Researchers have identified a new species of lizard in the Peruvian Andes, according to the Natural History Museum of San Marcos University. The lizard, named Liolaemus archipensis, was discovered at an elevation exceeding 4,800 meters (approximately 15,750 feet) in the southern Andean region of Arequipa.

The species measures between six and eight centimeters (2.4 to 3.2 inches) in length and exhibits sexual dimorphism in its coloration patterns. Female specimens display square-shaped spots on their backs, while males feature oblique spots alongside white scales that aid camouflage against the rocky terrain.

Liolaemus archipensis primarily consumes a diet consisting of plants as well as various small arthropods, including spiders, beetles, true bugs, and insect larvae. The discovery contributes significant new information to the understanding of biodiversity in Peru, which is known to host 296 lizard species.

The research team was led by biologist Ling Huamani-Valderrama, who emphasized the importance of the finding for the region’s ecological knowledge. Details of the species’ description were published in the Swiss scientific journal Diversity.