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Type: Article
Published: 2021-08-20
Page range: 571-584
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A new species of Oreosaurus (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from the Turimiquire Massif, northeastern Venezuela

Museo de Biología, Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia, apartado postal 526, Maracaibo 4011, estado Zulia, Venezuela.
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia, Av. Professor Moraes Rego, s/n. Cidade Universitária CEP 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil.
Jagiellonian University, Institute of environmental sciences, department life history evolution. 30-387 Cracow, Poland.
CIBIO/InBIO (Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos), Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrario De Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas 76019-0498.
Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas 76019-0498.
Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas 76019-0498.
Reptilia Microteiid Anzoátegui State Cercosaurinae South America

Abstract

We describe a new species of gymnophthalmid lizard, Oreosaurus bisbali sp. nov., from the Turimiquire Massif in northeastern Venezuela. It is one of three reptile species known to be endemic to the region and the fifth species of Oreosaurus from Venezuela. It can be distinguished from all congeners by a combination of rectangular dorsal scales at midbody, having two scales separating femoral pores medially, and lacking a nasoloreal suture. The new species is likely to be restricted in distribution to the highlands of the Turimiquire Massif, which have been significantly degraded by agriculture.

 

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