''Liolaemus sarmientoi'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Liolaemidae Liolaemidae are a family of iguanian lizards. They are traditionally included in the Iguanidae as subfamily Liolaeminae, which some more recent authors prefer to delimit in a more restricted way. A common name for this group is liolaemids. Liolae ...

. It is considered a medium sized example of the family, with an average

snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken in herpetology from the tip of the snout to the most posterior opening of the cloacal slit (vent)."direct line distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of vent" It is the most c ...

of 76 to 77 mm, with males usually larger than females.

Etymology

The lizard was first described by Chilean herpetologist

Roberto Donoso-Barros Roberto Donoso-Barros (October 5, 1921 – August 2, 1975) was a Chilean botanist, naturalist, and herpetologist. Early life and education Donoso-Barros was born in Santiago, Chile. He attended the University of Chile in Santiago, earning hi ...

in 1973. The species was initially categorized as a subspecies of ''Liolaemus archeforus'', another Patagonian species described by Donoso-Barros and Cei in 1971, but was elevated to a distinct species after further study by Cei and Scolaro in 1996. The specific name ''sarmientoi'' comes from the Spanish explorer

Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa (1532–1592) was a Spanish explorer, author, historian, mathematician, and astronomer. His birthplace is not certain and may have been Pontevedra, in Galicia, where his paternal family originated, or Alcalá de Henar ...

, known for his early transit through the Strait of Magellan, which runs near the habitat of the species' population.

Geographic range and habitat

''L. sarmientoi'' is considered one of the

southernmost The most southerly geographical features of various types are listed here. Cities and settlements Geography Islands Berkner Island is further south than any of these, but its bedrock lies entirely below sea level, with only its ice cov ...

lizard species in the world, being

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the southern region of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

known as

Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and gl ...

. The species is saxicolous, living in rocky and volcanic areas along the arid Patagonian steppe. There is no estimate of the total population of the species on record.

Behavior

''L. sarmientoi'', like most lizard species, is

ectothermic An ectotherm (from the Greek () "outside" and () "heat") is an organism in which internal physiological sources of heat are of relatively small or of quite negligible importance in controlling body temperature.Davenport, John. Animal Life a ...

. Because of the harsh climate conditions of the region in which ''L. sarmientoi'' lives, it is able to generate heat both by conductive means, i.e. via contact with warm surfaces, and heliothermic means, directly from the sun. Through these means, they achieve a body temperature of around 26 °C. Their behavior is typically restricted by this climate, the species is most active during the spring and summer months, corresponding to between late November and February in the southern hemisphere, and lives in a state of dormancy, or

brumation Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. Dormancy tends to be clos ...

, from autumn through the start of the next spring. ''L. sarmientoi'' is omnivorous.

Reproduction

''L. sarmientoi'' is

viviparous Among animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. This is opposed to oviparity which is a reproductive mode in which females lay developing eggs that complete their development and hatch externally from the m ...

. The reproductive cycle of the species is annual and takes place during the spring and summer, however, depending on climatic conditions, females of the species can adjust the reproductive cycle based on energy and food restrictions. Birth typically occurs in mid-summer, and litter sizes are typically between 3 to 5.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q11795330 sarmientoi Lizards of South America Fauna of Patagonia Reptiles of Argentina Reptiles of Chile Reptiles described in 1973 Taxa named by Roberto Donoso-Barros