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Pachydactylus reconditus BAUER, LAMB & BRANCH, 2006

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Higher TaxaGekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos)
Subspecies 
Common Names 
SynonymPachydactylus reconditus BAUER, LAMB & BRANCH 2006: 661
Pachydactylus capensis — STERNFELD 1911: 14 (part.)
Pachydactylus Weberi — STERNFELD 1911: 14 (part.)
Pachydactylus weberi werneri — LOVERIDGE 1947: 394 (part.)
Pachydactylus weberi acuminatus — MERTENS 1955: 49 (part.)
Pachydactylus reconditus — GRAMENTZ 2009
Pachydactylus reconditus — SCHLEICHER 2020 
DistributionNamibia (Windhoek, Rehoboth, Karibib, Gobabis, Okahandja, Omaruru Districts)

Type locality: Namibia, Khomas Region Windhoek District, Windhoek.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: DNMNH (= TM) 32838 (Fig. 75 in BAUER et al. 2006), Adult female, coll. W.J. Steyn and A. Mitchell, 27 February 1965; paratypes: CAS, NMNW 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: Amid-sized species, to 44.7 mm SVL. Pachydactylus reconditus may be distinguished from all other members of the P. serval/weberi group by the combination of the following characters: nasal region moderately inflated laterally; rostral excluded from nostril; supranasals in broad or narrow contact, or completely separated by internasal granule; scales on snout granular, rounded to oval, domed to very weakly conical; interorbital scales smaller than those of snout, heterogeneous; posterior parts of headcovered with small granules intermixed with many larger, rounded, conical tubercles regularly distributed across parietal and temporal regions, changing to dorsal trunk scalation on occiput; dorsal scalation heterogeneous, with large, strongly keeled rounded to oval tubercles arranged in 18–20 rows, largest on midflanks; thighs bearing enlarged conical tubercles; toes relatively short, toe pads relatively narrow; typically 5 undivided lamellae beneath digit IV of pes; tail to 115% of SVL, annulate, bearing whorls of moderately large, flattened, pointed, weakly-keeled tubercles, becoming conical distally; caudal tubercles usually separated from each other by a single scale; adult pattern pinkish-, yellowish- or reddish-brown or light brown with a dark-edged pale (white, pale yellow or grayish) nape band that may be entire or partially disrupted; remainder of dorsum patterned with regularly distributed, small dark brown markings; tail not banded, bearing scattered dark marks (Figs. 75–78 in BAUER et al. 2006; see also Girard 2002); hatchling pattern uniform light to mid-brown with a discrete pale nape band (e.g., NMNWnumber pending; Fig. 79 in BAUER et al. 2006); juvenile pattern similar to hatchling (Fig. 80–81 in BAUER et al. 2006) or with three vague pale trunk bands (two on mid-trunk one presacral) (e.g.,TM 41994; Fig. 76 in BAUER et al. 2006). This species is most similar to P. robertsi, from which it may be distinguished by its slightly smaller, non-imbricating dorsal tubercles and wider toe pads. 
CommentChresonymy incomplete. This species has been regularly assigned to the species in the synonymy.

HABITAT: This species is rupicolous and is also found in edificarian habitats in and around Windhoek.

Distribution: see map in BRANCH et al. 2011. 
EtymologyThe specific epithet is the Latin word reconditus, meaning hidden or concealed. It refers to the fact that this species, which has long been known from specimens, and which is common in and around Windhoek, has escaped recognition as a distinct species for almost 100 years. The name is formed in the masculine. 
References
  • Bauer, A. M., Ceríaco, L. M. P., Marques, M. P., & Becker, F. S. 2023. Highland reptiles of Angola and Namibia. Namibian Journal of Environment, 8, 259-276 - get paper here
  • Bauer, Aaron M. Lamb, Trip. Branch, William R. 2006. A revision of the Pachydactylus serval and P. weberi groups (Reptilia: Gekkota: Gekkonidae) of Southern Africa, with the description of eight new species. Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 57 (12-24):595-709. - get paper here
  • Branch, William R.; Aaron M. Bauer, Todd R. Jackman, and Matthew Heinicke 2011. A New Species of the Pachydactylus weberi Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Namibrand Reserve, Southern Namibia. Breviora (524): 1-15. - get paper here
  • Gramentz, D. 2009. Die Dickfingergeckos des südlichen Afrikas. Teil X: Zur Ökologie und Ethologie von Pachydactylus reconditus Bauer, Lamb & Branch, 2006, in einem Trockenfluss in Zentral-Namibia. Sauria 31 (4): 35-41 - get paper here
  • Herrmann, H.-W.; W.R. Branch 2013. Fifty years of herpetological research in the Namib Desert and Namibia with an updated and annotated species checklist. Journal of Arid Environments 93: 94–115 - get paper here
  • Loveridge, A. 1947. Revision of the African lizards of the family Gekkondiae. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard 98: 1-469 - get paper here
  • Mertens,R. 1955. Die Amphibien und Reptilien Südwestafrikas. Aus den Ergebnissen einer im Jahre 1952 ausgeführten Reise. Abh. senckenb. naturf. Ges. (Frankfurt) 490: 1-172 - get paper here
  • Schleicher, Alfred 2020. Reptiles of Namibia. Kuiseb Publishers, Windhoek, Namibia, 271 pp.
  • Sternfeld, Richard 1911. Die Fauna der deutschen Kolonien: Die Reptilien (ausser den Schlangen) und Amphibien von Deutsch-Südwestafrika. Herausgegeben vom Zoologischen Museum Berlin, Reihe 4, Heft 2, Berlin: R. Friedländer & S., i-iv + 1-65.
 
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