dorsal spots touch and form pseudo-rings. Ventral regions of the head and abdomen are white, with scattered black spots and scales that become denser towards the center of the ventral region, which also shows a very light orange background color. A few dark scales in the limbs and the gular region. The holotype preserved in 70% ethanol maintains the color pattern observed in life, but shows a more grayish and less intense coloration.
Variation. Based on eight paratypes. Liolaemus small, with SVL in adult males and females from 45.7 to 61.1 mm (x̅ = 55.2 mm). The tail length is shorter than or equal to the SVL, from 48.9 to 56.4 mm (x̅= 53.1 mm, n = 5). Body length 18.3–32.4 mm (x̅= 24.3 mm) and body width 14.1–18.5 mm (x̅= 16.2 mm). The head is almost as wide as long (length: 10.4–12.8 mm, x̅ = 11.7 mm; width: 9.3–10.9 mm, x̅ = 10.2 mm). Head height 6.9–8.4 mm (x = 7.6 mm). Dorsal surface of head smooth, with 12–15 (x̅= 13.5) scales (Hellmich index). Six to nine (x̅= 7.0) scales between the frontal and rostral scales. One or two (x̅= 1.7) scales between the nasal and canthal scales. Nasal surrounded by seven scales. Minimal contact between nasal and rostral scales observed in only two individuals. Interparietal lesser than or equal to parietals, surrounded by 6–8 (x̅ = 7.1) scales. Three to five (x̅ = 3.5) supraocular scales. Eight to nine (x̅ = 8.8) smooth and round temporal scales. Nine to ten (x̅= 9.5) superciliar scales. The ear is always higher than wide (high: 1.6–2.5, x̅= 1.9; width: 0.9–1.6, x̅= 1.2). One to three auricular scales. Without differentiated supero-posterior auricular scale and supero-anterior auricular scale. Eleven to fourteen upper cilliaries (x̅= 12.5). Preocular scale separated by one scale from the loreolabial scales. Postocular not divided. Six to seven (x̅= 6.5) loreolabials. Three to four loreolabials (x̅= 3.7) are in contact with the subocular. Five to six (x̅= 5.8) supralabial scales. Mental scale in contact with four scales. Three to four (x̅= 3.7) infralabial scales. The second infralabials are in contact with 2–3 (x̅= 2.7) scales. Neck with 29–37 (x̅= 33.5) granular scales and without keel. Neck folds (auricular, antehumeral and longitudinal) evident. The longitudinal fold contains 20–29 (x̅= 24.5) scales. Antehumeral scales are imbricated, without keel, subtriangular and differentiated. Gulars 29–31 (x̅= 30). Without gular fold. Nuchal central scales are cone-shaped, are granular and without keel, like lateral nuchal scales. Body dorsal scales are laminar, slightly keeled or without keel, without mucron, juxtaposed or subjuxtaposed. Scales around midbody 59–66 (x̅ = 62.3). Dorsal scales between occiput and hind limbs 60–78 (x̅= 65.2). Ventral scales 85–92 (x̅= 87.1). Pigal scales 11–14 (x̅=12.6). Males and females without precloacal pores. Sixteen to seventeen infradigital lamellae on fourth finger and 17–22 on fourth toe. Scales of the dorsum of the tail are slightly keeled, laminar, imbricated and the ventral scales are without keel, laminar and imbricated.
Without sexual dichromatism in Liolaemus yatel sp. nov. (Fig. 2). Dorsal and lateral regions of the head are uniformly light brown to light gray although some specimens show dark specks. The background color of the dorsal regions of the body, limbs and tail is light brown or light gray. Vertebral line absent. Dark brown or faded black paravertebral and lateral spots of varied shapes occur. In most specimens paravertebral spots and lateral spots have a crescent shape with an anterior indentation whereas these spots have a subquadrangular shape in other specimens. In most individuals paravertebral spots join lateral spots forming irregular streaks or lines, transverse to the major body axis, that vary considerably in thickness across specimens. Several individuals show reddish-brown specks anterior to each paravertebral or lateral spot. Some specimens have pale yellow or pale reddish brown faint and discontinuous dorsolateral stripes with diffuse contours. Some dark rosettes, or discontinuous ring-shaped spots, occur in the dorsal regions of the limbs. Only a few specimens show a reddish brown coloration on the posterior flank of the thigh. The color pattern of the body back continues along most of the dorsal region of the tail. Near the end of the tail paravertebral and lateral spots approach without contact and form incomplete rings or pseudo-rings. In most cases the ventral region is pristine white in females, while males exhibit a few black scales against white background irregularly scattered across the gular region, abdomen or cloaca. Some males show a reddish and / or slightly yellowish tone in the ventral areas of the body, the hind limbs and the cloaca.
Distribution (Fig. 3): Liolaemus yatel sp. nov. has been found only in its type locality, the Monumento Nacional Bosques Petrificados National Park, Puerto Deseado county, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.
Natural history. From a biogeographical point of view, the area inhabited by Liolaemus yatel belongs to the Patagonian province, Central Patagonian District (Cabrera & Willink, 1973), which is characterized by a mixed steppe of grasses and low-lying thorny shrubs (Soriano, 1983) with cover <10% in the driest areas and>60% in the valleys and lowlands (Bertiller & Bisigato, 1998). In arid sites, vegetation is dominated by the shrubs Chuquiraga avellanedae, Nassauvia glomerulosa, and Junellia tridens and by Stipa spp. grasses. In protected and relatively mesic lowland sites, vegetation is characterized by meadows and dense grasslands dominated by Distichlis spicata and Schoenoplectus spp., and shrubs such as Prosopis denudans, Berberis heterophylla, Schinus spp., Junellia tridens and Colliguaja integerrima. Climate is cold, dry and very windy. Winter frosts are frequent and the mean summer temperature is 17 °C. Annual rainfall ranges between 100 and 300 mm, and concentrates during autumn and winter; snowfall is rare. Prevailing western winds are often strong. Topography is characterized by plateaus defined by cliffs and steep slopes, narrow valleys and flat or rolling depressions, sometimes quite extensive.
In the locality where Liolaemus yatel sp. nov. was found soil is made of sandy clay interspersed with small basalt clasts. The scarce woody vegetation of this open landscape consists of isolated individuals of Atriplex lampa and Suaedea divaricata.
The rolling ground becomes remarkably muddy in the rain and large mud crusts are typical during dry periods. This type of habitat (locally known as "guadal") is representative of the type locality (47º 41' 415" S, 68° 00' 06" W), placed between an intermittent lagoon (Laguna Grande) and a barren geological formation (Bajo Pobre).
Specimens of Liolaemus yatel were collected between 11:30 and 15:00. In the spot where specimen ICPD 329 was found, air temperature at ground level ranged between 23 ºC and 33 ºC in the mid-day hours. At the beginning of March, when the remaining individuals were collected, temperatures ranged from 15 ºC to 20 ºC. Most individuals were found on bare ground, where they perfectly camouflaged against the background. Escape behavior consisted in seeking shelter under bushes or in the cracks of the dry mud. We saw some individuals inside burrows dug in small mounds of sand and mud, or in the walls of small dry streams.
We observed other lizard species, apparently in low density, near the spot where Liolaemus yatel sp. nov. was found. Species that coexist with L. yatel sp. nov. include Liolaemus boulengeri, L. fitzingeri, L.kingii, L. bibronii, Diplolaemus bibronii, D. darwinii, and Homonota darwini. All of them were found in the ecotone between guadal and shrub-steppe.
Etymology. The species name refers to the term that the native Tehuelche people uses to name the rocky ground that surrounds the sites where the specimens were collected.
description: Published as part of Abdala, Cristian Simón, Procopio, Diego Esteban, Stellatelli, Oscar Aníbal, Travaini, Alejandro, Rodríguez, Alejandro & Monachesi, Mario Ricardo Ruiz, 2014, New Patagonian species of Liolaemus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) and novelty in the lepidosis of the southernmost lizard of the world: Liolaemus magellanicus, pp. 526-542 in Zootaxa 3866 (4) on pages 528-537, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3866.4.4, http://zenodo.org/record/225761