Published May 14, 2022. Updated November 20, 2023. Open access. Peer-reviewed.

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Long-sleeved Eyed-Lizard (Cercosaura manicata)

Reptiles of Ecuador | Sauria | Gymnophthalmidae | Cercosaura manicata

English common names: Long-sleeved Eyed-Lizard, Slender Eyed Lizard.

Spanish common names: Lagartija colilarga de mangas, lagartija rayada de mangas.

Recognition: ♂♂ 15.8 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=6.5 cm. ♀♀ 16.9 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=7.3 cm..^1,2 Species in the genus Cercosaura differ from other similar-sized leaf-litter lizards (particularly those in the genera Anadia, Alopoglossus, Arthrosaura, and Loxopholis) by having keeled and imbricate dorsal scales arranged in rows and scales on flanks smaller than dorsals.^1,3 Cercosaura manicata differs from its co-occurring congeners, C. argulus and C. oshaughnessyi, by having a single frontonasal scale instead of a pair of frontonasal scales.^2,4 Although C. manicata does not exhibit marked sexual dimorphism,⁴ males have a more intense orange-red coloration towards the rear of the body (Fig. 1).

Figure 1: Illustration of an adult male of Cercosaura manicata.

Natural history: Cercosaura manicata is a rarely seen lizard that inhabits well-preserved² to moderately disturbed rainforests, which may be terra-firme or seasonally flooded,⁵ but it also occurs in fragmented and open areas.⁶ Long-sleeved Eyed-Lizards are active during the day at ambient temperatures around 27–29°C.⁷ These reptiles are primarily terrestrial and forage actively amidst the leaf-litter,^2,7 but they also climb and bask on palm stilts, logs, stems, and shrubs up to 35 cm above the ground.² In the presence of a disturbance, Long-sleeved Eyed-Lizards take refuge in leaf-litter or among roots.² The diet of C. manicata is likely composed of a variety of ground-dwelling arthropods, but only spiders and orthopterans have been confirmed as prey items.² The snake Oxyrhopus petolarius has been reported as a predator of this species.² Cercosaura manicata an oviparous lizard. Gravid females containing two eggs have been found,² but the real clutch size is not known. One egg was found under a log.²

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Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..⁶ Cercosaura manicata is included in this category because it is widely distributed over areas that have not been heavily affected by deforestation. Thus, the species is believed to be facing no major immediate extinction threats.⁶ However, since C. manicata is a rare lizard associated with well-preserved forests, some populations are likely declining due to the continuous loss of forest habitat caused by the expansion of the agricultural frontier, mining, and oil development.⁶ It is necessary to know more about the ecology, distribution, and population trend of C. manicata in order to assess the true conservation needs of the species.⁶

Distribution: Cercosaura manicata is native to the upper Amazon basin in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador (Fig. 2), and Perú.

Figure 2: Distribution of Cercosaura manicata in Ecuador. The star corresponds to the type locality: Canelos, Pastaza province. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.

Etymology: The generic name Cercosaura, which comes from the Greek words kerkos (=tail) and saura (=lizard),⁸ probably refers to the long tail.⁹ The specific epithet manicata, which comes from the Latin word manus (=hand) and from the Greek word kata (=underneath),⁸ probably refers to the projected scales under the fingers.¹⁰

See it in the wild: Long-sleeved Eyed-Lizards are unlikely to be seen more than once every few months at any given locality, even in protected areas such as Limoncocha Biological Reserve and Tamandúa Reserve. So far, it appears the best way to find lizards of this species is to remove leaf-litter along forest trails in well-preserved habitats.

Authors: Amanda Quezada^aAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.^,^bAffiliation: Laboratorio de Herpetología, Universidad del Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador. and Alejandro Arteaga^cAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.

Academic reviewer: Jeffrey D Camper^dAffiliation: Department of Biology, Francis Marion University, Florence, USA.

Illustrator: Valentina Nieto Fernández

How to cite? Quezada A, Arteaga A (2023) Long-sleeved Eyed-Lizard (Cercosaura manicata). In: Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Vieira J (Eds) Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Available from: www.reptilesofecuador.com. DOI: 10.47051/RVQF3096

Literature cited:

Doan TM (2003) A new phylogenetic classification for the gymnophthalmid genera Cercosaura, Pantodactylus, and Prionodactylus (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 137: 101–115. DOI: 10.1046/j.1096-3642.2003.00043.x
Duellman WE (1978) The biology of an equatorial herpetofauna in Amazonian Ecuador. Publications of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas 65: 1–352.
Avila-Pires TCS (1995) Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoologische Verhandelingen 299: 1–706.
Uzzell T (1973) A revision of the genus Prionodactylus with a new genus for P. leucostictus and notes on the genus Euspondylus (Sauria, Teiidae). Postilla 159: 1–67.
Catenazzi A, Lehr E, von May R (2013) The amphibians and reptiles of Manu National Park and its buffer zone, Amazon basin and eastern slopes of the Andes, Peru. Biota Neotropica 13: 269–283. DOI: 10.1590/S1676-06032013000400024
Caicedo JR, Calderón M, Ines Hladki A, Ramírez Pinilla M, Renjifo J, Urbina N, Gonzales L, Aguayo R, Venegas P, Yánez-Muñoz M, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Muñoz A, Lehr E, Catenazzi A (2017) Cercosaura manicata. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T44578511A44578516.en
Fitch HS (1968) Temperature and behavior of some equatorial lizards. Herpetologica 24: 35–38.
Brown RW (1956) Composition of scientific words. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C., 882 pp.
Wagler JG (1830) Natürliches System der Amphibien: mit vorangehender Classification der Säugetiere und Vögel: ein Beitrag zur vergleichenden Zoologie. J.G. Cotta'scchen, München, 354 pp. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.58730
O’Shaughnessy AWE (1881) An account of the collection of lizards made by Mr. Buckley in Ecuador, and now in the British Museum, with descritions of the new species. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 49: 227–245.

Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Cercosaura manicata in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used. Asterisk (*) indicates type locality.

Country	Province	Locality	Source
Ecuador	Loreto	Campamento K10	Echevarría et al. 2015
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Limón, 13 km NE of	Doan 2003
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Marantian Wildlife Refuge	Mamani et al. 2020
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Puerto Morona, 12 km N of	Mamani et al. 2020
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Santiago de Tiwintza	MCZ 45779
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Wachirpas, 7 km E of	Doan 2003
Ecuador	Napo	Manuel Galindo, 15 km SE of	Uzzell 1973
Ecuador	Napo	Puerto Napo	Uzzell 1973
Ecuador	Napo	Puyo, 11.7 km NE of	USNM 196212
Ecuador	Orellana	Indillama Sur	Mamani et al. 2020
Ecuador	Orellana	Nueva Loja, 15 km S of	KU 148275
Ecuador	Pastaza	Arutam, 3 km E of	SMF 95946
Ecuador	Pastaza	Cabeceras del Bobonaza	Mamani et al. 2020
Ecuador	Pastaza	Campo Oglán	Torres-Carvajal et al. 2015
Ecuador	Pastaza	Canelos*	O’Shaughnessy 1881
Ecuador	Pastaza	Pablo Lopez de Oglán Alto	Echevarría et al. 2015
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Capahuari	Mamani et al. 2020
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Conambo, near mouth of Río Romarizo	USNM 196213
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Lliquino	USNM 194066
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Pindo	Uzzell 1973
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Villano	USNM 157105
Ecuador	Pastaza	Tamandúa Reserve	Photo by Jorge Flores
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Lago Agrio	KU 126845
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Limoncocha Biological Reserve	KU 183509
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Nueva Loja, 2 km S of	Duellman 1978
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Puerto Libre	Duellman 1978
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	San Pedro de los Cofanes	Duellman 1978
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Santa Cecilia	Duellman 1978
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Secoya	Mamani et al. 2020
Perú	Amazonas	Huampami	USNM 334921
Perú	Amazonas	Kumpin Entse	USNM 316899
Perú	Amazonas	Sua, vicinity of, on the Río Cenepa	USNM 316900
Perú	Loreto	Pongo Chinim	Echevarría et al. 2015