Three new lizard species discovered in Peru

Scientists have discovered three new lizard species in Peru.
Researchers from San Marcos University in Peru and Brigham Young University in the US identified three new lizards that have been "hidden" and confused with other lizards of the same group because of their overall similar appearance.
The study, which included molecular, ecological and more detailed morphological analyses, identified them as new species.
The new species are named for and dedicated to two different old Andean civilisations, Chavin and Wari, and an Inca ruler, Pachacutec.
The first lizard, Liolaemus pachacutec, was found above Pisac, an Inca ruin built by Pachacutec.
Another lizard, Liolaemus chavin, was found in an area close to the center of the Chavin culture, where reptiles and other animals were represented in some remarkable artistic expressions.

Liolaemus wari, the third lizard, was found close to the center of Wari culture, in Ayacucho department, southeastern Peru.

The new study shows that with few resources, multiple different lines of evidence can be integrated to discover new species and provide a basis for more stable scientific names, researchers said.
Species with scientific names are crucial because they become "visible" to national and international governments and organisations devoted to biodiversity conservation, they said.
Species delimited but not formally described and without scientific names don't exist in the real world, and this is an issue of pivotal importance in the Andean, Patagonian, and Neotropical regions of South America, they added.

The study was published in the journal Zookeys.