Maslin, T. Paul

Walker, J. Martin

J. Martin Walker

Red Mexicana de Repositorios Institucionales

Cnemidophorus alpinus: a new species of teiid lizard from Puebla, Mexico

CU Scholar Institutional Repository

U N I V E R S I T Y  OF C O L O R A D O  S T U D I E SS e r i e s  i n  B i o l o g y  No. 19U n i v e r s i t y  o f  C o l o r a d o  P r e s s  B o i j i .d e r , C o l o r a d o  A ugust, 1965CNEMIDOPHORUS ALPINUS: A NEW SPECIES OF TEIID  LIZARD FROM PUEBLA, MEXICOT. P a u l  M a s l i n  a n d  J. M a r t i n  W a l k e r *In  A ugust, 1964, the U niversity o f C olorado M useum  E xped ition  to M exico collected 15 specim ens of a m edium  sized w hiptailed  lizard  from  the southeastern edge of the M exican  P lateau  in Puebla, M exico. In  one charac­ter or another, this taxon  resem bles C nem idophorus scalaris, C. gu laris, and C. m cxicanus  bu t is equally  d istinct from  each of these. W e therefore rec­ognize this form  as a species an d  because of its h ab itat designate it as:One m i d op h or us a lp  in us sp. nov.(F igure 1)H o lo ly p c : U niversity  of C olorado M useum  27076. Secured at L ago  A lchichica (elevation ca. 8000 fe e t ) , 14 m iles northeast of Zacatepec, Puebla,•University of Colorado Museum. Boulder, and Department of Zoology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, respectively.1‘ i g u r e  1. (A) ventral view, (B) dorsal view, (C) postantebrachial scales, (D) head scutellation, and (E) mesoptychial scales of Cnemidophorus alpinus.( Inkm idopiioki:s a l i m ni:s 3M exico, by 1 '. P au l M aslin , G arry N . K n opf, and  C. J. M cCoy, Jr. on A ugust 27, 1964.T op op araty p cs: U C M  27074-27075, 27077-27088.D iagnostic characters: A species of the sexlineatus group  of the genus C ncm idophorus  d istinguished  from  other form s by a com bination of the follow ing characters: m edium  size (m axim um  snout to vent length ca. 90.0 m m .) , low num ber of gran ules aro u n d  m iclbody (79.1 ±  S. E. 1 .2 ), granules separatin g  the paravertebral stripes 12.8 ±  0.8; P V /G A B  ratio  x  10, 1.59 ±  0.08, low num ber of fem oral pores (32.7 ±  0 .5 ), su praorb ita l sem icircle series exten d in g  anteriorly  to the m iddle  o f the th ird  supraoculars, contact o f the preoculars with the su p ralab ials, slightly to m oderately enlarged post- an tebrach ials which are irregu larly  d isposed, ancl scales at the edge of the gu lar fold  (m esoptychials) ab ru ptly  differentiated  from  those o f the fold. T h e  dorsal grou n d  color of juveniles is b lack  with six  prim ary  stripes an d  a wide tan or brow n vertebral stripe. T h e  color pattern  of adu lts consists o f a b lack dorsum  w ith a wide brown or tan vertebral band which obscures all stripes on the nape and the paravertebrals posteriorly, suggestions of vertical gray or tan bars on the flanks, sm all gray a n d /o r  tan spots on the rum p, an unspotted  brow n tail, a pink chin with a ligh t b lu ish  suffusion, scales from  the gu lar fo ld  to the postaxillary  region with pink, chest scales poste­rior to the p ostax illary  region, an d  belly scales light purplish-blue edged with darker p igm ent in both  sexes, and  undersurfaces of the fore lim bs pink.D escription  of holotype: T h e  holotype of Cnem idophorns a lp in u s  is an ad u lt m ale with a com plete tail ancl a snout to vent length of 90.0 mm. D etails of scutellation  are: 77 gran ules aroun d  m idbody, 192 gran ules from  (lie in terparie tal scale to the base of the tail, 14 left an d  15 right fem oral pores, 30 left and  31 right subd ig ital lam ellae, preocular scales in contact with the su p ralab ials; su praorb ita l sem icircles extending anteriorly to the m iddle of the third  supraocu lars, abruptly  en larged  m esoptychial scales (F igure 1 E ) , and  m oderately  en larged  postan tebrach ial scales (Figure 1 C ) . T h e  head scutellation  of the type specim en is variab le  with the fron tal scale partia lly  fused with the left th ird  supraocu lar and  the right third supraocu lar is d iv ided  in to several sm all irregu lar scales (Figure 1 D ) .Aspects o f the color pattern  are: chin p ink  w ith a ligh t b lu ish  suffusion; scales o f chest (exclud ing a sm all p ink  area im m ediately posterior to the gu lar  fo ld ) , belly and  ven tral surfaces of the thighs m argined  with dark purplish-blue an d  suffused centrally with light purplish-blue; and  ventral surfaces of the fore lim bs p ink  w ith m inute purp lish  spots (F igure 1 A ) .D orsally, a p air  of tan dorsolateral stripes are visible from  the nape to m idbody where they becom e d isrupted  in to spots posteriorly, and  a p air  of gray laterals are visib le from  the tem poral region to the groin. A  wide tan vertebral ban d  p artia lly  obscures the stripes on the nape and the paraverte­brals posteriorly. T h ere  are sm all gray and tan spots on the rum p, in dica­tions of sm all gray and tan vertical bars alon g the flanks, an d  the tail is brow n above (Figure 1 B ) .V A R IA T IO NSize: T h e  type series of Cnernidophorus a lp in u s  com prises 7 m ales an d  8 fem ales. Sex was determ ined by an exam ination  of the gon ads an d  associated ducts, and  by the presence or absence of hem ipenes. M ales ran ge in snout to vent length  (SVL) from  70 m m. to 90 mm. with an average SV L  of 81.9 m m. Fem ales range in SV L  from  64 m m. to 82 m m . w ith an  average SV L  of 74.6 m m. T h e  four largest m ales have heavily p itted  an d  eroded  head  scales, hence we regard  these in dividuals as fu lly  m ature adults.Scutellation : Scutellation  d ata  for C nernidophorus a lp in u s  are: 72-87 (79.1 ±  1.2, N  =  15) gran ules aroun d  m idbody, 174-204 (190.4 ±  2.3, N  =  14) gran ules from  the in terparie tal scale to the base o f the tail, 29-35 (32.6 ±  0.5, N  =  15) com bined fem oral pores, 29-34 (31.6 ± 0 .4 ,  N  =  15) subd ig ital lam allae  on the longest toe of the left pes. In  14 o f 15 specim ens the p re­ocu lar scales contact the su p ralab ials, and  in 14 of 15 specim ens the su p ra­orb ita l sem icircles extend anteriorly  to the m iddle of the third  supraoculars. A sym m etrical variation s in head  scutellation  is a  characteristic of all except two specim ens of alp inus. Scales involved m ost often are the supraoculars, the parietals, and  the fron toparietals, a ll of which m ay be subdivided. An im portan t diagnostic character of alp in u s  is the size and  shape o f the post- an tebrach ial scales. T h e  postan tebraclrials of the holotype (Figures 1 C and 2 A) are the largest of the type series and  they still fa ll below the lower size lim its of such form s as C. scalaris  and  C. g a la r is  (F igure 2 IV) .C. alpinus and (B) postante- brachial scales of C. scalaris.C olor p a tte rn : M ales and  fem ales o f C ncm idophorus a lp in u s  follow  a sim ilar series o f ontogenetic pattern  changes. T h e  sm allest of our specim ens is a  fem ale w ith a SV L of 64 m m. O n the basis of the pattern  of this in ­d iv idu al we think it p robab le  that hatch lings w ould have a black groun d color w ith six  prim ary stripes and  a wide tan or brow n vertebral band. In ­d iv iduals of both  sexes w ith SV Ls of 64 m m. to 79 mm. conform  to the follow ing basic pattern . T h ere  is a p a ir  of cream  lateral stripes which orig inate under the eye and term inate on the anterior surface of the thighs, a p a ir  of tan dorsolaterals which originate on the superciliaries and  term inate on the basal third o f the tail, an d  a p a ir  o f tan paravertebrals which orig­inate posterior to the p arie ta l scales but are obscured from  m idbody posteri­orly by a wide tan or brow n vertebral band. In d iv iduals of this size class have also developed brow n, tan, or gray spots in the flank, dorsolateral, and paravertebra l fields, which seldom  touch the stripes. T h e  color of these fields are flank grayish anteriorly  and b lack posteriorly, dorsolateral black, and paravertebral black.In  larger m ales and fem ales (SV L from  80 m m. to 90 mm.) , all of the stripes have becom e obscured anteriorly  (although still discernable) by the tan or brow n color of the nape an d  the paravertebrals posteriorly by the vertebral band. T h e  laterals, dorsolaterals, an d  often the paravertebrals re­m ain  distinct on the an terior two-tliirds of the body, bu t the dorsolaterals and  paravertebrals are d isrup ted  in to sm all gray or tan spots posteriorly. T h e  flank and dorsolateral fields have vertical spots (bars) which m ay touch the ad jacen t stripes bu t do not traverse them. T h ese  spots differ slightly in color to that o f the stripes. T h e  rum p  is finely spotted with gray an d  tan pigm ents and  the h ind  lim bs are spotted  with gray. T h e  dorsal spotting of a lp h iu s  is never as conspicuous as that of scalaris scnlaris. T h e  tail of alp in u s  is never spotted  as in C. scalaris scalaris, being brown dorsally, striped  laterally, an d  white beneath.D iscernable on the venter of both  m ales and fem ales (excluding a fem ale with a SV L o f 64 m m.) are the follow ing color pigm ents: chin p ink  with a light b lu ish  suffusion, scales from  the gu lar fold  to the postax illary  region p in k  w ith little  blu ish , scales from  the postax illary  region to the apex  of the fem ora a light purplish-blue centrally with dark purple anterior and  lateral m argins, fore lim bs p in k  w ith m inute purp lish  punctations, and  thighs a light purplish-blue.In  sum m ary, m etam orphosis of color pattern  involves the follow ing basic changes: (1) the expan sion  of the vertebral band on the nape an d  down the m idline o f the dorsum , (2) the appearance of spots in the dark  fields, (3) d isrup tion  o f the paravertebrals and  dorsolaterals posteriorly in to sm all spots, (1) the appearan ce of sm all spots on the rum p, and  (5) the ap p ear­ance of bluish  p igm ents from  the postaxillary  region to the apex of the fem ora.C O M P A R ISO N SCnc.m idophorus alp im is  is m orphologically  sim ilar to gu laris, C. mcxi- cnmis, and  C. scalaris. T h e  m ost conspicuous differences betw een alp in us  and  these form s are in color pattern  and pattern  m etam orphosis. Juveniles of C. gu laris  u sually  have two vertebral stripes which are not wide and diffuse. A dults retain  seven or eight stripes, develop w hite spots and  some times short vertical bars in the dark  fields, develop  a dark  bluish-black suffusion from  the gu lar fo ld  to the apex  of the fem ora, an d  have a laterally  checkered belly produced  by altern atin g dark  an d  ligh t scales. Juveniles of C. m exicanus have a  dark  brown dorsum  with a clearly d iscernable vertebral stripe and m inute white or cream  spots in the dark  fields. A dults have an olive-brown dorsum  with very sm all light spots, dorsolateral an d  paraverte­bral stripes which persist only on the nape, and  a blackish  suffusion from  the gu lar fo ld  to the apex  of the fem ora. Juveniles o f C. scalaris scalaris  have a black dorsum  with six prim ary stripes and, som etim es, a narrow  vertebral of the sam e intensity of the other stripes. A dults u sually  lose a ll stripes, ex­cept occasionally the laterals; have large b lack  and gray bars alon g  the Hanks; large gray spots on the rum p  and m id-dorsal area; a  bo ld ly  spotted b lack tail p roxim ally ; and  a bluish-black suffusion from  the gu lar  fo ld  to the apex  of the fem ora. T h e  chin of C. scalaris scalaris never develops a faint b lu ish  suffusion. A n unnam ed form  of a scalaris-like  lizard  in San L u is  Potosi is d istinguished  by its dorsal pattern  of a bluish-black groun d  color with sm all spots an d  a solid  b lack venter from  the gu lar fo ld  to the ap ex  of the fem ora. Even m ore striking differences exist betw een alp im is  and  other form s of scalaris  (see D uellm an and Zweifel, 1962).Scutellation d ata  for C. a lp im is, C. gu laris, C. m exicanus, an d  C. scalaris are com pared on T a b le  1. D uellm an and Zweifel (1962) m ade no d istinction in the size of the postan tebracb ials of such form s as C. m exicanus and  C. scalaris. A ctually  m arked  differences exist, bu t they are difficult to describe.alp in u s  has slightly to m oderately en larged  postan tebrach ial scales as does C. m exicanus, whereas C. scalaris  and  C. gu laris  have large plate-like scales (Figure 1).E C O L O G IC A L  N O T E ST h e  type locality o f C nem idophorus a lp im is  is situated  alon g  Federal H ighw ay 140 which follow s a northeasterly course from  Zacatepec, Puebla, across a h igh arid  p la in  in terrupted  at in tervals by extinct volcanos. A t the eastern edge of the state of Puebla, 14 m iles northeast of Zacatepec, H ighw ay 140 passes through a broad  open crater. A t the bottom  of the crater is Lake A lchicliica. T h e  road  then courses around  the southeastern edge of this lake through a rocky im poverished area p lan ted  in agave. It is in this area thatT a b l e  1. C om parison an d  si/e an d  scu tella tion  da ta  for Cnemidophorus alpinus, C. scalaris, C. rnexicarms, an d  C. gularis. A bbreviations: MSVL =  m axim um  snout to ven t leng th ; GAB =  granu les a ro u n d  m idbody; F’P =  fem oral pores; PC) =  preoculars (in contact w ith  supralabials) ; PAB =  postan tebrachials.T a x o n GAB FP PO PAB MSVLalpinus 79.1 ±  1.2 32.6 ±  0.5 yes (11 of 15) T y pe  A 90.0 nmi.72-89 (15) 29-34 (15)s. scalaris'1 84.1 ±  0.6 33.2 ±  0.6 no (43 of 53) T ype B 107.0 mm.72-95 (52) 29-39 (52)s. pallidus- 85.0 ±  0.9 38.4 ±  0.5 no (19 of 20) T y pe  B 95.7 mm.77-91 (20) 36-43 (19)s. se.ptcm vittaluss 85.4 ± 1 .1 38.2 ±  0.5 no (29 of 29) Type B 94.0 mm.79-107 (29) 34-43 (29)gularis4 88.3 ±  1.7 35.0 ±  1.1 variable T yp e  B 97.0 mm."82-98 (10) 30-42 (11)mexicanus'’ 79.4 ±  1.0 33.2 ± 0 .9 variable T y p e  A 87.0 mm.74-86 (10) 30-39 (10)1Fivc m iles S D urango, D urango, M exico -C uatro  C ienegas B asin , C oahuila, M exico "B ig  B en d N ation al Park, T e x as 4San L u is l ’ otosi, M exico r,O axaca, M exico “D enton County, T e x asC nem idophorus a lp in u s  were collected as they foraged  in the debris that accum ulates close to the agaves, opuntia thickets, and  other low xerophylic plants. O ther lizards foun d  in this h ab itat include Sceloporus p ictus  on the agave leaves and Sccloporus spinosus spinosus in the agave and optinlia thickets.R E M A R K SC nem idophorus a lp in u s  is apparen tly  allopatric  to all other species of the sex lin eatus  group . T h e  nearest records given by D uellm an and Zweifel (1962) for sim ilar species are C. gu laris  central San T uis Potosi and  northern Veracruz, C. m exican us  central O axaca, and  C. scalaris  D istricto Federal and northw estern O axaca. In appearan ce and  scutellation, C. a lp in us  resem bles C. scalaris scalaris, b u t ran g in g  between a lp in us  and  this form  in San L u is Potosi an d  perh aps ad jacen t areas is a  large finely-spotted C nem idophorus (scalaris?) . O n the basis of w hat is now known of the d istribution  of C nem idophorus  in  southern-central M exico, we believe that it w ould be unw ise to assign C nem idoph orus a lp in us  as a subspecies of any currently recognized form .A C K N O W L E D G M E N T SInvestigations in M exico were financed by N atio n al Science Foun dation  G B  1813 to 1'. Paul M aslin. W e wish to thank Mr. Kent Pendleton for pre­paring Figure 1.L I T E R A T U R E  C IT E DD ukixm an , W. E., an d  R . G. Zwkivkx. 1963. A  synopsis of lizards of the sexlineatus group  (genus C nnn idophorus) . B u ll. Am. Mus. Nat. H ist. 123:155-210.

Cnemidophorus alpinus: A new species of teiid lizard from Puebla, Mexico

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