Anolis savagei, Poe & Ryan, 2017

Poe, Steven & Ryan, Mason J., 2017, Description of two new species similar to Anolis insignis (Squamata: Iguanidae) and resurrection of Anolis (Diaphoranolis) brooksi, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 141) 11 (2), pp. 1-16 : 9-10

Anolis savagei , new species

( Figures 2 , 5 , 6 ) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1F0F7528-F3D6-43B3-993D-E7AEBCB5A39C

Holotype

MSB 96616 , adult male, collected at Las Cruces , Puntarenas, Costa Rica; 8.78242, -82.95886, 1,127 m; collected by Steven Poe, Eric Schaad, Ian Latella, and Mason Ryan on 20‒23 March 2009.

Paratypes

UCR 20635 (not scored; POE 2671 ); LACM 149499 collected by R. W. McDiarmid on 21 Aug 1971 from Costa Rica, Puntarenas, San Vito de Java, OTS Las Cruces Biological Station (8.816667; -82.966667; 1,100 m) .

Diagnosis

Anolis insignis , A. brooksi , A. savagei , and the species described below are the only Central American Anolis to combine large size (> 120.0 mm SVL), smooth scales on the upper thigh, and short limbs ( Savage and Talbot 1978). Anolis savagei is distinguished from A. insignis , A. brooksi , and the form described below by its male dewlap color pattern of pale pink with dark streaks (orange-red in A. insignis ; peach-tan in A. brooksi ; white in the form described below; Figs. 1 , 2 ) and presence of a prominent postorbital blotch (absent in A. insignis , A. brooksi , and the form described below).

Etymology

This name is a patronym to honor Dr. Jay M. Savage for his contributions to Neotropical herpetology, especially his seminal works, mentorship, and leadership in tropical biology and conservation in Costa Rica. Dr. Savage helped found the Organization of Tropical Studies ( OTS) and the type locality of this species is the Las Cruces OTS field station .

Description of holotype

Snout-vent length 141.0 mm; head length-SVL ratio 0.23, head width-SVL ratio 0.15; ear height-SVL ratio 0.021; femoral length-SVL ratio 0.22; tail length-SVL ratio 1.74. Dorsal head scales smooth, some rugose; frontal depression present, dorsum with weak parallel rows evident anteriorly; rostral overlaps mental anteriorly; eight scales across snout between second canthals; two scales between supraorbital semicircles; one scale separating interparietal and supraorbital semicircles; suboculars in contact with supralabials; five loreal rows; zero elongate superciliaries, first large scale posterior to canthals is slightly smaller than first canthal; row of slightly enlarged scales along anterior aspect of dorsolateral edge of orbit; circumnasal scale separated from rostral by one scale; interparietal length-SVL ratio 0.021; seven supralabials to center of eye; seven postmentals; six postrostrals; some enlarged scales present in supraocular disc, decreasing gradually in size; mental partially divided posteriorly, with posterior border in concave arc; lateral edges of rostral extend farther posteriorly than mental; two enlarged smooth sublabials; more posterior lateral throat scales are keeled.

Dewlap reaches well posterior to axillae in males and females; dewlap scales in rows of multiple scales in both sexes; pair of distinct, abruptly enlarged postcloacal scales present; dorsal scales smooth, with no enlarged middorsal rows, 12 longitudinal rows in 5% of SVL; nuchal crest present with slightly enlarged middorsal scales; ventral scales in transverse rows, smooth, 11 scales in 5% of SVL; supradigitals multicarinate; toepads expanded; 28–29 lamellae under third and fourth phalanges of fourth toe; tail with a double row of middorsal scales; thigh scales smooth dorsally and ventrally, mostly smooth anteriorly with a few weakly unicarinate scales.

Color pattern in life

Color patterns of a male (MSB 96616) and female (UCR 20635) specimen were very similar. Dorsal color was generally brown, with alternating tan and dark brown irregular bands, the dark bands with some lighter blotch- ing within them. Photographic evidence (R. Stanley, I. Latella; pers. comms.) indicates some individuals possess green and pale peach-orange dorsally in addition to brown. The dewlap in both sexes was pale pink with black horizontal streaks. No shoulder blotch was observed, but a prominent postorbital blotch was present in all adult specimens examined (n = 5).

Distribution and habitat

We found Anolis savagei at night sleeping 5–6 m up on narrow tree branches along trails in the closed canopy secondary forest of Las Cruces Biological Station. More work is needed on the ecology of this species. Specimens examined for this paper are from the Cordillera de Talamanca in southwestern Costa Rica at 1,127 m. Two individuals photographed from the western edge of Chirripó National Park at 1,590 m (R. Stanley, pers. comm.) apparently are A. savagei based on the presence of a prominent postorbital blotch in each, and the darkly streaked dewlap of the individual for which the dewlap is partially visible. We have not examined the A. insignis -like specimens reported from near sea-level by Savage and Talbot (1978; Ballena, BM 1909.7.10.20; Rincón de Osa, UCR 4387), but these are likely to be A. savagei based on those authors’ emphasis of a postorbital blotch in these specimens. Given these localities, A. savagei occurs on the Pacific slope of the Cordillera de Talamanca from sea level to at least 1,590 m, from Chirripó National Park south to Las Cruces ( Fig. 8 ).

Figures

Fig. 2. Dewlaps of A) Anolis brooksi, male, El Copé, Panama; B) A. brooksi, female, El Copé, Panama; C) A. savagei, male, Las Cruces, Costa Rica; D) A. savagei, female, Las Cruces, Costa Rica; E) A. kathydayae, male, Fortuna, Panama; F) A. kathydayae, female, Fortuna, Panama.

Fig. 5. Dorsal headscales of A) Anolis kathydayae, MSB 96613; B) A. brooksi, MSB 75647 C) A. savagei, MSB 96616; D) A. insignis LACM 149500.

Fig. 6. Adult male individuals of A) Anolis brooksi, El Copé, Panama; B) A. savagei, Las Cruces, Costa Rica; C) A. kathydayae, Fortuna, Panama.

Fig. 1. Anolis insignis, male, Pocosol, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

Fig. 8. Map of Panama and Costa Rica, showing localities for specimens referenced in text. Type localities are in red. Black symbols are specimens examined (type locality specimens also were examined for all species). Gray symbols represent unexamined specimens or photographic evidence discussed in text. Each point may represent multiple individuals (see text).