Medopheos, Harvey & Ugueto & Gutberlet, 2012

Harvey, Michael B., Ugueto, Gabriel N. & Gutberlet, Ronald L., 2012, 3459, Zootaxa 3459, pp. 1-156 : 129-131

Medopheos New Genus

Figure 73

Type Species.— Ameiva edracantha Bocourt by monotypy.

Diagnosis.— Medopheos differs from all other Teiidae in having a cluster of 5–6 preanal spurs on either side of the vent in males. Unlike mainland Ameiva (characters in parentheses), Medopheos has ventrals in 8 longitudinal rows at midbody (10), large triangular scales on the dorsal surface of the brachium (granular), and three relatively large subequal scales at the heel (scales at heel small and numerous). Unlike Holcosus , Medopheos also has five parietals (three, except in the H. septemlineatus Group where the parietals are heavily and irregularly fractured), a rostral groove (absent except in H. niceforoi ), homogeneous subdigital lamellae on the hands (subarticular lamellae swollen), and smooth distal lamellae of the fourth toe (sharply keeled). Medopheos lacks postanal plates and a dorsolateral row of serrated caudals (both present in Holcosus ).

Content.— Medopheos edracanthus (Bocourt) .

Definition.—Small lizards reaching 94 mm SVL; tail about 2.2X as long as body; posterior maxillary and dentary teeth longitudinally compressed, tricuspid; pupil reniform.

Prefrontal separated from nasal, in contact with first supraciliary; frontal entire, lacking longitudinal ridge, its posterior suture contacting second or third supraocular or suture between them; scales of frontoparietal region smooth, outwardly convex to flat; frontoparietals fused (70% n = 10) or paired (30%); parietals consisting of five regular scales; interparietal entire, smaller to larger than flanking parietals; medial pair of enlarged occipitals absent; occipitals 13–17, usually (90%, n = 10) larger than first row of dorsals; supratemporals slightly to moderately enlarged, in contact with or separated from parietals by one or more scales.

Rostral groove present; nostril oval and oriented anteroventrally, usually (70%, n = 10) mostly anterior to but in contact with nasal suture, less frequently centered in (20%) or somewhat posterior to suture (10%); loreal single; supraoculars 6 (60%, n = 10) or 8 (40%); first supraocular entire, larger than fourth supraocular, and broadly contacting second supraocular; circumorbital semicircles consisting of 2–7 small scales, extending anteriorly to position medial to third supraocular, usually slightly beyond suture between third and fourth supraoculars; supraciliaries 12–15, separated from supraoculars by single row of 19–32 granular scales; first and second supraciliaries small, third (infrequently fourth) elongate; angulate keel extending from first subocular to elongate subocular below eye; suboculars four (rarely 5); first subocular entire, usually (70%, n = 10) contacting first supraciliary, contacting supralabials (50%, n = 10) or separated from supralabials by anterior expansion of second subocular; patch of distinctly enlarged scales in front of auditory meatus; auricular flap and preauricular fold absent.

Supralabials 14; first supralabial smaller than second, its ventral margin curved; infralabials 12 (rarely 13); first pair of chinshields broadly contacting infralabials and forming medial suture greater than or equal to half their length; interangular sulcus absent; anterior gulars 13–21; gular patch absent; posterior gulars 10–12; intertympanic sulcus absent; larger anterior gulars undergoing sharp transition to smaller posterior gulars at intertympanic crease; mesoptychials moderately enlarged; gular fold lacking serrated edge.

Dorsals smooth; scales on flank subequal to middorsals, not projecting laterally, supported by small apical granules; scales on rump much smaller than proximal subcaudals; scales of chest large and flat; pectoral sulcus absent; ventrals smooth, in 27–31 transverse and eight longitudinal rows; lateral-most ventrals flanked by small scales (i.e., ventrals not gradually decreasing in size on flanks); preanals 3–5 (usually 4); preanal plate present, bordered by subtriangular scales; preanals one-half as large to larger than scale anterior to them; preanal spurs 5–6, each distinctly large at base and short, projecting away from body; three (rarely four) longitudinal rows of small scales separating spurs from preanal plate; postcloacal buttons and postanal plates absent; scales on dorsolateral edge of tail like those on top and sides, serrated edge and dorsolateral crests absent; caudal annuli complete; proximal subcaudals smooth.

Enlarged scales of brachium connected by continuous band of enlarged subtriangular plates on dorsal surface of arm; preaxial and postaxial brachial scales 1.5–2X as wide as long; preaxial scales extending to or beyond center of arm; postaxial scales extending to center of arm or restricted to patch at elbow; antebrachial scales enlarged and smooth, narrowly separated from or in continuous row with preaxial brachial scales; postaxial antebrachial scales slightly enlarged; subdigital lamellae of hand homogeneous in size, 14–17 under fourth finger.

Prefemorals 5–7; femoral and abdominal pores 24–26 in continuous row on each side (abdominal pores not separated from femoral pores by gap); each compound pore-bearing scale consisting of partially fused prefemoral or abdominal scale and 2–6 granular scales; 2–4 scales separating right and left pore rows; three relatively large, subequal scales at heel; tibiotarsal shields and spurs absent; lamellae under fourth toe 24–29; distal lamellae of fourth toe smooth; scales between subdigital and supradigital lamellae of toes small and mostly restricted to phalangeal articulations; noticeably enlarged postaxial scales between fourth and fifth toe absent; fifth toe welldeveloped, base of its claw extending beyond level of skin between third and fourth toes when adpressed.

β- keratin containing layers of dorsal scales folded into macrohoneycomb; dorsal and caudal scales with one subterminal lenticular scale organ; ventrals lacking scale organs; generation glands absent.

Snout same color as dorsal head scales. In juveniles, light vertebral stripe solid and straight; light paravertebral stripes broken into blotches (sometimes rather inconspicuous); dark dorsolateral field absent; dorsolateral light stripe solid and extending to tail; dark lateral field solid (adult males often with bright green spots within lateral field); upper and lower lateral light stripes broken and extending to groin, sometimes upper stripe mostly solid but always broken at some points along length; thigh lacking light spots. In adult males, flanks lacking light spots or ocelli; turquoise ventrolateral spots absent; venter immaculate, lacking melanic areas; juvenile dorsal color pattern present in adult males with only slight modification.

Hemipenis with pair of taβ- like and smooth apical awns; apical papillae and apical basin absent; asulcate expansion pleat well-developed, interrupting about 14 distal laminae; discontinuous distal laminae absent; about 2 laminae proximal to expansion pleat; basal papillae absent.

Etymology.— Medopheos is a masculine noun in the nominative singular derived from the Greek noun medea meaning genitalia and pheos, a term used to refer to certain spiny plants. The name alludes to the distinctive cluster of 5–6 preanal spurs on either side of the vent of males.

Distribution.— Medopheos edracanthus occurs west of the Andes in Ecuador and Peru.