Redescription of <i>Liolaemus robertmertensi</i>, Hellmich 1964 (Iguania: Liolaemidae) with description of a new species

Abstract

We redescribe Liolaemus robertmertensi and describe a new species of Liolaemus, the second most speciose lizard genus. These species belong to the L. robertmertensi group of the subgenus Liolaemus sensu stricto. In recent years, some newly identified populations were assigned to Liolaemus robertmertensi. We applied an integrative approach using morphological and phylogenetic evidence to determine the relationships among these populations and found one to belong to a new species described here. We performed statistical analyses to differentiate L. robertmertensi and the new species from other species of the alticolor-bibronii group. The new species shows a set of character states that allows it to be distinguished from L. robertmertensi and from all other species of Liolaemus. Despite the description of this new species, the taxonomic status of many populations still remain unknown.