Herpetology Notes, volume 8: 625-628 (2015) (published online on 20 December 2015) Reptilia, Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae, Potamites erythrocularis Chávez & Catenazzi, 2014: Distribution extension Juan C. Chávez-Arribasplata1,*, Vilma Duran2, and Germán Chávez3 The neotropical family Gymnophthalmidae Merrem, individuals of Potamites erythrocularis were recorded, 1820 comprises 36 genera that occur from Mexico representing the first record outside of the localities to Argentina (Goicoechea et al., 2012). This highly where the type series was collected. diversified family includes the semi-aquatic lizard A young female of Potamites erythrocularis (CORBIDI genus Potamites Doan & Castoe, 2005, which currently 13548) was found at El Parador, Inambari, 8.64 Km SE comprises eight species distributed from western Costa of Puerto Carlos (S 12.9699, W 70.2323; 266m) at 21:30 Rica and Panama to the Amazonian forests of Bolivia on 30 September 2013 by José Malqui and Germán (Chávez and Catenazzi, 2014). Likewise, with five Chávez. It was catched in the leaf-litter alongside a slow species Peru is the country with the highest diversity flowing stream 2-2.5 m in width. The stream drained a within this genus: P. flavogularis Altamirano-Benavides, closed canopy primary forest with riparian vegetation Zaher, Lobo, Grazziotin, Sales Nunes and Rodrigues, of ferns, lichens, plants of the family Heliconaceae and 2013; P. ecpleopus Cope 1876, P. montanicola Chavez Asteraceae and trees of the family Fabaceae. An adult y Vasquez, 2012; P. strangulatus Cope, 1868; and P. male (CORBIDI 15152) was also found at the locality erythrocularis Chavez and Catenazzi, 2014. Most of of El Parador (S 12.9804, W 70.2362; 253m) at 00:32 them are distributed in the Amazonian lowlands (Doan on 5 November 2014 by Juan C. Chávez-Arribasplata and Castoe, 2005; Chávez and Catenazzi, 2014; Chávez and Vilma Duran. It was detected under a piece of dry and Vásquez, 2012; Uzell, 1996). Only two species: P. montanicola and P. erythrocularis have been recorded in montane streams above 2000 meters of elevation, being this, an extreme environment condition for lizards due to the relatively low temperatures of the water bodies (Chávez and Catenazzi, 2014; Chávez and Vásquez, 2012) inhabited by both species. Rapid surveys carried out during 2013-2014 at the foothills of the Inambari river drainage (tributary of Madre de Dios river) three 1 Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (CORBIDI). Av. Santa Rita 105, Urb. Los Huertos de San Antonio, Surco, Lima 33, Peru. 2 Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (CORBIDI). Av. Santa Rita 105, Urb. Los Huertos de San Antonio, Surco, Lima 33, Peru. 3 Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (CORBIDI). Figure 1. Map of south-eastern Peru showing the new Av. Santa Rita 105, Urb. Los Huertos de San Antonio, Surco, distribution records (red dot) compared with the type locality Lima 33, Peru. 7 of Potamites erythrocularis (green dots) reported by Chávez * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] and Catenazzi (2014). 626 Juan C. Chávez-Arribasplata et al. Table 1. Morphometric and pholidosis data of the P. erythrocularis specimens examined by Chávez & Catenazzi, 2014 in comparison to the newly found specimens. Type series CORBIDI 13548 CORBIDI 15152 CORBIDI 15153 Character (Chavez & Catenazzi, 2014) n=15 (female) (male) (juvenile) male 84.3–83.6 (74.7 ± 8.0) SVL (mm) 42.9 81.2 35.0 females 61.1–70.9 (66.8 ± 3.2) males 1.5–1.8 (1.5 ± 0.1) Head length / Head width 1.7 1.5 1.66 females 1.6–1.8 (1.7 ± 0.1) males 20–21 (20.33 ± 0.51) Number of femoral pores 0 20 0 females 0 (0.00 ± 0.00) Scales between tympanum 24–29 (25.7 ± 1.3) 24 23 23 Number of supralabials 5–6 (5.1 ± 0.2) 6 6 6 Number of infralabials 4–5 (4.1 ± 0.2) 5 5 5 Number of supraoculars 4 (4.00 ± 0.00) 4 4 4 Number of superciliars 4–5 (4.2 ± 0.4) 4 4 5 Number of scales around 42–45 (43.3 ± 1.2) 46 45 46 midbody Longitudinal dorsal count 30–33 (31.7 ± 0.9) 30 29 35 Number of longitudinal 22–24 (23.4 ± 0.6) 24 23 24 ventral scales rows Lamellae under fourth toe 20–24 (21.8 ± 1.2) 23 24 24 wood on the beach of a low flowing stream with clear Vilma Duran. The lizard was hiding under a rock at the water and a sandy riverbed with some big rocks covered bottom of the stream. At this spot, the stream follows a with moss. The stream was surrounded by secondary small curve surrounded by a rock and mud wall of about forest, with well developed shrubs, ferns and shaded by 3 meters height covered in mud, ferns, lichen, moss, a dense forest canopy. At a nearby spot (240 m distance), with abundant leaf litter on each side of the stream, and a juvenile was detected (CORBIDI 15153) at 10:28 on 80% canopy cover. All specimens were collected on 7 November 2014 by Juan C. Chávez-Arribasplata and rainless days, however, heavy rains fell for at least 4 hours the days preceding our observations. Specimens have been deposited in the herpetological collection of the Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (CORBIDI), in Lima, Peru. All specimens collected during our surveys agree with the description of Potamites erythrocularis presented by Chávez & Catenazzi (2014) showing the following typical characters: male having 20 femoral pores, scattered keeled scales, frontonasal undivided, female is lacking femoral pores. Furthermore, male (CORBIDI 15152) is bearing a red ring around the eye like the holotype (MUSM 28057) and shows a similar body length (SVL in male CORBIDI 15152=81.22 mm) as the specimen of the type series. Details of specimens’ measurements and squamation are presented in Table 1. Our new records extend the distribution range of Figure 2. Habitat where the third juvenile specimen Potamites erythrocularis by approximately 145 km (CORBIDI 15153) was found. southeast of the type locality in the Kosñipata valley Potamites erythrocularis: Distribution extension 627 Figure 3. Individuals of Potamites erythrocularis collected during the surveys: dorsal and ventral view of the adult male specimen CORBIDI 15152 (A, B), dorsal and ventral view of the young female specimen CORBIDI 13548 (B, C), and dorsal and ventral view of the third specimen CORBIDI 15153 female (E, F). near Manu National Park, Cusco Region, and confirm also occurs in Bahuaja Sonene National Park, which is the occurrence of this semi aquatic lizard in the Inambari only about 16 Km far from the new localities, presented river drainage, Tambopata, Madre de Dios Region, Peru. herein. Furthermore, it provides a new altitude record for the species, 750 m below the minimum altitude reported by Acknowledgments. We thank to Asociacion para la Conservacion Chávez and Catenazzi, 2014 (1000m). Further studies de la Cuenca Amazonica (ACCA) and Asociacion para la should be undertaken to determine whether the species Resiliencia del Bosque frente a la Interoceanica (ARBIO) by all 628 Juan C. Chávez-Arribasplata et al. logistic support for the fieldworks. GC is indebted to Tatiana Espinosa (ARBIO´s staff) by her trust for the fieldworks. As well, we thank to Caterina H. Cosmópolis for her value help with geographical data and designing the map. This project was funded by Gordon and Betty Moore fund and USAID. References Chávez, G. and A. Catenazzi. (2014): A new Andean lizard of the genus Potamites (Sauria, Gymophthalmidae) from Manu National Park, southeastern Peru. Zootaxa 3774 (1): 045-056. Chávez, G. and D. Vasquez. (2012): A new species of Andean semiaquatic lizard of the genus Potamites (Sauria, Gymnophthalmidae) from southern Peru. Zookeys 168: 31–43. Goicoechea, N., J. Padial, J. Chaparro, S. Castroviejo-Fisher and I. De la Riva. (2012): Molecular phylogenetics, species diversity, and biogeography of the Andean lizards of the genus Proctoporus (Squamata, Gymophthalmidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65: 953 – 964. Doan, T. and T. Castoe. (2005): Phylogenetic taxonomy of the Cercosaurini (Squamata, Gymophthalmidae), with a new genera for species of Neusticurus and Proctoporus. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 143: 405-416. Uzell, T. (1996): Teiid lizards of the genus Neusticurus (Reptilia: Sauria). Bulletin of the American Museum of the Natural History 132: 227–377. Accepted by Mirco Solé.