Pholidobolus fascinatus, Parra & Nunes & Torres-Carvajal, 2020

Parra, Vanessa, Nunes, Pedro M. Sales & Torres-Carvajal, Omar, 2020, Systematics of Pholidobolus lizards (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae) from southern Ecuador, with descriptions of four new species, ZooKeys 954, pp. 109-156 : 109

Pholidobolus fascinatus sp. nov. Figures 15 , 16 , 17 Proposed standard English name: Haunted cuilanes Proposed standard Spanish name: Cuilanes encantados

Holotype.

QCAZ 15120 (Figs 15 , 16 ), adult male, Ecuador, Provincia El Oro, Lake Chillacocha, 3.4984S, 79.6188W, WGS84, 3382 m, 20 November 2016, collected by Diego Almeida, Darwin Núñez, Eloy Nusirquia, Santiago Guamán and Guadalupe Calle.

Paratypes (26).

Ecuador: Provincia El Oro: QCAZ 15122 (adult male), QCAZ 15121 (adult female), QCAZ 15169-73, 15177-78, 15180, 15193, 15221, 15243-44, 15396-15405 (juveniles), same data as holotype; QCAZ 15118 (adult female), Lake Chillacocha, 3.4986S, 79.6187W, WGS84, 3348 m, 17 November 2016, same collectors as holotype.

Diagnosis.

Pholidobolus fascinatus is unique among its congeners in lacking widened medial scales on collar (posterior row of gulars). In addition, P. fascinatus differs from P. affinis , P. prefrontalis , P. macbrydei , P. dolichoderes sp. nov., and P. montium in having a loreal scale frequently in contact with the supralabials (loreal scale, if present, not in contact with supralabials in the other species). Pholidobolus ulisesi , P. dicrus , P. hillisi , P. paramuno , and P. vertebralis differ from P. fascinatus in having a conspicuous light vertebral stripe. Pholidobolus samek sp. nov. and P. condor sp. nov. differ from P. fascinatus in having bright green dorsolateral stripes on the head. In addition, P. fascinatus has more dorsals (32-37) and ventrals (21-25) than P. samek sp. nov. (27-29 and 19-21, respectively) and P. condor sp. nov. (26-30 and 18-20); and it has fewer temporals (3-5) and gulars (14-17) than P. dolichoderes sp. nov. (7-9 and 22-23, respectively).

Characterization.

(1) Two (rarely three) supraoculars, anteriormost larger than posterior one; (2) prefrontals present or absent; (3) femoral pores absent in both sexes; (4) four to six opaque lower eyelid scales; (5) scales on dorsal surface of neck smooth, becoming striated from forelimbs to tail; (6) one row of lateral granules at midbody; (7) 32-37 dorsal scales between occipital and posterior margin of hindlimb; (8) lateral body fold present; (9) dorsum brown with a diffused chocolate brown middorsal stripe that fades away towards tail; (11) labial stripe white or cream; (12) flanks of body brown; (13) conical hemipenial body, with sulcus spermaticus originating between distinctly thick lips; (14) 22 flounces extending along hemipenial body.

Description of holotype.

Adult male (QCAZ 15120) (Figs 15 , 16 ); SVL 52.5 mm; TL 37.6 mm; dorsal and lateral head scales juxtaposed, finely wrinkled; rostral hexagonal, 2.27 times as wide as high; frontonasal hexagonal, wider than long, in contact with nasal laterally, slightly larger than frontal; prefrontal scales irregularly pentagonal; frontal heptagonal, longer than wide, slightly wider anteriorly, in contact with prefrontals and frontonasal anteriorly, two supraoculars laterally, and frontoparietals posteriorly; frontoparietals pentagonal, longer than wide, slightly wider posteriorly, each in contact laterally with supraocular II; interparietal heptagonal, lateral borders nearly parallel to each other; parietals hexagonal, each in contact laterally with supraocular II and dorsalmost postocular; postparietals four, with medial scales less than half the size of lateral ones; eight supralabials, fourth one the longest and below center of eye; eight infralabials, third and fourth one below center of eye; temporals enlarged, irregularly hexagonal, juxtaposed, smooth; two large, smooth supratemporal scales; nasal divided, irregularly pentagonal, longer than high, in contact with rostral anteriorly, first and second supralabials ventrally, frontonasal dorsally, loreal posterodorsally and frenocular posteroventrally; nostril in center of nasal, directed lateroposteriorly; loreal rectangular, wider ventrally; frenocular longer than high, higher anteriorly, in contact with nasal, separating loreal from supralabials; two supraoculars, homogeneous in size; four superciliaries, anteriormost enlarged and in contact with loreal; palpebral disc divided into five pigmented scales; suboculars elongated, four on right side and three on left side; two postoculars, dorsalmost wider than the other; ear opening vertically oval, without denticulate margins; tympanum recessed into a shallow auditory meatus; mental semicircular, longer than wide; postmental pentagonal, slightly longer than wide, followed posteriorly by three pairs of genials, the anterior two in contact medially and the posterior one separated by postgenials; all genials in contact with infralabials; gulars imbricate, smooth, widened in two longitudinal rows; posterior row of gulars (collar) with 11 scales that are similar in size.

Nuchal scales similar in size to dorsals, except for the anteriormost that are widened; scales on sides of neck small and slightly granular; dorsal scales hexagonal, elongate, imbricate, arranged in transverse rows; scales on dorsal surface of neck smooth, becoming progressively striated from forelimbs to tail; dorsal scales between occipital and posterior margin of hindlimbs 33; dorsal scale rows in a transverse line at midbody 25; dorsals separated from ventrals by one row of small scales at level of 13th row of ventrals; lateral body fold between fore and hindlimbs present; ventrals smooth, wider than long, arranged in 25 transverse rows between collar fold and preanals; six ventral scales in a transverse row at midbody; subcaudals smooth; axillary region with granular scales; scales on dorsal surface of forelimb striated, imbricate; scales on ventral surface of forelimb granular; two thick, smooth thenar scales; supradigitals (left/right) 3/3 on finger I, 7/6 on II, 8/8 on III, 10/10 on IV, 5/5 on V; supradigitals 3/3 on toe I, 6/6 on II, 8/9 on III, 11/11 on IV, 8/8 on V; subdigital lamellae of finger I single, on finger II all paired, except by the three distalmost, on finger III (proximal half) paired, on finger IV slightly paired at the middle, on finger V all single in right finger and three paired in left finger; subdigital lamellae 5/5 on finger I, 9/9 on II, 13/13 on III, 14/15 on IV, 9/9 on V; subdigital lamellae on toes I and II paired proximally and single distally, on toes III, IV and V paired, except for the three to five distalmost subdigitals; subdigital lamellae 5/5 on toe I, 10/10 on II, 14/13 on III, 18/18 on IV, 11/12 on V; groin region with small, imbricate scales; scales on dorsal surface of hindlimbs smooth and imbricate; scales on ventral surface of hindlimbs smooth; scales on posterior surface of hindlimbs granular; femoral pores absent; preanal pores absent; cloacal plate paired, bordered anteriorly by two enlarged scales.

Additional measurements (mm) and proportions of the holotype: HL 12.3; HW 9.2; ShL 6.7; AGD 26.5; TL/SVL 0.7; HL/SVL 0.2; HW/SVL 0.2; ShL/SVL 0.1; AGD/SVL 0.5.

Color in life of the holotype.

Dorsal background from head to base of tail brown, with a diffuse chocolate-brown middorsal stripe that fades away towards tail; light brown dorsolateral stripes on head extending posteriorly and fading away at midbody; white longitudinal stripe extending from third supralabial to shoulder; sides of neck, flanks, and limbs brown; reddish brown narrow stripe extending from tympanum to arm insertion; ventrolateral region of body grayish brown; throat and chest gray; belly background gray with conspicuous orange marks; tail orange anteriorly and laterally (Figs 15 , 17A ).

Color in preservative of the holotype.

Dorsal background uniformly brown with a cream brown vertebral stripe extending from head onto tail; vertebral stripe slender anteriorly, becoming slightly wider posteriorly; head light brown with black dots dorsally (rostral, frontonasal, frontal, frontoparietals and supraoculars) and brown laterally; cream longitudinal stripe extending from third supralabial to shoulder; ventrolateral aspect of neck brown; forelimbs with scattered black dots; flanks brown; tail brown dorsally; ventral surface of head light gray, chest and venter dark gray, ventral surface of tail slightly brown, with scattered dark brown marks.

Variations.

Measurements and scale counts of Pholidobolus fascinatus are presented in Table 6 . Supralabials 9/9 (left/right) in specimens QCAZ 15118 and 15122, and supraoculars 3/3 in QCAZ 15118; loreal scale absent in QCAZ 15118; prefrontals absent in QCAZ 15122 and 15173; little intrusive scales between postparietal and frontoparietals in QCAZ 15118, 15121 and 15122; frontonasal quadrangular in QCAZ 15122; frontal nonagonal and pentagonal in QCAZ 15118 and 15173, respectively; interparietal hexagonal in QCAZ 15122; parietal pentagonal in QCAZ 15170. Four posterior cloacal scales in QCAZ 15118. Males are slightly smaller (SVL 47.6 mm, N = 2) than female (maximum SVL 48.2 mm, N = 2). Adult male QCAZ 15122 differs from holotype in having sides of tail and chest dark brown without gray spots. Adult female QCAZ 15118 differs from holotype in having a light gray chest, a dark gray ventral surface of tail, dark brown sides of tail, and in lacking orange or red brown color on sides of neck (Fig. 17 ).

Distribution and natural history.

Pholidobolus fascinatus inhabits wet paramo in the western slopes of the Andes of southern Ecuador (Fig. 7 ). The new species is known only from El Oro province, at 3348-3382 m. All specimens were found active at 14h00-17h00 mostly under stones.

We found 41 eggs (17 as fragmented eggshells) in a communal nest next to male QCAZ 15120. We incubated the 24 unhatched eggs in soil and perlite in captivity. They were 11.9-13.2 mm long, 5.5-9.2 mm wide, and weighted 0.5 g on average. Hatchlings (N = 20) weighted 0.4 g and were 26.2 mm in SVL on average.

Conservation status.

Pholidobolus fascinatus is only known from localities around Lake Chillacocha. The population size for this species is unknown, but our sampling suggests average abundances. Because of the small known distribution and lack of additional data, we suggest assigning P. fascinatus to the Data Deficient category, according to IUCN (2012) guidelines.

Etymology.

The species epithet fascinatus is a Latin word meaning enchanted, in allusion to Lake Chillacocha, also known as the Enchanted Lake. According to local belief, this lake is enchanted and has healing powers.

Figures

Figure 7. Distribution of samples of the " Pholidobolus macbrydei " species complex included in phylogenetic analyses. Circles correspond to four new species described in this paper: P. samek sp. nov. (red), P. condor sp. nov. (blue), P. dolichoderes sp. nov. (brown), and P. fascinatus sp. nov. (green). Triangles are " Pholidobolus macbrydei " clades as illustrated in the phylogenetic tree (Fig. 1): A (green) B (white) C (red) D (blue) E (black) F (turquoise). Orange diamond corresponds to type locality of P. macbrydei. This map was created in QGIS v 3.10.

Figure 15. Holotype of Pholidobolus fascinatus sp. nov. (QCAZ 15120) in life in dorsal (A), ventral (B), and lateral (C) views. Male, SVL = 52.5 mm. Photographs by Diego Quirola.

Figure 16. Head of holotype of Pholidobolus fascinatus sp. nov. (QCAZ 15120) in lateral (A), dorsal (B), and ventral (C) views. Photographs by Valeria Chasiluisa. Scale bar: 5 mm.

Figure 17. Color variation in live specimens of Pholidobolus fascinatus sp. nov. A male holotype (QCAZ 15120, SVL = 52.5 mm) B male paratype (QCAZ 15122, SVL = 42.6 mm) C female paratype (QCAZ 15118, SVL = 46.7 mm).