Published July 24, 2023. Updated November 29, 2023. Open access. Peer-reviewed. | Gallery ❯ |
Rainbow Stream-Lizard (Potamites strangulatus)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Sauria | Gymnophthalmidae | Potamites strangulatus
English common name: Rainbow Stream-Lizard.
Spanish common name: Lagartija ribereña tornasol.
Recognition: ♂♂ 22.1 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=8.7 cm. ♀♀ 19.5 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=7.6 cm..1,2 The Rainbow Stream-Lizard (Potamites strangulatus) can be identified from other stream-dwelling lizards in Ecuador by the absence of dorsolateral and paravertebral rows of tubercles. This differentiates it from its congener, P. ecpleopus, as well as from species in the genus Gelanesaurus.1,3 Males have a red or orange ring around the eyes (Fig. 1),4 bluish gular region, and reddish belly; females have a light yellowish ventral coloration.5 Males are also larger than females, have a broader head, and have more femoral pores (45–59 vs 6–13).1
Figure 1: Individuals of Potamites strangulatus from Ecuador: Reserva Río Bigai, Orellana province (); Pitalala Reserve, Napo province, Ecuador (); Tepuy Las Orquídeas, Zamora Chinchipe province (). j=juvenile.
Natural history: Potamites strangulatus is an uncommonly seen lizard that inhabits old-growth foothill rainforests, gallery forests, and cave systems,6 but may as well be found along forest borders.2,7 Rainbow Stream-Lizards are semi-aquatic and diurnal,1 although nocturnal activity has also been recorded.2,8 They are always found in association with water, usually along small streams and shallow creeks with muddy or sandy bottoms,1,8 as well as in sewage streams.2 During the day, these jittery reptiles actively forage among leaf-litter and in piles of sticks and rocks,2,7 rarely out in the open. When threatened, individuals run towards roots and leaf-litter, into holes in the banks, or directly to the water, submerging to the bottom debris.2 If captured, they usually wriggle and bite fiercely, but can also shed the tail. There are records of vipers (Bothrocophias microphthalmus) preying upon lizards of this species. Females of P. strangulatus lay clutches of three eggs.9
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..10 Potamites strangulatus is listed in this category because it has a large distribution, is present in protected areas, and occurs over an area that retains most of its forest cover.11 Therefore, the species is considered to be facing no major immediate threats of extinction. The most important threat is habitat destruction due to mining and the expansion of the agricultural frontier.10 Water pollution is also believed to be negatively impacting some populations.
Distribution: Potamites strangulatus is native to the Amazonian foothills of the Andes in Ecuador (Fig. 2) and northern Peru.
Figure 2: Distribution of Potamites strangulatus in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The generic name Potamites, which is a Greek noun meaning “water finder,” refers to the semi-aquatic habits of lizards in this genus.12 The specific epithet strangulatus refers to the “constriction of the neck,” a characteristic mentioned in the original description of the species.5
See it in the wild: Rainbow Stream-Lizards are uncommon throughout their range in Ecuador, with some exceptions, such as the forests around the towns Mera and Puyo. These lizards can be found during the day or at night by removing leaf-litter, logs, and rocks along shallow forest streams.
Acknowledgments: Special thanks to Asser Øllgaard for granting access to the Reserva Río Bigai, where the adult male of Potamites strangulatus of Fig. 1 was photographed.
Authors: Amanda QuezadaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.,bAffiliation: Laboratorio de Herpetología, Universidad del Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador. and Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
Academic reviewer: Jeffrey D CampercAffiliation: Department of Biology, Francis Marion University, Florence, USA.
Photographers: Jose VieiradAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,eAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador. and Amanda QuezadaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.,bAffiliation: Laboratorio de Herpetología, Universidad del Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador.
How to cite? Quezada A, Arteaga A (2023) Rainbow Stream-Lizard (Potamites strangulatus). 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/CJZA1821
Literature cited:
- Uzzell TM (1966) Teid Lizards of the genus Neusticurus (Reptilia, Sauria). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 132: 279–327.
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Altamirano-Benavides M, Zaher H, Lobo L, Grazziotin FG, Sales Nunes PM, Rodrigues MT (2013) A new species of lizard genus Potamites from Ecuador (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae). Zootaxa 3717: 345–358. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3717.3.4
- Chávez G, Catenazzi A (2014) A new Andean lizard of the genus Potamites (Sauria, Gymnophthalmidae) from Manu National Park, southeastern Peru. Zootaxa 3774: 45–56. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3774.1.3
- Cope ED (1868) An examination of the Reptilia and Batrachia obtained by the Orton Expedition to Equador and the Upper Amazon, with notes on other species. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 20: 96–140.
- García T, Prémel V, Torres-Carvajal O (2021) Reptiles de la Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Amazonía del Ecuador. Fundación Ecológica Sumac Muyu, Quito, 94 pp.
- Whitworth A, Beirne C (2011) Reptiles of the Yachana Reserve. Global Vision International, Exeter, 130 pp.
- Catenazzi AC, Venegas PJ (2012) Amphibians and reptiles. In: Pitman N, Ruelas E, Alvira D, Vriesendorp C, Moskovits DK, del Campo A, Wachter T, Stotz DF, Noningo S, Tuesta E, Smith CR (Eds) Perú: Cerros de Kampankis. The Field Museum, Chicago, 106–117.
- Mármol-Guijarro A, Rodríguez-Guerra A (2020) Potamites strangulatus. In: Torres-Carvajal O, Pazmiño-Otamendi G, Ayala-Varela F, Salazar-Valenzuela D (Eds) Reptiles del Ecuador. Museo de Zoología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Available from: https://bioweb.bio
- Cisneros-Heredia DF, Yánez-Muñoz M, Brito J (2017) Potamites strangulatus. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T44578730A44578738.en
- MAE (2012) Línea base de deforestación del Ecuador continental. Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador, Quito, 30 pp.
- Doan TM, Castoe TA (2005) Phylogenetic taxonomy of the Cercosaurini (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae), with new genera for species of Neusticurus and Proctoporus. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 143: 405–416. DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2005.00145.x
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Potamites strangulatus in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Ecuador | Azuay | Sopladora Camp | MZUA.Re.0311; examined |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Comunidad Jempekat | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Comunidad Shaime | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Cusuime | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Huamboya, 5 km SE of | Uzzell 1966 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Huamboya, 7.9 km SE of | USNM 163426; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Limón Indanza | USNM 196158 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Macas | USNM 196165; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Napimia | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Nueva Principal | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Numbacaime | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Runahurco Municipal Ecological Reserve | Photo by Alex Achig |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | San Carlos de Limón | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | San Juan Bosco, 4 km S of | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | San Luis de Ininkis | Uzzell 1966 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Sucúa | MCZ 151576; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Wisui | Chaparro et al. 2011 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Archidona | Torres-Carvajal et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Archidona, 10 km N of | MHNG 2088.036; collection database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Ávila Viejo | USNM 196170; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Napo | Comunidad Guagua Sumaco | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Diez de Agosto, 2 km E of | USNM 196160; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Napo | Finca Heimatlos | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Hidroeléctrica Coca Codo Sinclair | COCASINCLAIR 2013 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Jatun Sacha Biological Station | Vigle 2008 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Manuel Galindo, 3 km SW of | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Pano | Online multimedia |
| Ecuador | Napo | Pitalala, meseta | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Reserva Río Bigai | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Río Misahuallí | USNM 196157; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Napo | San Vicente de los Ríos, 4 km NW of | USNM 196169; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Napo | Wild Sumaco | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Yachana Reserve | Whitworth and Beirne 2011 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Loreto, 10 km NW of | Uzzell 1966 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Payamino, 4 km W of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Río Bigal Biological Reserve | García et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | San José de Payamino | Maynard et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Alto Río Anzu | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Arajuno, 3.6 km W of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Arajuno, 8.7 km S of | Uzzell 1966 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Arutam Field Station | SMF 90295 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Cabeceras del Río Bobonaza | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Canelos | Avila-Pires & Vitt 1998 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Comunidad Kallana | MZUTI 5082; examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Comunidad Nuevo Kurintza | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Curaray Medio | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | El Triunfo, 4.6 km NE of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Fátima Agroecological Scientific Station | Proaño-Morales et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Juri Juri Kawsay field station UCE | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Mera, 3.5 km W of | KU 146675; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Mera, 9 km NE of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Montalvo | USNM 196166; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Montalvo, 300 metes W of | Uzzell 1966 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pandanuque, 2 km NW of | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pandanuque, 6.5 km NE of | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pucayacu (Río Pucayacu) | USNM 196162; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Puerto Santana, 3 km N of | McAllister et al. 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Alpayacu | Uzzell 1966 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Copataza | USNM 196168; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Lipuno | USNM 196173; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Oglán | USNM 196167; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Rosario Yaku, 2 km N of | MCZ 147198; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Santana Field Station | SMF 90298 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Sarayacu | Avila-Pires & Vitt 1998 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Sumak Kawsay In Situ | Bentley et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Tambo Unión | MCZ 152587; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Tzarentza | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Villano, 2 km N of | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Cerros de Abitagua | Uzzell 1966 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Río Negro, 1.3 km NW of | KU 121209 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Alto Machinaza | Almendáriz et al. 2014 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Los Encuentros, 2 km E of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Miazi Alto | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Palanda, 7 km N of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Piuntza, 2 km N of | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Proyecto Mirador | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Reserva Natural Maycu | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Río Mayo | Zurita-Altamirano 2015 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Tepuy Las Orquídeas | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Valle del Quimi | Betancourt et al. 2018 |
| Peru | Amazonas | Alfonso Ugarte | Reynolds & Icochea 1997 |
| Peru | Amazonas | Comunidad Achu | MVZ 163212; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Comunidad Kayamas | USNM 316881; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Comunidad Kusu | MVZ 163218; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Comunidad Shimpunts | USNM 316882; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Huampami | MCZ R-182066; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Kumpin Entse | USNM 316886; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Quebrada Kampankis | Catenazzi & Venegas 2012 |
| Peru | Amazonas | Quebrada Wee | Chávez et al. 2021 |
| Peru | Amazonas | Santa María de Nieva | USNM 568959; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Shaim | USNM 560532; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Sua, vicinity of, on the Río Cenepa | USNM 560531; VertNet |
| Peru | Amazonas | Tuntanain Communal Reserve | MVZ 163215; VertNet |
| Peru | Loreto | Alto Cachiyacu | Venegas et al. 2014 |
| Peru | Loreto | Comunidad Papayacu | Catenazzi & Venegas 2012 |
| Peru | Loreto | Pongo de Manseriche | Uzzell 1966 |