Ecuador Desert Tegu (Dicrodon heterolepis)

Arboreto Caral, Lima, Peru. Mar 16, 2024

comments (6)

Thibaud Aronson

Lion

Oddly enough, the so-called "Ecuador Desert Tegu" is endemic to Peru, while the "Peru Desert Tegu" is found both in Peru and Ecuador...
Regardless, one of the prettiest lizards I've seen in Peru! Posted one year ago, modified one year ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Hopefully not an ambition for future borders. In any case it's a stunner, whoa! Posted one year ago
2. 1. Thibaud Aronson
    
    Lion
    
    Haha probably one of these old taxonomic mixups, though I have to say I am surprised. Such errors in scientific names are essentially set in stone, like the Paradise Tanager (Tangara chilensis, doesn't occur in Chile) or the Turquoise Tanager (Tangara mexicana, not found anywhere near Mexico!). But for common names, I'd think it would be more easily rectified... Posted one year ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      I guess it depends on how widely the scientific name is established in literature, for non-birds scientific names seem to change all the time, in particular because the genus changes. Posted one year ago
    2. 1. Thibaud Aronson
        
        Lion
        
        True, genera change all the time, especially these days with the popularity of molecular studies. In the case of species, you'll get new names when a species is split into two or more. But the second part of the name, the specific epithet, should not change if it was properly published according to the taxonomic rules and it was the first name given to a species.
        So for example, Tangara mexicana might be reclassified into a different genus, say Stilpnia mexicana, or the subspecies that is endemic to Trinidad might be made into a full species, becoming Tangara vieilloti. But the other populations would still be called Tangara mexicana. So that second part of the name has no reason to ever disappear completely. Posted one year ago
      2. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        That makes sense, now I better understand what you mean with "forever stuck", it's about the second part of the name. Posted one year ago