Stenocercus quinarius Nogueira and Rodrigues

Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2007, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF SOUTH AMERICAN STENOCERCUS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIA) LIZARDS, Herpetological Monographs 21 (1), pp. 76-178 : 149-150

Stenocercus quinarius Nogueira and Rodrigues

( Fig. 21 )

Stenocercus quinarius Nogueira and Rodrigues, 2006:152 . Holotype: MZUSP 94069 , a male from ‘‘ Parque Nacional Grande Sertão Veredas , 15 ° 15'13"S, 45 ° 53'20"W, municipality Formoso, Estado Minas Gerais, Brazil.̕̕

Diagnosis.—Among species of Stenocercus , S. dumerilii , S. quinarius , S. scapularis , S. sinesaccus , S. squarrosus , and S. tricristatus are unique in lacking caudal fracture planes. Of these species, only S. dumerilii , S. quinarius , S. squarrosus and S. tricristatus have a pyramidal head, as well as enlarged, dorsally-projected posterior supraciliaries. Among other differences, S. quinarius can be distinguished from S. dumerilii and S. tricristatus (character states in parentheses) by having a shorter—50–52% of total length— tail (53–58% and 68%, respectively) and more—47–56, X = 52—scales (41–50, X = 45.30, and 33, respectively) around midbody ( Nogueira and Rodrigues, 2006). It differs from S. squarrosus mainly in having a longer tail (50–52% and 44–47% of total length, respectively) and inconspicuous longitudinal crests (dorsal, dorsolateral, and lateral crests prominent in S. squarrosus ; Nogueira and Rodrigues, 2006).

Description.—(1) Maximum SVL in males 75 mm (n = 4); (2) maximum SVL in females 90 mm (n = 5); (3) vertebrals 24–30; (4) paravertebrals 36–46; (5) scales around midbody 47–56; (6) supraoculars in holotype four ( Fig. 3 in Nogueira and Rodrigues, 2006); (7) internasals 3–5; (11) subdigitals on Finger IV 14–16; (12) subdigitals on Toe IV 16–19; (13) posthumeral mite pocket absent; (14) postfemoral mite pocket absent; (15) parietal eye visible through interparietal cornea; (16) scales on occipitoparietal region large, keeled, juxtaposed; (18) row of enlarged supraoculars occupying most of supraocular region absent; (20) preauricular fringe present; (21) neck folds absent; (22) lateral and dorsal nuchals similar in size; (23) posterior gulars rhomboidal, projected posteriorly, strongly keeled and imbricate, not notched; (24) lateral and dorsal body scales similar in size; (25) vertebrals larger than adjacent paravertebrals; (26) dorsolateral crest present; (27) ventrals keeled, imbricate; (28) scales on posterior surfaces of thighs keeled, imbricate; (29) inguinal granular pocket absent; (30) inguinal groove absent; (32) tail not compressed laterally in adult males; (33) tail length 50– 52% of total length; (34) caudal autotomic segments absent; (35) caudals not spinose; (37) dark patch extensively covering gular region of females absent; (38) dark patch extensively covering gular region of adult males absent; (39) black patch on ventral surface of neck in adult males absent; (40) dark midventral longitudinal mark such as faint line, conspicuous stripe, or extensive patch in adult males absent; (41) dark patches on ventral surface of thighs in adult males absent.

Color in life.—Dorsum light brown; gular and ventral areas light cream; tail with dark flecks alternating with grey areas; black spot on shoulder ( Nogueira and Rodrigues, 2006).

Distribution.— Stenocercusquinarius isknown from Estados Bahia and Minas Gerais in Brazil at elevations between 800–1200 m ( Fig. 13 ). It occurs in the Cerrado biome and is not known to occur in sympatry with other species of Stenocercus ( Nogueira and Rodrigues, 2006) .

Figures

FIG. 21.—Eight species of Stenocercus. (A) S. ornatus (OTC); (B) S. percultus (MLU); (C) S. praeornatus (WED); (D) S. puŋango (LAC); (E) S. quinarius (CNO); (F) S. roseiƲentris (WED); (G) S. santander (MPR); (H) S. simonsii (WED).

FIG. 3.—Left postfemoral mite pocket of Stenocercus boettgeri (left) and S. Ʋariabilis (right) in lateral view. Numbers correspond to descriptions in text.

FIG. 13.—Distribution of seven species of Stenocercus in South America. Question mark indicates possible distribution of S. tricristatus.