Oecologia Australis

25(1):184–189, 2021
https://doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2021.2501.19

DISTRIBUTION EXTENSION AND NEW RECORDS FOR Cercosaura olivacea

(GRAY, 1845) (SQUAMATA: GYMNOPHTHALMIDAE) IN NORTHEASTERN
BRAZIL

Marcos Jorge Matias Dubeux1,2,3*, Filipe Augusto Cavalcanti do Nascimento3, Ubiratan

Gonçalves2,3, Tamí Mott2,3 & Pedro M. Sales Nunes1

1
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Herpetologia, Programa de Pós-
Graduação em Biologia Animal, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego 1235, CEP: 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil.
2
Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Campus A.C. Simão, Laboratório de
Biologia Integrativa, Av. Lourival Melo Mota s/n, CEP: 57072-900, Maceió, AL, Brazil.
3
Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Museu de História Natural, Setor de Herpetologia, Av. Amazonas s/n, CEP: 57010-020,
Maceió, AL, Brazil.

Emails: [email protected] (*corresponding author), [email protected], ugsbogertia@gmail.

com, [email protected], [email protected].

Abstract: Here we add a new state record for Cercosaura olivacea in northeastern Brazil and new areas
of occurrence in the state of Pernambuco and Sergipe, including the first record of this species in the
Caatinga ecoregion. The new records fill a gap of more than 600 km in the distribution of this species on
the east coast of Brazil and expand the geographical distribution of the species by 280 km north and 180
km south of the nearest recorded areas of occurrence.

Keywords: Alagoas state; Atlantic Forest; Caatinga; lizard; Oliva Tegu.

The genus of microteiid lizards Cercosaura Wagler species, with terrestrial and semi-fossorial habits
1830, is currently composed of 16 species widely and is often found in open areas, at the edge or
distributed throughout South America (Sturaro et inside forests close to watercourses (Recoder &
al. 2018, Uetz et al. 2020). Although the distribution Nogueira 2007, Macedo et al. 2008). This species
of most of the taxa of the genus is restricted to the is widely distributed across Brazil, occurring in
Amazon rainforest (11 species; Barreto et al. 2012, most ecoregions, including Cerrado, Pantanal,
Cusi & Doan 2014, Sturaro et al. 2017, 2018), others Pampas, Atlantic Forest and some open areas in
have a wider distribution, occurring in different the Amazon rainforest, with some further records
South American ecoregions (e.g. Cerrado, Atlantic of occurrence in Bolivia and in northeastern
Forest, Pantanal and Pampas; Doan & Lamar Argentina (Sturaro et al. 2018, Uetz et al. 2020).
2012, Sturaro et al. 2018). Consequently, the Caatinga remains to be the only
The small lizard Cercosaura olivacea (Gray, Brazilian ecoregion with no records of the species
1845) (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae; maximum so far.
SVL 56.1 mm in females and 53.0 mm in males; Cercosaura olivacea was described by Gray
Sturaro et al. 2018) is a diurnal, heliothermic 1845 as Emminia olivacea (a monotypic genus)
 Dubeux et al. | 185

based on a single specimen for the state of Although C. olivacea has been considered as
Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil, with no further the most widely distributed species of the genus,
specific locality. Later, the genus Emminia Gray there are still many gaps throughout its areas of
(1845) was synonymized to Cercosaura (Peters occurrence, mainly in northeastern Brazil (Sales
1862) and its only species was synonymized with et al. 2014, Sturaro et al. 2018). Thus, herein we
C. ocellata Wagler, 1830 (see O’Shaughnessy 1881). provide a new state record for Cercosaura olivacea
The species remained in synonymy until recently and new records for the species in the state of
when Sturaro et al. (2018) revalidated C. olivacea Pernambuco and Sergipe, including the first
based on morphological and genomic data. record of occurrence in the Caatinga ecoregion.
Cercosaura olivacea can be easily distinguished We documented the records of occurrence
from other species belonging to the C. ocellata during field expeditions for the inventory of
complex (in brackets) by presenting dorsal scales herpetofauna or during occasional encounters,
arranged in regular and longitudinal lines, with subsequent collection (license numbers:
four pairs of chinshields and four infralabials SISBIO 32920-1 and 46368-4; CPRH nº 003840/2016;
to the posterior margin of the eye (partially Figure 1). Taxonomic identification was
regular dorsal, five pairs of chinshields and five confirmed through the diagnoses proposed by
infralabials to the posterior margin of the eye in Sturaro et al. (2018). Sex was determined through
C. anordosquama), single loreal scale (divided the presence/absence of a hemipenis or by the
in C. bassleri), low values for most scale counts presence of secondary sexual characteristics (e.g.
(higher in C. ocellata; see Sturaro et al. 2018), with number of femoral pores). Twenty-six discrete
the body venter and throat predominantly white and nine continuous characteristics were
or cream (different color patterns than described obtained following Sturaro et al. (2018) with the
herein; Sturaro et al. 2018). aid of a stereomicroscope and a digital caliper

Figure 1. Distribution of Cercosaura olivacea, highlighting the distribution of the species in northeastern
Brazil. CE: Ceará state; RN: Rio Grande do Norte state; PB: Paraíba state; PE: Pernambuco state; AL:
Alagoas state; SE: Sergipe state; BA: Bahia state; 1. municipality of Aracaju, Sergipe state, Brazil;
2. municipality of Inhapi, Alagoas state, Brazil; 3. municipality of Maceió, Alagoas state, Brazil; 4.
municipality of Sirinhaém, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Inset map: South America. Literature records are
based on Sales et. al. (2014) and Sturaro et al. (2018).

Oecol. Aust. 25(1):184–189, 2021

186 | Cercosaura olivacea distribution

(to the nearest 0.1 mm). All specimens analyzed throughout South America and many
were incorporated in the Coleção Herpetológica distributional gaps remained to be fulfilled (e.g.
do Museu de História Natural da Universidade Oliveira & Moura 2013, Sales et al. 2014, Sturaro
Federal de Alagoas (MUFAL) and in the Coleção et al. 2018). In the Caatinga ecoregion, a tropical
Herpetológica da Universidade Federal de dry forest with a dry climate and xeromorphic
Pernambuco (CHUFPE). vegetation endemic to Brazil (Assis 2000), the
During the study, we observed four specimens. species was known to occur in brejo de altitude
The first record was on 20 June 1992 in Campus (highland humid forest remnants scattered
São Cristóvão of Universidade Federal de Sergipe, throughout the semiarid lowlands) in the Planalto
municipality of Aracaju, in the Atlantic Forest de Ibiapaba, state of Ceará (Borges-Nojosa &
ecoregion in Sergipe state, Brazil (10°55’26.4”S; Caramaschi 2003). Herein, among other records,
37°06’00.0”W; 7 m above sea level [a.s.l.]; we provide the first registration of C. olivacea for
DATUM WGS84), an adult male (MUFAL 336; the Caatinga of Alagoas state (municipality of
SVL = 41.83; Figure 2a), found by Jorge Lopes, no Inhapi).
habitat information. The second record was on Despite being commonly found in open
01 December 2013 close to the Canal do Sertão areas and close to urbanized regions (Recoder &
hydraulic development (a transposition of the Nogueira 2007, Oliveira & Moura 2013), C. olivacea
São Francisco River), municipality of Inhapi, in has environmental preferences for regions with
the Caatinga ecoregion in Alagoas state, Brazil minimal vegetation cover, as do other species
(9°19’00.2”S; 37°44’13.3”W; 278 m a.s.l.), an adult of the genus (Cunha et al. 1985). In all collection
male (MUFAL 11669; SVL = 39.32; Figure 2b) found areas, the specimens were found sheltering or
by Ubiratan Gonçalves, in a shrubby Caatinga foraging under the leaf litter, in areas where the
area, with a dense layer of leaf litter. The third soil was more humid. Even in the third identified
record occurred on 25 July 2018 in Campus A.C. area of occurrence (municipality of Maceió, state
Simões of Universidade Federal de Alagoas, of Alagoas), the most urbanized area of all the
municipality of Maceió, in the Atlantic Forest four areas, the species was observed in an area
ecoregion in Alagoas state, Brazil (9°33’28.8”S; which had vegetation that was used as shelter. The
35°46’30.0”W; 90 m a.s.l.). A juvenile female Universidade Federal de Alagoas is located in one
(MUFAL 15488; SVL = 22.76; Figure 2c), found by of the largest enclaves of Cerrado in the Atlantic
Marcos Dubeux, in the garden of the Instituto Forest of Alagoas state (Assis 2000) and features of
de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (ICBS), the savannah can still be found in some areas, such
individual was under the grass, associated with a as sandy soil and low and twisted vegetation, which
thin layer of leaf litter. The fourth record occurred provide shade and consequently aid in retaining soil
on 31 January 2020 in Mata do Tauá, a remnant of moisture (Assis 2000).
Atlantic forest, municipality of Sirinhaém, in the Although we are aware that the existing record of
Atlantic Forest ecoregion in Pernambuco state, C. o. ocellata for the state of Sergipe (Costa & Bérnils
Brazil (8°34’08.4”S; 35°09’46.8”W; 87 m a.s.l.), an 2018), prior to the taxonomic proposal by Sturaro et al.
adult male (CHUFPE-R 970; SVL = 37.22; Figure (2018), likely corresponds to a specimen of C. olivacea,
2d), found by Natallia Silva, in wet leaf litter close there is no information on the ecoregion and location
to the edge of the forest. This specimen had the of the observed occurrence or associated voucher
frontonasal scale in contact with the frontal, or pictures to confirm the identity of the species.
separating the pair of prefrontal scales (Figure Therefore, as far as we know, herein we define the
2d), differing from the other specimens. Such first specific location with collected voucher for
variation has already been observed in other Sergipe state. The records provided here help to fill
specimens of C. olivacea (Sturaro et al. 2018). a gap of more than 600 km in our knowledge of the
All discrete and continuous characteristics of occurrence areas of C. olivacea on the east coast
the specimens analyzed (Table 1) fall within of Brazil (between the states of Pernambuco and
the counts and measurement ranges previously Bahia). These new records expand the geographical
registered for this species (see Sturaro et al. 2018). distribution of this species by 280 km north of the
Cercosaura olivacea is widely distributed nearest location in the municipality of Camaçari,

Oecol. Aust. 25(1):184–189, 2021

 Dubeux et al. | 187

Table 1. Meristic and morphometric (in mm) characters obtained of the four Cercosaura olivacea
individuals collected in northeastern Brazil. SAM (scales around midbody), DLR (dorsals in a
longitudinal row), DTR (dorsals in a transverse row), LTS (lateral scales), VLR (ventrals in a longitudinal
row), VTR (ventrals in a transverse row), FN (frontonasals), FR (frenoculars), LO (loreal), OC (occipitals),
SL (supralabials), PSL (post-supralabials), IL (infralabials), PIL (post-infralabials), SO (supraoculars),
PRO (preoculars), SBO (suboculars), PO (post-oculars), PS (palpebrals), CI (supraciliaries), ST
(supratemporals), TEV (temporals in a vertical row bordering postoculars), CS (pairs of chinshields),
GL (gulars in a longitudinal row), PG (paired enlarged gulars in the medial region of the throat), FP
(number of femoral pores), SVL (snout-vent length), TL (tail length, only for individuals with intact tail),
HL (head length), HW (head width), HD (head depth), LAL (lower arm length), HaL (hand length), LLL
(lower leg length), FoL (foot length).
Voucher Sex SAM DLR DTR LTS VLR VTR FN FR LO OC SL
MUFAL 336 ♂ 26 29 8 6 21 6 1 1 1 3 5
MUFAL 11669 ♂ 25 30 7 6 19 6 1 1 1 3 5
MUFAL 15488 ♀ 25 29 7 6 19 6 1 1 1 3 5
CHUFPE-R 970 ♂ 26 31 8 6 20 6 1 1 1 3 6
Voucher PSL IL PIL SO PRO SBO PO PS CI ST TEV CS
MUFAL 336 1 5 2 3 3 4 3 2 5 2 4 4
MUFAL 11669 1 5 2 3 3 4 3 2 5 2 5 4
MUFAL 15488 1 6 2 3 2 5 3 3 6 1 3 4
CHUFPE-R 970 1 7 2 3 2 5 3 2 5 2 4 4
Voucher GL PG FP SVL TL HL HW HD LAL HaL LLL FoL
MUFAL 336 8 6 2 41.83 - 9.42 5.46 4.02 3.39 4.07 3.83 5.99
MUFAL 11669 8 6 2 39.32 - 8.01 5.07 3.29 4.17 3.77 5.49 8.62
MUFAL 15488 7 5 0 22.76 - 7.05 4.02 2.89 2.45 2.93 3.23 5.21
CHUFPE-R 970 8 6 4 37.22 125 10.5 5.5 4.28 4.77 5.08 6.27 8.68

Figure 2. New records of Cercosaura olivacea for northeastern Brazil. a) MUFAL 336
(municipality of Aracaju, Sergipe state, Brazil); b) MUFAL 11669 (municipality of Inhapi,
Alagoas state, Brazil); c) MUFAL 15488 (municipality of Maceió, Alagoas state, Brazil); d)
CHUFPE-R 970 (municipality of Sirinhaém, Pernambuco state, Brazil).

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188 | Cercosaura olivacea distribution

Bahia state (Couto-Ferreira et al. 2011) and 180 km lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) at the Imbassaí
south of the nearest location in the municipality of Preserve on the northern coast of Bahia, Brazil.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Herpetologia Brasileira, 7(1), 11–57.
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Submitted: 11 August 2020

Accepted: 29 October 2020
Published on line: 10 November 2020
Associate Editor: Felipe Ottoni

Oecol. Aust. 25(1):184–189, 2021