What a find in the Andes! Researchers in Peru have identified a previously unknown species of lizard. Its name: Liolaemus arequipensis. Its home is in the extreme high altitudes of Arequipa – up to an incredible 4,818 meters.
Cold, thin air, and severe temperature fluctuations define life there. The little lizard has adapted precisely to these extreme conditions. What is particularly astonishing is that the animals had been known to scientists for some time. It is just that, until now, no one knew they were dealing with a distinct species.
Under a false name for years!
Liolaemus arequipensis looks confusingly similar to related lizard species. That is exactly why the species remained unrecognized for so long. Only modern analytical methods provided clarity.
An international team of researchers compared the animals' DNA and simultaneously examined their anatomy and scales. The results finally provided the basis for scientifically describing the animals as a distinct species. The corresponding study was published on September 23, 2026, in the journal Diversity.
Its home is not for the cold-natured
The populations known so far live in the Castilla and Condesuyos provinces in the Arequipa Department. The animals have been documented between 3,774 and 4,818 meters above sea level.
At these heights, conditions prevail that would quickly have humans reaching for a warm jacket. The lizards move between rocks, grasslands, bofedales (high-altitude wetlands), and typical high Andean vegetation. They find shelter under stones or amidst dense vegetation.
The menu includes almost everything
The new species is apparently not very picky about its diet. Stomach content analyses showed both plant matter and small arthropods.
The menu includes spiders, beetles, bugs, and insect larvae, among other things. The lizard thus apparently makes quite consistent use of the food supply that the barren high Andean landscape offers.
Laying eggs? Not this lizard!
Liolaemus arequipensis also has an interesting strategy for reproduction: the species is viviparous. The females give birth to live young rather than laying eggs in the cold Andean landscape.
At extreme altitudes, this can be an important advantage. The embryos develop protected within the mother's body. Especially in low temperatures and with strong weather fluctuations, this method of reproduction can favor the development of the offspring.
This discovery was the breakthrough
The most important specimen for the scientific description comes from Huilluco in the Chilcaymarca district in the Castilla province. The adult male was collected on July 31, 2025, at an altitude of 3,784 meters and was later designated as the holotype of the new species.
Other animals studied come from areas including Orcopampa and the Laguna Tintarcocha region. This allowed the scientists to compare different populations and define the new species more precisely.
The next unknown species could be waiting
With Liolaemus arequipensis, the story may be far from over. During their research, the scientists found other genetic lineages whose exact classification remains open.
This could mean that other previously unknown species live in the Peruvian high Andes. Some animals currently attributed to already described species might also turn out to be distinct species upon closer genetic examination.
But is the new species endangered?
There is no reliable answer to that yet. Data on the actual distribution area and the size of the population are still insufficient.
The scientists therefore initially propose the classification “Data Deficient”. The available information is not yet sufficient to reliably assess the risk of extinction. Further studies are now intended to show where the lizard occurs and how large its populations actually are.
Small lizard, major scientific find
Almost 5,000 meters above sea level, between rocks and highland vegetation, the little lizard remained scientifically unrecognized for a long time. Now it has its own name: Liolaemus arequipensis.
And it is possibly just the beginning. The genetic studies provide indications that further scientific surprises could be waiting in the Peruvian high Andes.
Agencia Andina, 09/30/2026.
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Faculty of Biological Sciences, 09/25/2026.
Huamaní-Valderrama et al., Diversity, 09/23/2026, “Taxonomic Nightmare: Hard Species Delimitation in Liolaemus Lizards of the Peruvian High Andean Plateau with a Description of a New Cryptic Species”.
Image source: Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM), 09/25/2026.
