First record of Amapasaurus tetradactylus Cunha , 1970 ( Squamata : Gymnophthalmidae ) in French Guiana

Amapasaurus tetradactylus Cunha 1970 is a poorlyknown litter-dwelling lizard with a distribution restricted to very few localities in the Brazilian states of Amapá and Pará (Cunha 1970; Lima 2008; Avila-Pires et al. 2010). Since its description in 1970 in the upper Rio Maracá (Amapá State) (Cunha 1970), it has only been found in the Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Rio Iratapuru in 2004 (Lima 2008), in 2006 during Rapid Biological Inventories in the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park in the northwestern part of Amapá (Lima 2008), and in 2008 in two localities of Pará state (FLOTA Trombetas and the northern section of ESEC Grão-Pará, in the Acarai Mountains) during biological surveys (Avila-Pires et al. 2010). Three additional specimens, one subadult and two pregnant females, were found during recent fieldwork in a remote area of southern French Guiana (Mount Itoupé, south of Sommet Tabulaire mountain, Amazonian National Park of French Guiana) providing new biological and ecological information and extending the known range of the species about 140 km northwards (Figure 1). Mount Itoupé (‘Mont Itoupé’) is the second highest summit of French Guiana, after Mount Bellevue of the Inini (851 m a.s.l.). Its shape is that of an elongated plateau positioned along a north-south axis, with a roughly 1 km2 flat summit reaching 830 m a.s.l. The plateau emerges from an imposing mountain range, situated 230 km inland, in the core area of the Amazonian Park of French Guiana. Most of the mountain range (about 45 km2) exceeds the 500 m isopleth considered as the lower limit of submontane forests as defined by de Granville (1994). From a climatic point of view, Mount Itoupé lies roughly under the 2250 mm isohyet (annual average 1971-2000; Météo-France Cayenne in Barret 2008), but the rugged topography and high elevation undoubtedly affect the local climate by holding back the clouds. The topography and orientation probably induce higher rainfall than what the data provided by Météo-France Cayenne (Barret 2008) Abstract: Three specimens of Amapasaurus tetradactylus Cunha, 1970 were collected during a field survey in the core area of the Amazonian National Park of French Guiana (‘Parc Amazonien de Guyane’), in southern French Guiana. This is the first record of the species for this country, extending its distribution 140 km northwards. 1 Biotope Agence Amazonie-Caraïbes. 30 Domaine de Montabo, Lotissement Ribal. 97300 Cayenne. French Guiana. 2 Parc Amazonien de Guyane. 1, rue Lederson. 97354 Rémire-Montjoly. French Guiana. * Corresponding author. E-mail: mael.dewynter@gmail.com Maël Dewynter 1* and Nicolas Surugue 2 First record of Amapasaurus tetradactylus Cunha, 1970 (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) in French Guiana

Amapasaurus tetradactylus Cunha 1970 is a poorlyknown litter-dwelling lizard with a distribution restricted to very few localities in the Brazilian states of Amapá and Pará (Cunha 1970;Lima 2008;Avila-Pires et al. 2010).Since its description in 1970 in the upper Rio Maracá (Amapá State) (Cunha 1970), it has only been found in the Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Rio Iratapuru in 2004 (Lima 2008), in 2006 during Rapid Biological Inventories in the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park in the northwestern part of Amapá (Lima 2008), and in 2008 in two localities of Pará state (FLOTA Trombetas and the northern section of ESEC Grão-Pará, in the Acarai Mountains) during biological surveys (Avila-Pires et al.

2010).
Three additional specimens, one subadult and two pregnant females, were found during recent fieldwork in a remote area of southern French Guiana (Mount Itoupé, south of Sommet Tabulaire mountain, Amazonian National Park of French Guiana) providing new biological and ecological information and extending the known range of the species about 140 km northwards (Figure 1).
Mount Itoupé ('Mont Itoupé') is the second highest summit of French Guiana, after Mount Bellevue of the Inini (851 m a.s.l.).Its shape is that of an elongated plateau positioned along a north-south axis, with a roughly 1 km2 flat summit reaching 830 m a.s.l.The plateau emerges from an imposing mountain range, situated 230 km inland, in the core area of the Amazonian Park of French Guiana.Most of the mountain range (about 45 km 2 ) exceeds the 500 m isopleth considered as the lower limit of submontane forests as defined by de Granville (1994).From a climatic point of view, Mount Itoupé lies roughly under the 2250 mm isohyet (annual average 1971-2000; Météo-France Cayenne in Barret 2008), but the rugged topography and high elevation undoubtedly affect the local climate by holding back the clouds.The topography and orientation probably induce higher rainfall than what the data provided by Météo-France Cayenne (Barret 2008) Abstract: Three specimens of Amapasaurus tetradactylus Cunha, 1970 were collected during a field survey in the core area of the Amazonian National Park of French Guiana ('Parc Amazonien de Guyane'), in southern French Guiana.This is the first record of the species for this country, extending its distribution 140 km northwards.
suggest, and also contribute to maintaining a persistent fog that keeps the mountain under extremely high levels of air moisture in all seasons, in particular on its eastern slope, which faces the prevailing winds.Mount Itoupé is entirely covered by forest, of which three main types can be seen: an irregular high forest with many large emerging trees (up to 60 m tall) on the westfacing slope; an irregular forest mixed with lianas on the east-facing side and an open forest on the summit (Sabatier and Molino, pers.com.).Below 500 m a.s.l., the lowland forest, lying on well-drained slopes, is dominated by large trees from the Burseraceae family and by Xylopia sp.
(Annonaceae), a species still unknown from French Guiana (Sabatier pers.com.).Above 500 m a.s.l., the submontane forest is dominated by Mimosaceae and Lecythidaceae families on the slopes.The plateau forest (800 m a.s.l.) is characterized by a low forest (20-30 m) dominated by Mimosaceae and Lauraceae (Brunaux and Guitet, pers.com.) with many tree gaps and a large proportion of trees belonging to typical heliophilous species usually frequent in disturbed habitats at lower altitude (Sabatier and Molino, pers. com.).
A herpetological survey was carried out during the rainy season, from March 18, 2010 to April 01, 2010, exclusively on the western slope and on the plateau of Mount Itoupé.The base camp and helicopter drop zone were set up at 585 m a.s.l.(03°01'39" N, 53°04'39" W).Four transects previously opened by the Amazonian Park of French Guiana team allowed us to explore an elevational gradient ranging from 350 m to 830 m.
As it moves in the leaf litter, Amapasaurus tetradactylus is quite similar in habits to Leposoma guianense, a very abundant Gymnophthalmidae in French Guiana.It could have gone unnoticed had not the team of entomologists kindly harvested a specimen for us.A rapid examination of the lizard immediately revealed morphological differences with Leposoma guianense and other sympatric lizards.The main diagnostic features are a bright yellow belly, four digits on fore limbs and a rough head scalation.These criteria are useful to quickly distinguish Amapasaurus from other syntopic litter-dwelling lizards in French Guiana (Figure 2).In the field, the criteria were thus compared with the description provided by Avila-Pires (1995) and the original description (Cunha, 1970).This finding led us to give more attention to small litter-dwelling lizards, and enabled us to capture two additional specimens.
In total, two adult gravid females (SVL = 20 mm and tail = 37 mm / SVL = 30 mm and tail = 43 mm) and one juvenile were collected by day.Both females laid two eggs (0,65 x 0,40 mm) during the next few days.Tissue samples for genetic analyses were collected in order to clarify the phylogenetic position of this enigmatic species exhibiting a singular morphology.
The specimens were collected under Amazonian National Park permits CS (n°02-10).The adult females are deposited in the herpetological collection of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) in Paris, France, under voucher numbers MNHN 2012.0213 andMNHN 2012.0214.Mount Itoupé is the sixth known locality for Amapasaurus tetradactylus.Our data extends the distribution of this lizard from the Brazilian states of Amapá and Pará to southern parts of French Guiana.In the state of current knowledge, Amapasaurus tetradactylus remains an endemic species from the north-eastern parts of the Guianan shield.