A New Lizard of the Schiedi Group of Anolis from Mexico

Abstract

A NEW LIZARD OF THE SCHIEDI GROUP OF ANOLIS FROM MEXICO.The anoles of the Atlantic drainage in Mexico that have weakly keeled or smooth ventrals include schiedi Wiegmann (actually known from no specific locality, but presumed to be from the Atlantic drainage), milleri Smith (Quetzaltepec, Oaxaca), cymbops Cope (central Veracruz), and limifrons Cope (lowlands, Isthmus of Tehuantepec to Panamai). A. laeviventris Wiegmann, often placed with this group, has distinctly keeled ventrals and is seemingly unrelated to the others. A. milleri and A. schiedi are apparently of moderately close relationship, but cymbops and limifrons with their very small ventrals are markedly different. The species of the schiedi group (including A. cobanensis of Guatemala, schiedi, milleri, and the species described below) seem clearly to be inhabitants of wet northern and eastern slopes at intermediate elevations. A. schiedi presumably occurs in Veracruz, and milleri represents the same stock farther south, in Oaxaca. The representative to the east of the Isthmus Tehuantepec, in Mexico, was first taken by the efforts of Mr. Thomas MacDougall, who secured as specimen in extreme northeastern Oaxaca in 1944 and again in 1960. It was subsequently found in 1965 by Dennis E. Breedlove and the junior author, in extreme northwestern Chiapas. The trans-Isthmian population is readily distinguishable from both A. cobanensis to the east and milleri to the west. It is here named in honor of Dr. Breedlove, who supplemented his primary botanical interests with fine herpetological collections accumulated through his extensive explorations in this area, much of whcih is an inaccessible as any in Mexico.