Variação geográfica em Kentropyx calcarata spix, 1825 (Reptilia: Teiidae) e revalidação de Kentropyx vittata (Schinz, 1822)

Abstract

Kentropyx calcarata was described by Spix, 1825 and has distribution in the central and eastern Amazon, covering Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil and Bolivia; and in Brazil in mangrove areas on the northeast coast, Serra de Baturité (an altitude brejo in the Caatinga area) and part of the Atlantic Forest. Previous studies with K. calcarata showed possible variations within the species, which need to be better investigated. In this study, samples covering the entire area of occurrence in the Brazilian Amazon were analyzed, including points of sympathy with K. altamazonica, considering that one of the observations regarding the morphological variation raised the hypothesis of being the result of sympatry between the two species, with objective to evaluate the possible variations within the species. Samples were also analyzed from the Atlantic Forest, where the populations of the central region (south of the São Francisco River) show differences in the staining pattern. All specimens from both the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest were analyzed for external morphology, hemipenian and staining pattern. The specimens to the south of the São Francisco River were considered as a distinct species, due to the fact that they did not correspond to the species K. calcarata, for which the name K. vittata Schinz, 1822 is available, indicating the need for revalidation of the species . In Kentropyx calcarata the populations of the Amazon and to the North of the Atlantic Forest have similar hemipenis and coloring pattern. The presence of variation in the meristic characters was observed, being the geographic distance one of the factors that can contribute with part of this variation. The populations of K. calcarata and K. altamazonica show variations in both meristic and morphometric characters, possibly caused by a number of environmental factors, such as competition for ecological niches, confirming the hypothesis raised in previous studies.