Callopistes maculatus explained

Callopistes maculatus, also known as the dwarf tegu, Chilean dwarf tegu, spotted false monitor or Chilean iguana (in Spanish iguana Chilena), is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. It is endemic to Chile.

Description

It is the largest lizard of Chile, reaching a 50cm (20inches) length.

Diet

A diurnal species, it mainly preys upon insects. However, it also eats other, smaller lizards, snakes and small birds and mammals. At times, it may also eat substantial amounts of fruit.^[1]

Ecology

The species frequents rocky, sandy scrubland environments in areas such as the Atacama Desert,^[2] at altitudes below 500m.

In 2015, this species was discovered hosting a new genus and species of parasitic mites, Callopistiella atacamensis. The genus was named after the host genus Callopistes.^[3]

References

• C. Michael Hogan & World Wildlife Fund. 2013. Chilean matorral. ed. M.McGinley. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC

Notes and References

1. Fuentes . Eduardo R. . 1976 . Ecological Convergence of Lizard Communities in Chile and California . Ecology . en . 57 . 1 . 3–17 . 10.2307/1936394 . 0012-9658.
2. Reyes-Olivares . Claudio . Hiriart . Daniel . Marambio-Alfaro . Yery . March 19, 2020 . Predation on Liolaemus atacamensis Müller and Hellmich, 1933 (Squamata, Liolaemidae) by Callopistes maculatus Gravenhorst, 1838 (Squamata, Teiidae) in the Atacama Desert . Herpetology Notes . 13 . 267-269.
3. Fuente . MaríA Carolina Silva-De La . Paredes-LeóN . Ricardo . Casanueva . MaríA Eugenia . Escobar-Huerta . Gustavo . Salas . Lucila Moreno . 2015-06-10 . A new genus and species of pterygosomatid mite (Acari: Pterygosomatidae) parasitizing Callopistes maculatus (Squamata: Teiidae) from Chile . Zootaxa . 3972 . 1 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3972.1.4 . 65–74.