Anolis charlesmyersi, Köhler, Gunther, 2010

Köhler, Gunther, 2010, A revision of the Central American species related to Anolis pentaprion with the resurrection of A. beckeri and the description of a new species (Squamata: Polychrotidae), Zootaxa 2354, pp. 1-18 : 6-9

Anolis charlesmyersi sp. nov.

Figs. 4 , 5 , and 6

Anolis pentaprion: Wettstein (1934) , Taylor (1956; in part), Williams and Smith (1968 “1966”), Myers (1971; in part), Anolis pentaprion pentaprion: Etheridge (1959; in part.),

Holotype. SMF 89688, adult male, from trail to Río Majagua, Los Algarrobos, 8.48927°N, 82.43333°W, ca. 130 m a.s.l., Province Chiriquí, Panama; collected by Sebastian Lotzkat and Andreas Hertz on 23 April 2009.

Paratypes. SMF 89508, 90053, adult males, from trail to Río Majagua, Los Algarrobos, 8.48456°N, 82.43417°W, ca. 110 m a.s.l., Province Chiriquí, Panama; collected by Sebastian Lotzkat and Andreas Hertz on 7 June 2008.

Diagnosis. A medium-sized species (SVL in largest specimen examined 78.0 mm in males, 76.7 mm in females) of the genus Anolis (sensu Poe, 2004) that differs from all Central American anoles except A. beckeri , A. cristifer , A. fungosus , A. pentaprion , A. salvini , A. utilensis by (1) having (1) extremely short hind legs (fourth toe of adpressed hindlimb usually reaching to level of tympanum; ratio shank length / head length 0.49–0.84); (2) smooth, juxtaposed ventral scales; (3) a relatively short tail (ratio tail length / SVL 1.0–1.5).

Anolis charlesmyersi differs from A. beckeri by having a pronounced serrated caudal crest (versus lacking a pronounced serrated caudal crest). Anolis charlesmyersi differs from A. cristifer by having a double row of slightly enlarged middorsal scales, not forming a serrated crest (versus a serrated middorsal crest, at least on posterior portion of dorsum, present in A. cristifer ). Anolis charlesmyersi differs from A. fungosus by lacking bony parietal protuberances (versus having a pair of small bony parietal protuberances posterior and lateral to interparietal plate). Anolis charlesmyersi differs from A. pentaprion by having a brick red (in life) dewlap with few large widely spaced gorgetal scales scattered across the dewlap or in loosely arranged rows with 4–9 widely spaced scales (versus a pink dewlap with purple pigment between rows of gorgetal scales and with regular rows of 17–25 small narrowly spaced gorgetal scales). Anolis charlesmyersi differs from A. salvini by having smooth, obliquely conical ventral scales (versus keeled), lacking a dark interorbital bar (versus present), and lacking enlarged postcloacal scales (versus males with a pair of greatly enlarged postcloacal scales). Anolis charlesmyersi differs from A. utilensis by having the proximal subdigital scales of toes differentiated as slightly broadened lamellae (versus those scales granular) and by having a pronounced serrated caudal crest (versus lacking a pronounced serrated caudal crest).

Description of holotype. Adult male as indicated by everted hemipenes; SVL 65.0 mm; tail length 93.0 mm, tail complete; tail length/SVL ratio 1.43; tail compressed in cross section, tail height 4.4 mm, tail width 3.1 mm; axilla to groin distance 24.9 mm; head length 17.5 mm, head length/SVL ratio 0.27; snout length 8.5 mm; head width 10.4 mm; longest toe of adpressed hind limb reaching to a point between shoulder and tympanum; shank length 13.6 mm, shank length/head length ratio 0.78; longest finger of extended forelimb reaching to a point between eye and nostril; longest finger of adpressed forelimb reaches to a point 2 mm anterior to insertion of hind limbs. Scales on snout tuberculate to weakly keeled; 10 postrostrals; 7 scales between nasals; scales in distinct prefrontal depression slightly wrinkled to tuberculate; supraorbital semicircles well developed, 2 (right)–3 (left) scales broadly in contact; supraorbital disc composed of 11–14 distinctly enlarged smooth scales; three short superciliaries, posterior one shortest; about 4 rows of small keeled scales extending between enlarged supraorbitals and superciliaries; interparietal scale well developed, 3.1 x 1.3 mm (length x width), surrounded by scales of moderate size; interparietal and supraorbital semicircles in broad contact; canthal ridge distinct, composed of three large and four small anterior canthal scales; 6 scales present between second canthals; 8 scales present between posterior canthals; 19 (right)–20 (left) loreal scales in a maximum of 3 (right)–4 (left) horizontal rows, with the scales of lower rows mostly smooth, and those of upper rows mostly weakly keeled; subocular scales smooth to wrinkled, five subocular scales broadly in contact with five supralabials; 8 supralabials to level below center of eye; ear opening 0.8 x 0.9 mm (length x height); mental 2.0 x 0.9 mm (width x length), almost completely divided medially, bordered posteriorly by 6 postmentals (outer pair largest); 8 infralabials to level below center of eye; sublabials undifferentiated; smooth granular scales present on chin and throat; dewlap extending well onto chest, from level below mideye to 3.5 mm beyond level of axilla; dorsum of body with smooth conical nonimbricate scales, 2 medial rows of slightly enlarged scales, largest dorsal scales about 0.35 x 0.29 mm (length x width); about 51 medial dorsal scales in one head length; about 75 medial dorsal scales between axilla and groin; lateral scales smooth, granular and homogeneous, average size 0.24 mm in diameter; ventrals at midbody smooth, bulging, nonimbricate, about 0.34 x 0.31 mm (length x width); about 52 ventral scales in one head length; about 77 ventral scales between axilla and groin; 154 scales around midbody; ventral caudal scales strongly keeled, forming longitudinal ridges; caudal middorsal scales enlarged, forming a serrated crest; lateral caudal scales mostly smooth, without whorls of enlarged scales, although an indistinct division in segments is discernible; precloacal scales pointed and granular; postcloacal scales not enlarged; no tube-like axillary pocket present; scales on dorsal surface of forelimb smooth, conical, subimbricate, about 0.25 x 0.24 mm (length x width); digital pads dilated, dilated pad about three times width of non-dilated scales on distal phalanx; distal phalanx narrower than and raised from dilated pad; 33 (right)–34 (left) lamellae under phalanges II–IV of fourth toe; seven scales under distal phalanx of fourth toe.

The completely everted left hemipenis is a large bilobate organ; sulcus spermaticus bordered by well developed sulcal lips and bifurcates at base of apex, branches continue to tip of lobes; a small asulcate processus present; apex covered with fine calyces, truncus with transverse folds.

The extended dewlap has four horizontal gorgetal-sternal rows with 8–10 large scales per row; about 75 scales in marginal series, modal number of anterior marginal pairs 4; about 35 apicogorgetals; gorgetals widely spaced, no scales between gorgetal rows; about 20 apicosternals.

In life, dorsal and lateral surfaces Dark Drab (119B), with diffuse spots and blotches of Vandyke Brown (221) and circular dirty white blotches with a suggestion of Pearl Gray (81); a dirty white middorsal stripe with a suggestion of Pearl Gray (81) interrupted by Sepia (119) blotches; a diffuse dirty white lateral stripe with a suggestion of Pearl Gray (81) extending from shoulder to groin; tail Beige (219D), except for its base, with broad Brussels Brown (121B) transverse bands and fine Sepia (119) mottling; a diffuse Vandyke Brown (221) pre- and postorbital stripe extending about 0.5 cm each anteriorly and posteriorly of orbit; ventral surfaces of body, limbs, and base of tail dirty white with a suggestion of Pearl Gray (81), with reticulate Dark Drab (119B) mottling; chin and gular region Flaxflower Blue (170C) with a suggestion of Light Sky Blue (168D), with reticulate Hair Brown (119A) mottling; iris Cinnamon (123A); throat Blackish Neutral Gray (82); tongue Cream Color (54); dewlap Poppy Red (108A) with circular Crimson (108) blotches between gorgetal rows; dewlap scales dirty white with a suggestion of Lavender Blue (170D). Color in preservative (70% ethanol) similar to color in life except for chin and gular region is dirty white.

Variation. The paratypes agree well with the holotype in general appearance, morphometrics, and scalation (see Table 1). The coloration in life of SMF 89508 was recorded as follows: Dorsal and lateral surfaces of body, limbs and anterior half of tail Smoke Gray (45) suffused with Cinnamon-Drab (219C), sparse Sepia (219) mottling and scattered flecks of dirty white with a suggestion of Pearl Gray (81); posterior half of tail Drab-Gray (119D) with broad Raw Sienna (136) transverse bands; ventral surfaces of body, limbs, and anterior half of tail dirty white with a suggestion of Opaline Green (162D); dorsal and lateral surfaces of head Drab-Gray (119D) with Sepia (219) mottling on supraorbital semicircles, snout, and parietal region; ventral surface of head Light Sky Blue (168D) with Hair Brown (119A) spots on anterior half; dewlap Spectrum Red (11) with Carmine (8) blotches and dirty white scales.

Natural history notes. In the area of Hacienda Barú (near Dominical, Costa Rica) Anolis charlesmyersi appears to be fairly common, especially along the beach and flat areas where there are many Terminalia catappa trees (Almendro de playa) (R. Mason pers. communication 23 January 2009). This statement is also supported by the relative large number of specimens collected from this site (see Appendix I). However, I failed to detect this species during a two days stay at Hacienda Barú during the dry season in March 2009. Whether my lack of spotting this species indicates some kind of seasonality remains to be investigated. Barbour (1934:145) stated that Anolis pentaprion was “not uncommon in the Canal Zone during the rainy season, excessively rare during the dry months.” At the type locality near Los Algarrobos, Chiriquí, Panama, a similar seasonality seems to occur with several observations during a single search in the rainy season and none but the holotype during numerous searches at the peak of the dry season (Lotzkat pers. comm. Oct. 2009). The holotype was collected at 22:40 hours sleeping on a vertical twig of a small tree, about 2.5 m above the ground in relatively open secondary vegetation.

Geographic distribution. As currently understood, Anolis charlesmyersi is distributed along the lowlands of the Pacific versant in Costa Rica and western Panama ( Fig. 3 ).

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym for my colleague Charles W. Myers in recognition of his important contributions to the herpetology of Lower Central America in general and to the understanding of the taxonomy and sytematics of the anoles of the pentaprion group in particular.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Map indicating collecting localities of Anolis pentaprion and related taxa in Mexico and Central America. Each symbol can represent one or more adjacent localities. Areas above sea level, 500 and 1000 m are shaded pale, medium dark, and dark gray, respectively. Red triangles: Anolis charlesmyersi; blue circles: A. beckeri; green circles: A. cristifer; black squares: A. pentaprion; red square: A. utilensis.

FIGURE 4. Holotype of Anolis charlesmyersi (SMF 89688) in life. SVL = 65.0 mm. Photo by S. Lotzkat.

FIGURE 5. Head of holotype of Anolis charlesmyersi (SMF 89688). Scale bars equal 1.0 mm.