Abstract
Two syntopic species of Cnemidophorus are described from the Caatingas of the Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões (PNSC), located in the Southwestern region of the state of Piauí in Brazil. Both species are assigned to the ocellifer group, differing from all other members of the group by their distinct color pattern and lepidosis. Besides these differences, both new species share a number of particular features with other members of the group. One of them, C. venetacaudus, shares with C. abaetensis and C. littoralis the presence of spurs in the heels of males, six supraciliar scales, a high number of femoral pores (from 21–45), a row of enlarged scales in the dorsal region of the arm, 8–10 rows of ventral scales, and a bright bluish-green tail, while the other species, C. confusionibus, shares with C. ocellifer, C. mumbuca, and C. jalapensis a low number of femoral pores, enlarged scales in the temporal region (posterior to third subocular), 5 supraciliar scales, and 6–8 rows of ventral scales. Based on these comparisons, we suggest that the ocellifer group is more complex than previously admitted, being composed by at least two morphologically recognizable species subgroups.References
Arias, F. & Lobo, F. (2005) Cnemidophorus serranus. Herpetological Review, 36, 467.
Avila-Pires, T.C.S. (1995) Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoologia Verh. Leiden, 299, 1–706.
Bound, R. & Zaher, H. (2005) A new species of Mesoclemmys, from the open formations of Northeastern Brazil (Chelonii, Chelidae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 45, 295–311.
Cabrera, M.R. & Carreira, S. (2009) A new, but probably extinct, specie of Cnemidophorus (Squamata, Teiidae) from Uruguay. Herpetological Journal, 19, 97–105.
Cabrera, M.R. (2004) A new species of Cnemidophorus (Squamata: Teiidae) from western Argentina. Amphibia– Reptilia, 25, 265–275.
Cei, J.M. & Martori, R.A. (1991) A new species of Cnemidophorus of the lacertoides species group from the eastern Sierras de Cordoba, Central Argentina (Lacertilia, Teiidae). Museo Regionale Di Scienze Naturali Bollettino, Torino, 9, 33–38.
Cei, J.M. (1993) Reptiles del Noroeste, Nordeste y Este de la Argentina. Herpetofauna de las Selvas Subtropicales, Puna y Pampas. Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino, Monografie XIV.
Cei, J.M. & Scrocchi, G. (1991) A poorly known and discussed species, Cnemidophorus leachei Peracca 1897, and general remarks on the genus Cnemidophorus in Argentina (Lacertilia, Teiidae). Bollettino del Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali Torino, 9, 233–244.
Cole, C.J. & Dessauer, H.C. (1993) Unisexual and bisexual whiptail lizards of the Cnemidophorus lemniscatus complex (Squamata: Teiidae) of the Guiana Region, South America, with descriptions of new species. American Museum Novitates, 3081, 1–30.
Colli, G.R., Costa, G.C., Garda, A.A., Kopp, K.A., Mesquita, D.O., Peres, A.K., Valdujo, P.H., Vieira, G.H.C. &Wiederhecker, H.C. (2003a) A critically endangered new species of Cnemidophorus (Squamata, Teiidae) from a Cerrado enclave in southwestern Amazonia, Brazil. Herpetologica, 59, 76–88.
Colli, G.R., Caldwell, J.P., Costa, G.C., Gainsbury, A.M., Garda, A.A., Mesquita, D.O., Filho, C.M.M.R., Soares, A.H.B., Silva, V.N., Valdujo, P.H., Vieira, G.H. C., Vitt, L.J., Werneck, F.P., Wiederhecker, H.C. & Zatz, M.G. (2003b) A new species of Cnemidophorus (Squamata, Teiidae) from the Cerrado biome in central Brazil. Occasional Papers Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 14, 1–14.
Colli, G.R., Giugliano, L.G., Mesquita, D.O. & Franca, F.G.R. (2009) A new species of Cnemidophorus from the Jalapao Region, in the central Brazilian Cerrado. Herpetologica, 65, 311–327.
Dias E, J.D., Rocha, C.F.D. & Vrcibradic, D. (2002) New Cnemidophorus (Squamata: Teiidae) from Bahia state, northeastern Brazil. Copeia, 2002, 1070–1077.
Feltrim, A.C. & Lema, T.de. (2000) Uma nova espécie de Cnemidophorus Wagler, 1830 do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil (Sauria, Teiidae). Biociências, 8, 103–114.
Giugliano, L.G., Contel, E.P.B. & Colli, G.R. (2006) Genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships of Cnemidophorus parecis (Squamata, Teiidae) from Cerrado isolates in southwestern Amazonia. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 34, 383– 391.
Nogueira, C. & Rodrigues M.T. (2006) The genus Stenocercus (Squamata: Tropiduridae) in extra amazonian Brazil, with the description of two new species. South American Journal of Herpetology, 1, 149–165.
Peters, J.A. & Donoso-Barros, R. (1970) Catalogue of the Neotropical Squamata. Part II. Lizards and Amphisbaenians. Bulletin of the United States National Museum, Washington, 297, 1–293.
Reeder, T.W., Cole, C.J. & Dessauer, H.C. (2002) Phylogenetic relationships of whiptail lizards of the genus Cnemidophorus (Squamata: Teiidae): a test of monophyly, reevaluation of karyotypic evolution, and review of hybrid origins. American Museum Novitates, 3365, 1–61.
Rocha, C.F.D., Bergallo, H.G. & Peccininiseale, D. (1997) Evidence of and unisexual population of the Brazilian whiptail lizard genus Cnemidophorus (Teiidae), with description of a new species. Herpetologica, 53, 374–382.
Rocha, C.F.D., Araujo, A.F.B., Vrcibradic, D. & Da Costa, E.M.M. (2000) New Cnemidophorus (Squamata; Teiidae) from coastal Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil. Copeia, 2000, 501–509.
Rodrigues, M.T. (1987) Sistemática, ecologia e zoogeografía dos Tropidurus do grupo torquatus ao sul do Rio Amazonas (Sauria, Iguanidae). Arquivos de Zoologia. São Paulo, 31, 205–230.
Rodrigues, M.T., Zaher, H. & Curcio, F. (2001) A new species of lizard, genus Calyptommatus, from the Caatingas of the state of Piauí, northeastern Brazil (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae). Papeís Avulsos de Zoologia. São Paulo, 41, 529–546.
Spix, J.B. (1825) Animalia nova sive Species novae lacertarum quas in itinere per Brasiliam annis 1818–1820 jusu et auspicius Maximilian; Josephi I. Bavariae Regis S. Hubschmanni, Munchen, Germany.
Vanzolini, P.E. (1974) Ecological and geographical distribution of lizards in Pernambuco, northeastern Brasil (Sauria). Papeís Avulsos de Zoologia. São Paulo, 28, 61–90.
Vanzolini, P.E. (1976) On the lizards of a Cerrado-Caatinga contact, evolutionary and zoogeographical implications (Sauria). Papeís Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo) 29, 111–119.
Vanzolini, P.E., Ramos, C. & Vitt, L.J. (1980) Répteis das Caatingas. Academia Brasileira de Ciências, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Vitt, L.J. (1991) An introduction to the ecology of Cerrado lizards. Journal of Herpetology, 25, 79–90.
Vitt, L.J. & Caldwell, J.P. (1993) Ecological observations on Cerrado lizards in Rondônia, Brazil. Journal of Herpetology, 27, 46–52.
Vitt, L.J., Colli, G.R., Caldwell, J.P., Mesquita, D.O., Garda, A.A. & Franca, F.G.R. (2007) Detecting variation in microhabitat use in low-diversity lizard assemblages across small-scale habitat gradients. Journal of Herpetology, 41, 653–662.
Uetz, P. (2009) The Reptile Database. Available at http://www.reptile-database.org. Accessed 19 August 2009.
Walker, J.M., Cordes, J.E. & Taylor, H.L. (1997) Parthenogenetic Cnemidophorus tesselatus complex (Sauria: Teiidae): a neotype for diploid C. tesselatus (Say, 1823), redescription of the taxon, and description of a new triploid species. Herpetologica, 53, 233–259.
Wright, J.W. (1993) Evolution of the lizards of the genus Cnemidophorus. Pp. 27–81. In J. W. Wright and L. J. Vitt (Eds.), Biology of Whiptail Lizards (Genus Cnemidophorus). The Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.A.
Yoke, M.M., Morando, M., Avila, L.J. & Sites, W.J. JR. (2006) Phylogeography and genetic structure in the Cnemidophorus longicauda complex (Squamata, Teiidae). Herpetologica, 62, 420–434.