Pachydactylus geitje (SPARRMAN, 1778)
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Pachydactylus geitje
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| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Ocellated Thick-Toed Gecko, Cradock Thick-toed Gecko |
| Synonym | Lacerta geitje SPARRMAN 1778: 75 Stellio geitie — SCHNEIDER 1792: 34 (invalid emendation) Gekko Geitje — MEYER 1795: 26 Gecko ocellatus CUVIER 1817 (fide LOVERIDGE 1947) Gecko inunguis CUVIER 1817 (part.) Anoplopus inunguis — WAGLER 1830 Pachydactylus bergii WIEGMANN 1834: 19 (fide LOVERIDGE 1947) Platydactylus ocellatus — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1836: 298 Cantinia Ascensionis GRAY — GRAY 1845: 167 Pachydactylus ocellatus — BOULENGER 1885: 205 Pachydactylus monticolus FITZSIMONS 1943 Pachydactylus monticolus — LOVERIDGE 1947: 368 Pachydactylus geitje — LOVERIDGE 1947: 350 Pachydactylus geitje — WERMUTH 1965: 118 Pachydactylus monticolus — WERMUTH 1965: 121 Pachydactylus monticolus — KLUGE 1993 Pachydactylus geitje — KLUGE 1993 Pachydactylus geitje — RÖSLER 2000: 98 Pachydactylus monticolus — RÖSLER 2000: 98 Pachydactylus monticolus — MASHININI & MAHLANGU 2013 Pachydactylus geitje — BATES et al. 2014: 130 |
| Distribution | Republic of South Africa (Cape Province, S Ascension) Type locality: South Africa (“Goorees Rivier ?” fide WERMUTH 1965). monticolus: South Africa (Cape Province); Type locality: Assegaibos, near the origin of the Berg River, Lamotte Foerestry Station, Fransch Hoek Mountains, Cape Province. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: NRM 318 Holotype: DNMNH (= TM) 19698 [monticolus] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Pachydactylus species range in size from approximately 35–85 mm in adult maximum SVL. Most species have a medium build, with bodies generally rounded in cross section in terrestrial species to depressed in some rock-dwelling species. Tails are variable – sometimes relatively narrow but other times quite thick. As in all gekkonids, eyelids do not function. Most species are patterned in shades of muted shades of brown, most often with additional markings such as spots, blotches, or bands; these markings make a few species quite handsome. Species are distinguished from other gekkonid geckos by the following combination of characteristics: hyperphalangy of digit I of the manus and pes; hyoid with second ceratobranchial cartilages; eye with vertical pupil; eyelids not functional; digits with undivided adhesive subdigital lamellae or granular scales; claws minute or absent; dorsal scalation small, granular, with or without larger keeled or unkeeled tubercles; preanal and femoral pores absent; precloacal spurs present; no significant dermal co-ossification of head (Loveridge 1947; Kluge 1983; Branch 1998, Bauer and Lamb 2005). |
| Comment | Type species: Pachydactylus bergii WIEGMANN 1834 is the type species of the genus Pachydactylus WIEGMANN 1834. Phylogenetics: Heinicke et al. 2017 presented an extensive phylogenetic analysis in which they grouped the genus in multiple groups and provided body and range sizes as well as microhabitat data for almost all species. Synonymy partly after BAUER & LAMB 2005, RÖSLER et al. 2012, and A. Bauer, pers. comm, 4 Oct 2014. There is no type material for Gecko inunguis CUVIER 1817, so it is unclear what exactly it is (RÖSLER et al. 2012). RÖSLER 2000 lists P. monticolus with a question mark. BAUER & LAMB 2005 did not mention P. monticolus at all. Cantinea GRAY 1840 is probably a misspelling of Cantinia and a nomen nudum (Rösler et al. 2018, forthcoming). |
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