Haemodracon riebeckii (PETERS, 1882)
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Haemodracon riebeckii
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| Higher Taxa | Phyllodactylidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | G: Sokotra-Riesengecko E:g Socotra Giant gecko |
| Synonym | Diplodactylus riebeckii PETERS 1882: 43 Ptyodactylus homolepis BLANFORD 1877 Ptyodactylus homolepis — STEINDACHNER 1899: 162. Phyllodactylus riebeckii — BOULENGER 1885: 94 Ptyodactylus socotranus STEINDACHNER 1902: 287 (fide EISELT) Ptyodactylus sokotranus STEINDACHNER 1903: 12 (nom. subst.) Ptyodactylus homolepis sokotranus — LOVERIDGE 1947: 274 Ptyodactylus homolepis socotranus — WERMUTH 1965: 157 Ptyodactylus homolepis socotranus — KLUGE 1991: 29 Phyllodactylus riebeckii — KLUGE 1993 Haemodracon riebeckii — BAUER et al. 1997 Phyllodactylus riebecki [sic] — WRANIK & RÖSLER 1997: 10 Haemodracon riebeckii — RAZZETTI et al. 2011 Haemodracon riebeckii — RÖSLER 2018: 40 |
| Distribution | Socotra Island, Samha Island (Republic of Yemen) Type locality: Socotra [Yemen], by implication. socotranus: Socotra Island; Type locality: Gebel Hali bei Kallansiye, Sokotra. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: ZMB 10109 syntypes: NMW [socotranus] |
| Diagnosis | DIAGNOSIS (genus): “Haemodracon may be distinguished from all other gekkonids by the following combination of characteristics: digits bearing a single pair of enlarged ("leaf-toed") terminal scansors; dorsal scalation atuberculate; scales on snout smaller than those on dorsum of body (enlarged co-ossified snout scales present in H. trachyrhinus); enlarged chinshields present; rostral entire or completely divided; first supralabial enters nostril; margins of pupil crennelate in preserved specimens; preanal pores absent; subcaudal scales not transversely enlarged, tail without terminal scansorial pad; no sexual dichromatism; nasal bones fused; parietals paired; premaxilla with short triangular nasal projection; frontal broad, not strongly constricted over orbits, with extensive maxillary contact; 25-30 maxillary tooth loci in adults; postfrontal bones with longer posterior than anterior projection, without pronounced lateral spine; stapes imperforate; coronoid bone raised well above the level of dentary tooth row; second ceratobranchial arch of hyoid present; neural arches of atlas paired; 26 presacral vertebrae, l lumbar vertebra; 3 cervical ribs, 3 sternal ribs, 1-2 mesosternal ribs; I pair of clavicular fenestrae; interclavicle cruciform; union of scapula and precoracoid ray of epicoracod cartilaginous; phalangeal formulae unreduced (2-3-4-5-3 manus, 2-3-4-5-4 pes); cloacal sacs and bones absent. The absence of cloacal sacs and bones is a derived character state (Kluge 1967, 1982, 1987, 1995; Kluge and Nussbaum 1995) unique to Haemodracon among leaf-toed geckos, except for members of the genus Asaccus (Dixon and Anderson 1973; Amold and Gardner 1994). Haemodracon is distinguished from the six species in the latter genus by the retention of the plesiomorphic states with respect to phalangeal formula of the manus (reduced to 2.3.4.4.3 In all Asaccus, at least during some stage in ontogeny), and presence of two oviducts (left oviduct lacking in Asaccus) (Arnold and Gardner 1994). The fused nasals of Haemodracon represent a derived condition shared with Paroedura, Christinus, some Urocotyledon, and some African Phyllodactylus. Haemodracon also differs from Asaccus in being atuberculate and in possessing an imperforate stapes.” Description: “Mit einer gemessenen GL von 290 mm ist H. riebeckii die größte Geckoart aller zum Sokotra-Archipel gehörenden Inseln. Während unserer Feldstudien sahen wir jedoch auch Exemplare, die sicherlich größer als 300 mm waren. Allerdings lebten solche „Kolossalgrößen“ durchweg in einer Umgebung, die jeglichen Fangversuch ausschlossen. Die Grundfarbe von H. riebeckii ist ein Steingrau, das individuell einmal mehr zu grau und dann wieder etwas mehr zu braun tendiert (Abb. 2). Die Rückenzeichnung besteht aus dunkelbraunen bis schwarzbraunen Flecken. Es wurden aber auch Exemplare mit sehr blasser Zeichnung gefunden. [...] Die Jungtiere von H. riebeckii sind etwas kontrastreicher gefärbt als die adulten Exemplare. Neben der Schwanzbänderung ist im Besonderen die Kopfzeichnung sehr auffällig” (Rösler & Wranik 2005) |
| Comment | Type Species: Diplodactylus riebeckii PETERS 1882 is the type species of the genus Haemodracon Bauer, Good & Branch 1997. |
| Etymology | Named after Dr. Emil Riebeck (1853-1885), a German ethnologist, mineralogist, and explorer. The genus name is Latinized Greek from haema- (blood) and dracon (dragon) signifying dragon's blood, in reference to the fact that members of this genus are endemic to the island of Socotra, known for an agave, Dracaena cinnabari, that produces a deep red resin referred to as dragon's blood. Haemodracon is masculine (Bauer et al. 1997). |
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