Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

New Andean Lizard Species Confirmed in Peru’s Pagaibamba Protected Forest

The peer‑reviewed finding signals a need for stronger field inventories in Peru’s protected highlands.

Investigadores peruanos celebran el hallazgo de una nueva especie biológica dentro de un área protegida en Cajamarca
Image

Overview

  • The Zootaxa study confirms Petracola ianwhitei as new to science and reports four other new Andean lizard species.
  • Petracola ianwhitei was recorded in Cajamarca’s Bosque de Protección Pagaibamba under rocks and logs at the cloud‑forest edge and in open ground between 2,770 and 3,172 meters.
  • The research team led by Lourdes Y. Echevarría examined more than 250 specimens and used DNA and anatomical traits to separate the species from close relatives.
  • SERNANP chief José Carlos Nieto Navarrete said the discovery shows protected areas shelter little‑known biodiversity and called for more biological inventories.
  • Pagaibamba safeguards water for homes and farms in Querocoto, Llama, and Huambos, and it helps keep local soils stable and the hydrological cycle in balance.