Researchers have discovered three new species of wood lizards of the genus Enyalioides in the tropical Andes Mountains of Ecuador and northern Peru. R
Researchers have discovered three new species of wood lizards of the genus Enyalioides in the tropical Andes Mountains of Ecuador and northern Peru. Researchers Omar Torres-Carvajal, Pablo J. Venegas, and Kevin de Queiroz describe their findings in the journal Zookeys. They say that 40 percent of the total number of species described in the last seven years come from Peru and Ecuador, with wood lizards representing the South American lizard group’s highest species discovery rate in the last 10 years. These three lizards are colorful and interesting specimens that are added to the list.
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Two Wood Lizard Species Discovered In Peru
Three Lizards Species Discovered in Peru
Enyalioides altotambo was discovered in northwestern Ecuador and sports dorsal scales that are smooth and uniform in size. It has a brown iris and sports a yellowish green chin. Its body and back are speckled green, and black and also features a ridged dorsum starting at the back of the neck down to the base of the tail. It has a interestingly chameleon-like mouth. Its iris is a dark black.
Enyalioides anisolepis was discovered on the Amazonian slopes of the Andes Mountains in southern Ecuador and northern Peru. It is different from other Enyalioides species in that it has scattered large scales projecting on the dorsum, flanks and hind limbs and a developed vertebral chest. The lizard is greenish brown with white spots on its skin.
Enyalioides sophiarothschildae hails from the Cordillera Central mountains in northeaster Peru and has caudal scales that are uniform in size on each caudal segment. Its chin and belly are white while its body is brown with light brown spots. Its dorsum is ridged starting behind the next down to its mid back.
The full paper on these lizards can be found on the Zookeys website.
John B. Virata keeps a western hognose snake, a ball python, two corn snakes, a king snake, and two leopard geckos. His first snake, a California kingsnake, was purchased at the Pet Place in Westminster, CA for $5. His first pet reptile was a green anole that arrived in a small box via mail order. Follow him on Twitter @johnvirata
