In a volcanic lava field of Argentina sat a cryptic creature with "bulged" nostrils. Its patterned body blended in with the arid mountain landscape -- but not well enough.
Passing scientists noticed the scaly animal and discovered a new species.
Researchers hiked into the mountainous volcanic fields of Patagonia several times between 2005 and 2011 searching for hard-to-find wildlife, according to a study published Dec. 16 in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
During their treks, researchers encountered a few cryptic-looking lizards and, for years, identified them as a known species, the study said.
No one challenged that conclusion until another team of scientists did a DNA analysis of Patagonian lizards. Their analysis suggested the volcanic lizards were actually a genetically distinct group.
Intrigued, researchers took a second look at the animals and, sure enough, noticed subtle but consistent differences. They'd discovered a new species: Diplolaemus vulcanus, or the Vulcan lizard.
Vulcan lizards can reach about 8 inches in length, the study said. They have "elongated" snouts, "bulged" nostrils and claws. Photos show its brown and tan pattern.
"We still know relatively little about (the new species's) ecology and behavior," study co-author Juan Vrdoljak wrote in an email to McClatchy News.
"However, other species in the genus (and family) are carnivorous, feeding on insects and occasionally other lizards, so it's likely that D. vulcanus has similar habits," Vrdoljak wrote. "These lizards typically take shelter among the rocks scattered across the volcanic plains."
Vulcan lizards live in volcanic lava fields at elevations of at least 5,600 feet, the study said. Researchers named the new species "vulcanus" after the Latin word for "Vulcan, God of Fire," because of its preferred habitat.
So far, the new species has been found at several sites in Neuquén Province, a region of western Argentina and along the border with Chile, the study said.
The research team included Vrdoljak, Kevin Imanol Sánchez, Andrea González-Marín, Mariana Morando and Luciano Javier Avila.
"This discovery builds on decades of research by the Patagonian Herpetology Group," Vrdoljak wrote. "Many of the hypotheses in this study stem from previous work and numerous field trips, particularly by Dr. Luciano Javier Avila and Dr. Mariana Morando."
Researchers also identified several more undescribed species but lacked the information to verify.