A new Andean anole species of the Dactyloa clade (Squamata: Iguanidae) from western Ecuador.

Abstract

We describe a new species of Anolis from the western slopes of the Andes of Ecuador, province of Bolívar. It is referred to (1) the aequatorialis series based on its moderate size and narrow toe lamellae, and (2) the eulaemus sub-group based on having a typical Anolis digit, in which the distal lamellae of phalanx III distinctly overlap the proximal subdigital scales of phalanx II. The new species is most similar morphologically to A. otongae and A. gemmosus, both from similar elevations on the western Andean slopes of Ecuador, but differs from these species in morphology and color patterns. We present a phylogeny based on DNA sequence data as additional evidence supporting delimitation of the new species. The new species and A. gemmosus are sister taxa within the “western Dactyloa clade.”