Euspondylus guentheri

Euspondylus guentheri, also known commonly as Günther's sun tegu, is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae.^[2] The species is native to Ecuador, and has also been reported from Peru.^[1][2][3] It lives in lowland tropical and subtropical forest habitats.^[1][4] The specific epithet guentheri is in honour of Albert Günther, a German-born British zoologist.^[2][3][5] E. guentheri is mostly diurnal, spending time in low branches or basking on the ground.^[6] If threatened, it will run for cover.^[6]

Euspondylus guentheri
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Gymnophthalmidae
Genus:	Euspondylus
Species:	E. guentheri
Binomial name
Euspondylus guentheri (O'Shaughnessy, 1881)
Synonyms[2]
Ecpleopus guentheri O'Shaughnessy, 1881 Euspondylus guentheri — Boulenger, 1885

Distribution

Sources differ on the altitudinal range of E. guentheri. One source states that it is found at altitudes of 290–420 m (950–1,380 ft), and another gives a potential distribution range of 255–1,297 m (837–4,255 ft).^[3][6] It is found in central and eastern Ecuador, and has also been reported from Peru.^[2][4][7]

Appearance

Males of E. guentheri usually grow to a total length (including tail) of 25 cm (9.8 in), while females are somewhat smaller, growing to around 23 cm (9.1 in).^[6] It is pale brown in colour (although juveniles are usually yellower), with irregular black crossbars and blotches.^[3][6] It resembles E. maculatus, the spotted sun tegu, but can be differentiated from that species by colour: E. maculatus has smaller and less pervasive blotches and is generally browner and more uniform in colour.^[6][8]

Reproduction

E. guentheri is oviparous.^[2]

Protection and rarity

E. guentheri is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, as it is not subject to significant threat or population decline, although it may be affected by local threats such as deforestation, mining, and agricultural expansion.^[1] Furthermore, the species is present in a number of protected areas.^[6]

References

1. Lehr, E.; Doan, T.M. (2016). "Euspondylus guentheri ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
2. Euspondylus guentheri at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 25 July 2019.
3. "Reptiles del Ecuador ". bioweb.bio (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-12-18.
4. "Euspondylus guentheri (O'Shaughnessy, 1881)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
5. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Euspondylus guentheri, p. 110).
6. "Günther's Sun Tegu (Euspondylus guentheri)". reptilesofecuador.com. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
7. "Euspondylus guentheri - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
8. "Spotted Sun Tegu (Euspondylus maculatus)". reptilesofecuador.com. Retrieved 2022-12-18.

Further reading

• Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume II. ... Teiidæ .... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I–XXIV. (Euspondylus guentheri, new combination, pp. 407–408).
• O'Shaughnessy AWE (1881). "An Account of the Collection of Lizards made by Mr. Buckley in Ecuador, and now in the British Museum, with Descriptions of the new Species". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1881: 227–245 + Plates XXII–XXV. (Ecpleopus guentheri, new species, pp. 235–236 + Plate XXIII, figure 1).
• Torres-Carvajal O, Pazmiño-Otamendi G, Salazar-Valenzuela D (2019). "Reptiles of Ecuador: a resource-rich online portal, with dynamic checklists and photographic guides". Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 13 (1) [General Section]: 209–229 (e178).