2 New Species of Woodlizards Discovered in Peruvian Rainforest

How remarkable is the fact that 2 new animals were discovered at the same time in the same area. There is always something new in South America right?

We report the discovery of two sympatric new species of Enyalioides from a montane rainforest of the Río Huallaga basin in northeastern Peru. Among other characters, the first new species is distinguishable from others Enyalioides by the combination of the following characters: strongly keeled ventral scales, more than 37 longitudinal rows of dorsals in a transverse line between the dorsolateral crests at midbody, low vertebral crest on the neck with vertebrals on neck similar in size to those between hind limbs, projecting scales on body or limbs absent, 96 mm maximum SVL in both sexes, and caudals increasing in size posteriorly within each autotomic segment. The second new species differs from other species of Enyalioides instrongly keeled ventral scales, scales posterior to the superciliaries forming a longitudinal row of strongly projecting scales across the lateral edge of the skull roof in adults of both sexes, 31 or fewer longitudinal rows of strongly keeled dorsals in a transverse line between the dorsolateral crests at midbody, vertebrals on neck more than five times the size of vertebrals between hind limbs in adult males, projecting scales on body or limbs absent, and caudals increasing in size posteriorly within each autotomic segment. We also present an updated molecular phylogenetic tree of hoplocercines including new samples of E. rudolfarndti, E. rubrigularis, both species described in this paper, as well as an updated identification key for species of Hoplocercinae.

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That green one is quite the beauty! I just love reptiles and it's always exciting when a new species is found!
Thanks for sharing this with us!

Beautiful - thank you for sharing - it's always good to hear Mother Nature still has a few surprises for us all.
I hope this one isn't the last!

peace