New lizard species discovered in Peru

LIMA. Peru (AFP) — Scientists have discovered a new species of lizard in the Peruvian Andes, the Natural History Museum of San Marcos University said Saturday.

The lizard measures between six and eight centimetres (2.4-3.2 inches) and has distinct colouration depending on sex.

Females have square-shaped spots on their backs, while males have oblique spots and white scales that help them blend into their rocky surroundings.

The lizard feeds on plants and small arthropods, including spiders, beetles, true bugs and insect larvae.

The new species was found at an altitude of more than 4,800 meters (15,750 feet) in the southern Andean region of Arequipa and was given the name Liolaemus archipensis.

"The description of a new species represents a very important advance for biodiversity in our country," biologist Ling Huamani-Valderrama, who led the research, told AFP.

Peru is home to 296 species of lizard, according to the biologist. The discovery was published in the Swiss scientific journal Diversity.