Descriptions of Two Nomen Nudum Species of Anolis Lizard from Northwestern South America

Abstract

We describe two northern South American Pacific lowland species of Anolis that historically have been associated with names that are currently nomina nuda. Anolis lyra new species is similar to Anolis vittigerus but differs primarily in possessing smaller dorsal scales on the head and body and in color pattern. Anolis anchicayae new species is similar to Anolis peraccae and Anolis fasciatus but differs primarily in size and color pattern. We scored the new species for skeletal and external morphological phylogenetic characters and performed a parsimony analysis with 251 additional Anolis species using molecular and morphological data. Anolis anchicayae is sister to A. peraccae in a basal group of South American “alpha” Anolis (“dactyloids,” “latifrons” group). Anolis lyra is placed with other lemurinus-group Anolis within the large clade of mainland “beta” Anolis (“Norops”).