A new species of <em>Liolaemus</em> of the <em>L. nigromaculatus</em> group (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from Atacama Region, Chile

Abstract

Here, we describe a new species of Liolaemus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from the coastal desert of Atacama in the vicinity of Barranquilla, Chile. This new species belongs to the L. nigromaculatus group and can be distinguished from the other species of the group and the remaining species of the genus Liolaemus, by the striking color pattern of the male, with black head and dorsum, and light blue thighs and tail, as well as other scalation features that allow its diagnosis. With this new species, the L. nigromaculatus group increases to 13 species