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A New Species of Xantusia (Squamata: Xantusiidae) from Zacatecas, Mexico

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A New Species of Xantusia (Squamata: Xantusiidae) from Zacatecas, Mexico 174 HERPETOLOGICA [Vol. 55, No. 2 HARTWEG, N., AND J. A. TIHEN. 1946. Lizardsof the mala. Proceedings of the Biological Society of genus Gerrhonotus from Chiapas, Mexico. Occa- Washington 65:1-12. sional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University . 1954a. Descriptions of some new amphibians of Michigan 497:1-16. and reptiles from Guatemala. Proceedings of the HOLDRIDGE, L. R. 1959. Mapa ecol6gico de Guate- Biological Society of Washington 67:159-178. mala, C. A. Instituto Interamericano de Ciencias . 1954b. Herpetofauna of the southeastern Agricolas de la Organizaci6n de Estados America- highlands of Guatemala. Contributions from the nos, Proyecto 39, Programa de Cooperaci6n T6c- Laboratory of Vertebrate Biology, University of Michigan 68:1-65. nica, San Jos6, Costa Rica, in two sheets. 1963. A checklist of the herpetofauna of KOFRON, C. P. 1985. Review of the Central American Guatemala. Miscellaneous Publications, Museum and S. colubrid snakes, Sibonfischeri carri. Copeia of Zoology, University of Michigan 122:1-150. 1985:164-174. WILLIAMS, H. 1960. Volcanic history of the Guate- STUART, L. C. 1942. Comments on several species of malan highlands. University of California Publica- Anolis from Guatemala, with descriptions of three tions in Geological Sciences 38:1-86. new forms. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 464:1-10. Accepted: 9 April 1998 . 1952. Some new amphibians from Guate- Associate Editor: John Wiens Herpetologica, 55(2), 1999, 174-184 ? 1999 by The Herpetologists' League, Inc. A NEW SPECIES OF XANTUSIA (SQUAMATA: XANTUSIIDAE) FROM ZACATECAS, MEXICO ROBERT L. BEZY' AND OSCAR FLORES VILLELA2 'Herpetology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA 2Museo de Zoologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Aut6noma de Mexico, Mexico, D. F, Mexico ABSTRACT: We describe a new species of Xantusia from near the Rfo Juchipila in southwestern Zacatecas, Mexico. This southernmost known member of the genus is found in a semitropical habitat on the Pacific versant and lives under exfoliating bark of live mesquites, Prosopis. It is most similar in morphology to X. vigilis but differs in numbers of undivided fourth toe lamellae and scales composing the caudal annulus. Key words: Squamata; Xantusiidae; Xantusia sanchezi new species; Night lizards; Mexico; Za- catecas; Biogeography LIZARDS of the genus Xantusia are In 1982, while cutting poles for netting found in the arid and semi-arid regions of bats along the Rio Juchipila in southwest- North America from the Great Basin in ern Zacatecas, Oscar Sainchez Herrera (In- Utah to the southern Chihuahuan Desert stituto de Biolog a, UNAM) discovered a in Durango and Zacatecas (Fig. 1). Three strange individual of Xantusia under the species previously were known from Mex- bark of a live mesquite. This is an unusual ico, X. henshawi, X. vigilis, and X. bolson- microhabitat for Xantusia, 450 km south of ae, the last representing a national endem- the nearest previously known occurrence of ic found only in the Bolson de Mapimi of the genus, and our examination of the spec- Durango (Flores Villela, 1993a). The spe- imen revealed the presence of unique mor- cies of Xantusia are notable for their re- phological features. Subsequent field work striction to specific microhabitats, partic- by the authors resulted in additional ma- ularly rock crevices and decaying yuccas terial from the locality, and comparisons and agaves. Within the Xantusiidae, mem- with all other members of the genus con- bers of the genus Xantusia are morpholog- firm that the specimens represent a previ- ically unique in having elliptical pupils. ously undescribed species. June 1999] HERPETOLOGICA 175 -- - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - - - -- -- 320 r-- - - - KILOMETERS A Soo O 100 bW +A s>,__ O 100 300\ J STATUTE MILES 0 1080 FIG. 1.-Geographical distribution of the five living species of the genus Xantusia. Open boxes = X. riversiana; diagonal lines = X. henshawi; stippled pattern and solid dots = X. vigilis; solid triangle X. bolsonae; solid star = X. sanchezi; solid box = unassigned specimen (see text). MATERIALS AND METHODS (one leg; FP); lamellae under the fourth Comparative data were taken from a to- toe (FTL); undivided lamellae under tal of 160 specimens representing all nom- fourth toe (i.e., lacking a mid-ventral su- inal species of Xantusia and all nominal ture; FTLU); scales in second caudal an- subspecies of X. vigilis (Appendix I). We nulus (CAW); gulars (along mid-ventral used BMDP statistical software (Dixon, line) between fold and first labial suture 1990) for data analysis. The karyotype (GUL); supralabials from anterior-most preparation and terminology follow Bezy (contacting rostral) to last supralabial con- (1972). tacting the orbit (SLO); supralabials (an- We recorded data for a total of 17 char- terior-most to above rictum; SL); enlarged acters of scalation (scale terminology gen- infralabials bordering labium (excluding erally follows Savage, 1963): femoral pores small scales at the posterior end of the 176 HERPETOLOGICA [Vol. 55, No. 2 - r FIG. 2.-The holotype (MZFC 4756; snout-vent length 43 mm) of Xantusia sanchezi in life. row; ILE); total enlarged infralabials (in- Xantusia sanchezi sp. nov. cluding large scales separated from labium Sanchez's Night Lizard by small anomalous scales along the pos- Holotype.-MZFC 4756 (field no. OFV terior labial border; ILT); ventrals (along 369; Fig. 2), an adult male from 5 km (via midline) from the anterior-most enlarged Hwy 54) N Moyahua de Estrada, Muni- transverse row to the vent and including cipio de Moyahua, Zacatecas, Mexico (210 preanals (V); dorsals around midbody (i.e., 19' N, 103?10' W; approximately 1200 m above transverse row of ventrals that is half elev.) on 23 September 1990 by 0. Flores of total number of transverse ventral rows; Villela and R. L. Bezy. DAB); number of scales in sixth longitu- Paratypes.-MZFC 4759-62, LACM dinal row (from the ventral midline) con- 144220-21: topotypes (Fig. 3); MZFC tacting a string of 20 ventrals in the adja- 3120: 4 km N Moyahua, Zacatecas, Mexi- cent fifth longitudinal ventral row (V6); Co. number of scales in seventh longitudinal Diagnosis.-Xantusia sanchezi differs row (from the ventral midline) along a from X. riversiana, X. henshawi, and X. string of 20 ventrals in the fifth longitudi- bolsonae (Table 1) in having fewer dorsals nal ventral row (V7); interpostparietal around midbody (38-40 versus 46-80) and length/postparietal length (RIPP); eye fewer than 14 longitudinal rows of ventrals height/fifth supralabial height (RE); sixth at midbody. For the populations of X. vi- infralabial height/fourth infralabial height gilis, it differs from all (except some spec- (RIL6); and seventh infralabial height/ imens of X. v. vigilis) in having more than fourth infralabial height (RIL7). six undivided fourth toe lamellae (i.e., la- June 1999] HERPETOLOGICA 177 I - FIG. 3. Thetype seriesof Xantusiasanchezi illustrating variation in dorsalcolor pattern. FIG. 3.-The type series of Xantusia sanchezi illustrating variation in dorsal color pattern. mellae that lack midventral sutures) and infralabials (7-8 versus 6), more ventrals from all (except some specimens of X. v. (33-36 versus 31-32), more scales in the wigginsi) in having fewer than 29 scales sixth longitudinal row of ventrals (28-38 composing the second caudal annulus. In versus 23-25), a larger interpostparietal addition to these two characters, X. san- (0.25-1.00 versus 0.09-0.11), a larger sixth chezi differs from the currently recognized infralabial (1.40-2.00 versus 1.10-1.36), subspecies of Xantusia vigilis by the fol- and a larger seventh infralabial (1.00-1.68 lowing scale characters, most of which are versus 0.56-0.75); from X. v. sierrae, in non-overlapping (Table 1): from X. v. ex- having fewer dorsals around midbody (38- torris, in having more femoral pores (9-11 40 versus 41 44) and usualy fewer gulars versus 6-7), and a larger sixth infralabial (30-38 versus 38-44); and from X. v. vi- (1.40-2.00 versus 0.73-1.39); from X. v. gilis, usually in having more ventrals (33- gilberti, in having more femoral pores (9- 35 versus 30-33). 11 versus 6-7), more fourth toe lamellae Description of holotype.-Measure- (21-23 versus 16-18), more dorsals around ments (in mm): snout-vent length, 43; tail midbody (38-40 versus 30-36), more length, 57 (complete); head length, 9.9; scales in the sixth longitudinal row of ven- head width 6.4; head depth, 3.9; orbit trals (28-38 versus 21-27), a larger inter- length, 1.9; fourth toe length, 5.1. postparietal (0.25-1.00 versus 0.12-0.20), Dorsal surface of head: rostral broad- and a larger eye (2.41-3.11 versus 1.50- er than high, followed in order by two na- 1.89); from X. v. wigginsi, in having more sals (in contact medially); a frontonasal; femoral pores (9-11 versus 6-8), a larger two prefrontals (in broad contact); a me- sixth infraabial (1.40-2.00 versus 0.93- dian prefrontal; two frontals (in narrow 1.39), and usually more fourth toe lamellae contact); an interparietal (with parietal or- (21-23 versus 18-21); from X. v. arizonae, gan faintly visible) separating (lateral) pa- in having fewer fourth toe lamellae (21-23 rietals; and two postparietals (separated by versus 24-30) and fewer dorsals around a large median interpostparietal). Lateral midbody (38-40 versus 43-49); from X. v. surface of head: nostril bordered by ros- utahensis, in having more total enlarged tral, nasal, postnasal, and first supralabial. 178 HERPETOLOGICA [Vol. 55, No. 2 TABLE 1.-Variation in 17 scale characters for 17 samples of Xantusia. In each cell the upper figure is the mean, the middle is the standard error, and the lower are the observed limits of variation.
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