Liolaemus confusus, a new species of lizard for the Coastal range of central Chile (Sauria, Liolaeminae): phenotypic and cytogenetic evidence

Abstract

The evolutionary radiation of Liolaemus lizards has led to the occurrence of active speciation events in mountain ecosystems. Differential selective pressures in habitat isolated by lower-elevation valleys seem to provide a preliminary model to explain such a situation. Several studies have concluded that the diversity of Liolaeminae lizards appears to be underestimated in those areas. Indeed, the accumulation of convincing evidence in favour of a number of new taxa discovered during the last two decades, and previously recognized under other species, would support this idea. Field work recently conducted in the Coastal Range of central Chile (Sixth Region) showed the presence of an additional controversial Liolaemus population initially identified as Liolaemus monticola. Nonetheless, detailed analyses performed on different phenotypic and chromosomal traits suggested that it represents an unknown taxon. In the present study we describe this lineage as Liolaemus confusus sp. nov. This new species can be distinguished from L. monticola by differences in the colour pattern structure, in the architecture of the lamellae, and by a different diploid number of chromosomes.