Revised distribution, phenotypic variation and conservation status of Liolaemus fittkaui (Squamata: Liolaemidae), a lizard endemic to the Andes of Central Bolivia

Abstract

The rare, endemic Bolivian lizard, Liolaemus fittkaui, was considered extinct at the locality of the paratypes. The species currently is catalogued as Vulnerable. The plausibility of the putative paratype locality is discussed, as it relates to the reported extinction event. Observations presented here evidence that the distribution of L. fittkaui is broader than has been reported, extending nearly 100 km along the highlands of the Cordillera de Tiraque (provinces of Chapare, Tiraque, and Carrasco). The species maintains populations in areas where its habitat is well conserved, some of them within the limits of the Carrasco National Park. This new information, following the IUCN criteria, indicates that the category of Vulnerable is adequate for the conservation status of L. fittkaui. Other records from Arque Province belong to L. variegatus and a species in the L. montanus series. Variation in ventral color pattern of males is described. Contrary to the whitish venter described originally, males seem to be polymorphic, having white, yellow, red, and intermediate combinations. The distribution of L. fittkaui and its ventral color morphs reflect a spatially fragmented range in which intraspecific evolution could result in marked genetic structure. The persistence of L. fittkaui and other endemisms confined to Andean highlands seems to depend on the preservation of puna grasslands, an ecosystem usually under-represented in conservation efforts.