Pachydactylus robertsi FITZSIMONS, 1938
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Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Large-scaled gecko, Shielded Thicktoed Gecko G: Rauhschuppen-Dickfingergecko |
Synonym | Pachydactylus robertsi FITZSIMONS 1938: 177 Pachydactylus scutatus robertsi — LOVERIDGE 1944: 3 Pachydactylus scutatus robertsi — LOVERIDGE 1947: 358 Pachydactylus scutatus robertsi — WERMUTH 1965: 122 Pachydactylus robertsi — BAUER et al. 2002 Pachydactylus robertsi — BAUER & LAMB 2005 Pachydactylus robertsi — BAUER et al. 2006 Pachydactylus aff. robertsi — RÖSLER 2015: 16 Pachydactylus robertsi — SCHLEICHER 2020 |
Distribution | Namibia (Keetmanshoop and Karasburg District) Type locality: Kraigluft Farm, Great Karras Mountains, Southwest Africa. |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Holotype: DNMNH (= TM) 17854 |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: To 42.0 mm (TM 17854). Pachydactylus robertsi may be distinguished from all other members of the P. serval/weberi group by the combination of the following characters: rostral excluded from nostril; supranasals in broad contact; scales on snout flattened to weakly conical, much larger than those of interorbital and parietal regions, which consist of relatively small tubercles interspersed among granular scales; dorsal scalation heterogeneous, with approximately 22 rows of large, rounded, flattened, weakly imbricate tubercles bearing very prominent central keels; thighs bearing enlarged keeled or conical tubercles; toes relatively short, toe pads narrow; typically 5 undivided lamellae beneath digit IV of pes; tail to at least 114% of SVL, moderately annulate, bearing whorls of keeled tubercles, well-separated from one another; adult pattern with a dark-edged white nape band approximately 2–3 scale rows in width; remainder of dorsum uniform buff to pale brown with small dark flecks relatively uniformly distributed; supralabials white, bordered above by a thick dark brown line passing through orbit (Figs. 62–65); juvenile pattern unknown, probably similar to adult. Pachydactylus robertsimay be distinguished from the unrelated P. scutatus, with which it has been confused, on the basis of the exclusion of the rostral from the nostril and its wider nuchal band (typically 2–3 scale rows vs 1 scale row) (BAUER et al. 2006). |
Comment | CONSERVATION STATUS. Pachydactylus robertsi is known from only a single quarter degree square in the Karasberg Mountains. Although no immediate threats to the species are evident, its restricted range make it vulnerable to habitat degradation (BAUER et al. 2006). Distribution: see map in BRANCH et al. 2011. |
Etymology | Named after Dr. J. Austin Roberts (1883-1948), a South African zoologist who in his day was the most prominent ornithologist in southern Africa. He had little formal zoological training but was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Pretoria (1935). |
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