Anolis peucephilus Köhler, Gómez Trejo Pérez, Petersen & Méndez de la Cruz 2014

Köhler, Gunther, Pérez, Raúl Gómez Trejo, Petersen, Claus Bo P., Méndez, Fausto R. & Cruz, De La, 2014, A revision of the Mexican Anolis (Reptilia, Squamata, Dactyloidae) from the Pacific versant west of the Isthmus de Tehuantepec in the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Puebla, with the description of six new species, Zootaxa 3862 (1), pp. 1-210 : 174-180

Anolis peucephilus Köhler, Gómez Trejo Pérez, Petersen & Méndez de la Cruz 2014

Figs. 143–148

Anolis peucephilus Köhler, Gómez Trejo Pérez, Petersen & Méndez de la Cruz 2014:456 ; type locality: “ca. 27 km on road N San Gabriel Mixtepec (16.19135°N, 97.09820°W, WGS84 ), 1325 m, Estado de Oaxaca, Mexico.” Holotype: SMF 96368.

Diagnosis. A small to moderate-sized species (SVL in largest male 46.0 mm, largest female 45.0 mm) of the genus Anolis (sensu Poe 2004) that differs from all other Mexican and Central American congeners except A. dunni , A. gadovii , A. liogaster , and A. omiltemanus by having (1) smooth ventral scales; (2) an oval patch of usually three greatly enlarged supraorbital scales; (3) a pair of greatly enlarged postcloacal scales in males. Anolis peucephilus differs from A. dunni and A. gadovii by having 10–15 rows of dorsal scales moderately enlarged (vs. the middorsal scales not or only 2-4 rows slightly enlarged in A. dunni and A. gadovii ). It further differs from A. dunni by having a uniform orange yellow male dewlap (vs. pinkish to orange red male dewlap with semicircular pale streaks and blotches in A. dunni ). It also differs from A. gadovii by the absence of a bold reticulated body pattern (vs. such a pattern present in A. gadovii ). Anolis peucephilus differs from A. liogaster by having shorter hind legs with the longest toe of adpressed hind leg reaching to a point between levels of axilla and ear opening, ratio shank length/ SVL 0.18–0.21 (vs. usually to a point between posterior and anterior margin of eye or occasionally to a point between ear opening and eye in A. liogaster ; ratio ShL/SVL 0.24–0.30), usually two pairs of greatly enlarged sublabial scales in contact with infralabial scales (vs. usually a single pair in A. liogaster ), and an orange yellow male dewlap (vs. pink to purple in A. liogaster ), as well as in the number of loreal scale rows (usually four, occasionally five, exceptionally three, in A. peucephilus vs. commonly four or five, occasionally six, in A. liogaster ) and in the number of scales between interparietal and supraorbital semicircles (usually one, commonly two, exceptionally zero, in A. peucephilus vs. usually two, commonly one, occasionally three, in A. liogaster ). In external morphology, A. peucephilus is most similar to A. omiltemanus from which it differs by having even shorter hind legs with the longest toe of adpressed hind leg reaching to a point between levels of axilla and ear opening (vs. usually to ear opening, occasionally to slightly beyond ear opening or to a point between shoulder and ear opening in A. omiltemanus ), a slightly larger dewlap in females, in largest female about 64 mm 2 (vs. to 41 mm 2 in A. omiltemanus ), the circumnasal usually in contact with the first supralabial (those scales separated by the presence of a subnasal in A. omiltemanus ), and 4–6 internasal scales (vs. 6–7 in A. omiltemanus ). Furthermore, A. peucephilus differs from A. omiltemanus in hemipenial morphology (no finger-like processus on asulcate side in A. peucephilus vs. such a processus present in A. omiltemanus ).

Description. Anolis peucephilus is a small anole (maximum recorded SVL 46.0 mm in males, 45.0 mm in females); dorsal head scales in internasal region smooth, rugose or keeled, other dorsal head scales smooth or rugose; moderately deep prefrontal depression present, shallow parietal depression; 4–5 postrostrals; anterior nasal usually single, commonly divided, the lower scale in contact with rostral and first supralabial or, occasionally, only with rostral scale; 4–6 internasals; canthal ridge sharply defined; scales comprising supraorbital semicircles well defined, smooth to rugose, largest scale in semicircles larger than largest supraocular scale; supraorbital semicircles broadly in contact; one scale separating supraorbital semicircles and interparietal at narrowest point; interparietal well defined, greatly enlarged relative to adjacent scales, surrounded by scales of moderate to large size, longer than wide, much larger than ear opening; usually 3–4 greatly enlarged supraoculars arranged in a single row; enlarged supraoculars usually separated from supraorbital semicircles by a complete row of small scales, occasionally these scales narrowly in contact; 2–3 rows of small smooth scales between enlarged supraoculars and superciliaries; 2–3 elongate superciliaries, anterior one longest, followed posteriorly by a series of 3–5 rounded or squarish scales of moderate size; 3–4 enlarged canthals; 5–6 scales between second canthals; 6–8 scales present between posterior canthals; loreal region slightly concave, 13–24 smooth, rugose or keeled loreal scales in a maximum of 3–5 (usually 4) horizontal rows; 5–7 supralabials to level below center of eye; suboculars keeled, in broad contact with supralabials (3–4 suboculars in contact with 4–5 supralabials); ear opening vertically oval, oriented slightly obliquely; scales anterior to ear opening granulars, twice as large as those posterior to ear opening; 5–8 infralabials to level below center of eye; 2 or 4 postmentals outer pair at least four times larger than adjacent median postmental scales; usually two, commonly three, enlarged sublabials in contact with infralabials on each side; smooth granular scales present on chin and throat; male dewlap moderate-sized (150 and 139 mm 2, respectively, in two adult males, SMF 96226, 96228) extending onto chest; 6–7 horizontal gorgetal-sternal rows with 8–16 scales per row; modal number of marginal pairs 2–4; female dewlap very small (28 and 41 mm 2, respectively, in two adult females, SMF 96227, 96229); a nuchal crest and a dorsal ridge present in males; scales on middorsum smooth to weakly keeled, subimbricate with rounded posterior margins; 14–18 middorsal scale rows slightly to moderately enlarged, with a gradual transition to lateral scales, usually a few smaller scales interspersed in enlarged dorsal rows; usually a few enlarged scales scattered among granular laterals; 59–61 dorsal scales along vertebral midline between levels of axilla and groin in males, 56–69 in females; 34 dorsal scales along vertebral midline contained in one head length in males, 28–30 in females; ventral scales on midsection larger than largest dorsal scales; scales on midventer smooth, subimbricate to imbricate with rounded posterior margins, usually somewhat heterogeneous in size; 44–54 ventral scales along midventral line between levels of axilla and groin in males, 46–53 in females; 24–38 ventral scales contained in one head length in males, 24–28 in females; 106–118 scales around midbody in males, 96–112 in females; tube-like axillary pocket absent; precloacal scales smooth or weakly keeled; males with two greatly enlarged postcloacal scales; tail moderately compressed in cross section, tail height/tail width 1.21–1.31 in males, 1.24–1.50 in females; basal subcaudal scales smooth; lateral caudal scales keeled, homogeneous, although an indistinct division in segments is discernible; dorsal medial caudal scale row slightly enlarged, keeled, not forming a crest; scales on anterodorsal surface of brachium and on dorsal surface of antebrachium subimbricate to imbricate rugose to weakly keeled, unicarinate; 22–26 subdigital lamellae on Phalanges II–IV of Toe IV of hind limbs; 5–6 subdigital lamellae on distal phalanx of Toe IV of hind limbs; digital pads dilated, about three times the width of distal phalanx; In all specimens examined, the longest toe of the adpressed hind leg reaches to level of ear opening or to a point between shoulder and ear opening. For variation in selected scalation and morphometric characters see Table 12 .

The coloration in life of an adult male (holotype, SMF 96368) was recorded as follows: Dorsal ground color Raw Umber (22) with a suffusion of Olive Brown (278) medially and with irregular Cream Color (12) stipples laterally on body; dorsal surface of head Drab (19) with a suggestion of Olive Horn Color (16); dorsal surface of forelimbs Drab (19) with indistinct Grayish Olive (274) bands; dorsal surface of hind limbs Olive Brown (278) with a suffusion of Light Chrome Orange (76) on upper thigh; ventral surfaces of head, body, limbs, and tail Light Buff (2); dewlap Medium Chrome Orange (75) with Light Chrome Orange (76) suffusions around Smoky White (261) gorgetals; iris Maroon (39).

Coloration in life of an adult male paratype (GK-4137, IBH) was recorded as follows: Dorsal ground color Raw Umber (22) with suffusions of Raw Umber (23); dorsal surface of limbs and tail Raw Umber (22) with Burnt Umber (48) bands; interorbital bar Dark Drab (45); ventral surfaces of head, body, limbs and tail Pale Buff (1) with suffusions of Drab (19); dewlap Medium Chrome Orange (75) with Chrome Orange (74) suffusions between rows of gorgetals; iris Burnt Sienna (38).

Coloration in life of an adult female paratype (SMF 96369) was recorded as follows: Dorsal ground color Drab (19) grading into Light Drab (269) laterally and with Chamois (84) lateral splotches; dorsal surface of forelimbs Drab (19) with Yellow Ocher (14) bands; dorsal surface of hind limbs Glaucous (289) with Salmon Color (83) bands; dorsal surface of tail Drab (19) with Tawny Olive (17) bands; ventral surfaces of head Pale Pinkish Buff (3) with a median Pale Buff (1) longitudinal line; ventral surfaces of body, limbs, and tail Pale Pinkish Buff (3) grading into Pale Buff (1) towards medial portion of body; dewlap Cream White (52) with Smoky White (261) gorgetals; iris Maroon (39).

The almost completely everted hemipenis of SMF 96370 ( Fig. 148 ) is a slightly bilobate organ; sulcus spermaticus bordered by well developed sulcal lips and opening at base of apex into a broad concave area; a broad but low asulcate ridge present; apex strongly calyculate, truncus and asulcate ridge with transverse folds.

Natural History Notes: All our specimens were collected at night while the lizards were sleeping in pine trees along the road, 2–10 m above the ground. Daytime searches on 15 March 2013 yielded no specimens of this species. The habitat in the vicinity of the type locality is pine-oak forest with patches of pure pine stands. Anolis peucephilus occurs syntopically with A. stevepoei . However, the latter species was found near the ground level sleeping on bushes and vines at night.

Geographic Distribution and Conservation. Anolis peucephilus is only known from the vicinity of the type locality in the southern Sierra Madre del Sur in southern Oaxaca at elevations between 1325 and 1924 masl ( Fig. 111 ). More field work is needed in order to obtain a better understanding of the population size and the actual geographic distribution of this species before the conservation status can be assessed.

Specimens examined ⎯ Mexico: Oaxaca: ca. 27 km on road N San Gabriel Mixtepec (16.19135°N, 97.09820°W, WGS84 ), 1325 m: SMF 96368–69 ; ca. 28 km on road N San Gabriel Mixtepec (16.19280°N, 97.10821°W), 1400 m: GK-4137–38 , 4467 ; ca. 27.5 km on road N San Gabriel Mixtepec (16.192160°N, 97.105160°W), 1380 m: SMF 96370 ; on road from San Gabriel Mixtepec to El Vidrio (16.218130°N, 97.147310°W), 1924 m: SMF 96725 .

Figures

FIGURE 111a. Map indicating collecting localities of species related to Anolis liogaster. Each symbol can represent one or more adjacent localities. Black circles: Anolis dunni; white circles: A. liogaster; black squares: A. taylori; white squares: A. gadovii.

FIGURE 143. Dewlaps of Anolis peucephilus in life. (a) SMF 96370; (b) SMF 96368; (c) SMF 96369; (d) GK-4467 (IBH uncatalogued). (a–b) are males, (c–d) are females.

FIGURE 144. Anolis peucephilus in life. (a) SMF 96368; (b) SMF 96368; (c) SMF 96370; (d) GK-4137 (IBH uncatalogued); (e) GK-4467 (IBH uncatalogued); (f) SMF 96369. (a–d) are males, (e–f) are females.

FIGURE 145. Anolis peucephilus: head scalation in (a,c,e) SMF 96370; (b,d,f) GK-4467 (IBH uncatalogued). Scale bars equal 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 146. Anolis peucephilus: nasal region in (a) SMF 96368; (b) GK-4467 (IBH uncatalogued); superciliary region in (c) GK-4467 (IBH uncatalogued); (d) SMF 96369; chin region in (e) SMF 96369; (f) GK-4467 (IBH uncatalogued); cloacal region in (g) SMF 96368; (h) SMF 96370. Scale bars equal 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 147. Anolis peucephilus: dorsal scales in (a) SMF 96369; (b) SMF 96370; flank scales in (c) SMF 96369; (d) SMF 96368; ventral scales in (e) SMF 96369; (f) SMF 96370. Scale bars equal 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 148. Hemipenis of Anolis peucephilus (SMF 96370): (left) sulcate view; (right) asulcate view. Scale bar equals 1.0 mm.