A new species of Enyalioides (Iguanidae: Hoplocercinae) from southwestern Ecuador

Abstract

We describe a new species of Enyalioides from lowland cloud forests in southwestern Ecuador. This represents the third species in the genus known to occur west of the Andes in South America; the other two species are E. heterolepis and E. oshaughnessyi. Among other characters, the new species can be distinguished from other members in the genus by having small, keeled, paravertebrals; a series of skin folds on the lateral aspects of body and neck; size-homogeneous scales on body and limbs; distinct caudal segments; and an extensive dark patch on the gular region of adult males. Morphological similarity suggests that the new species, which we call E. touzeti, is closely related to E. oshaughnessyi.<br>Describimos una especie nueva de Enyalioides del bosque nublado al suroccidente de Ecuador. Esta representa la tercera especie de este género que habita al occidente de los Andes en América del Sur; las otras dos especies occidentales son E. heterolepis y E. oshaughnessyi. La especie nueva se diferencia de otras especies del género por tener, entre otras características, paravertebrales pequeñas y quilladas, pliegues dermales a los lados del cuello y cuerpo, escamas homogéneas en el cuerpo y extremidades, segmentos caudales visibles, y un parche oscuro que cubre gran parte de la región gular en machos. Semejanzas morfológicas sugieren que la especie nueva, a la cual llamamos E. touzeti, está cercanamente relacionada con E. oshaughnessyi

Phylogeny of hoplocercine lizards (Squamata: Iguania) with estimates of relative divergence times

“…5). Although this finding, in the absence of other information, suggests that E. touzeti is conspecific with E. oshaughnessyi, there is compelling morphological evidence supporting E. touzeti as a separate species (Torres-Carvajal et al, 2008) . Assuming that all samples of E. oshaughnessyi included in this study represent a single species, this could be a case of fixed morphological differences evolving prior to the evolution of reciprocal monophyly of mtDNA alleles.…”

Lista actualizada de las lagartijas de Ecuador con comentarios acerca de su diversidad

“…Especies nuevas para la ciencia (N = 13, en orden cronológico): Lepidoblepharis conolepis (8), Echinosaura orcesi (9), Echinosaura brachycephala (10), Stenocercus puyango (11), Thecadactylus solimoensis (12), Enyalioides touzeti (13), Enyalioides rubrigularis (14), Conolophus marthae (15), Anolis anchicayae (16), Anolis lyra (16), Anolis otongae (17), Anolis podocarpus (18), Riama crypta (19).…”

A new species of iguanid lizard (Hoplocercinae, Enyalioides) from southern Ecuador with a key to eastern Ecuadorian Enyalioides

“…In addition to these phylogenetic problems, the diversity of Hoplocercinae remains underestimated due to lack of collections from certain areas, or lack of taxonomic work. Wiens and Etheridge (2003) reported two possible new species from Bolivia and Peru, and Torres-Carvajal et al (2008) recently described a new species of Enyalioides from southwestern Ecuador.…”

“…All species of Enyalioides except for E. palpebralis Boulenger 1883 are known from Ecuador (Torres-Carvajal et al 2008). Of these, three species occur on the western slopes of the Andes and adjacent lowlands (E. heterolepis Bocourt 1874, E. oshaughnessyi Boulenger 1881, E. touzeti Torres-Carvajal et al 2008) and four occur on the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjacent lowlands (E. cofanorum Duellman 1973, E. laticeps Guichenot 1855, E. microlepis O'Shaughnessy 1881, E. praestabilis O'Shaughnessy 1881).…”

“…Of these, three species occur on the western slopes of the Andes and adjacent lowlands (E. heterolepis Bocourt 1874, E. oshaughnessyi Boulenger 1881, E. touzeti Torres-Carvajal et al 2008) and four occur on the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjacent lowlands (E. cofanorum Duellman 1973, E. laticeps Guichenot 1855, E. microlepis O'Shaughnessy 1881, E. praestabilis O'Shaughnessy 1881). Here we describe a new species of Enyalioides that was discovered in 2008 on a Smithsonian-funded expedition to the upper basin of Río Zamora on the eastern slopes of the Andes in southern Ecuador.…”