Liolaemus calliston

Liolaemus calliston sp. nov. is oviparous; adult females captured in December had large eggs that extended their abdominal walls, and had conspicuously slow escape runs. They appear to exist at a very low density but ongoing studies in the area will be crucial to elucidate some biological and ecological characteristics of this species. Vegetation is typical of Monte Sur Patagónico (Roig 1998); predominant vegetation formation is a low to medium shrubs steppe characterized by bushes between 0.50 to 2.00 m. Soils are subject to wind erosion which form dwarf dunes interspersed between rock outcrops separated by bare sand dunes (Fig. 13). Common plants include: Grindelia chiloensis, Senecio filaginoides, Acantholippia seriphioides, Ephedra ochreata, Chuquiraga erinacea, Larrea nitida, L. divaricata, L. cuneifolia, Atriplex lampa, Prosopis alpataco, Fabiana peckii and Adesmia guttulifera, Cercidium praecox, Sporobolus rigens, Hyalis argéntea, Monttea aphylla, Neosparton ephedroides and Senna aphylla. Lizard fauna in this general region include up to six congeners: Liolaemus darwinii, L. grosseorum, L. gracilis, L. cuyumhue, L. goetschi, L. austromendocinus, the three phyllodactylid geckos Homonota darwinii, H. horrida, H. underwoodi, two leiosaurids, Leiosaurus belli and Pristidactylus fasciatus, and the teiid Aurivela longicauda. Snakes observed at the type locality include Philodryas trilineata, Bothrops diporus, Xenodon semicinctus, Siagonodon borrichianus; at least the first two of these are likely predators of L. calliston sp. nov.