| Higher Taxa | Pygopodidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Edel Land Slider |
| Synonym | Pletholax gracilis edelensis STORR 1978: 304
Pletholax gracilis edelensis — ELLIS et al. 2018
Pletholax edelensis — KEALLEY et al. 2020 |
| Distribution | Australia (Western Australia: Shark Bay region)
Type locality: 4 km S of Useless Loop, Western Australia, in 26° 10' S, 113° 25' E.
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| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: WAM R54627, G. Harold and M. Peterson, 24 August 1976. Paratypes: WAM R54755, 5 km S Useless Loop, WA, Australia; WAM R54814, WAM R54863, 4 km S Useless Loop, WA, Australia; WAM R55085, 10 km NW Useless Loop, WA, Australia. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Distinguished from P. gracilis by absence of externally visible ear opening, larger body size, supraoculars similar in size (i.e. posterior not much larger than anterior), three supraciliaries (formed by division of long anterior supraciliary), two anterior temporals and lighter dorsal pattern with greater contrast between dorsal and lateral zones. |
| Comment | Limb morphology: Limbless.
Habitat. Occurring on white, grey, yellow or light brown sands or coastal dunes in the Shark Bay region. Associated vegetation includes Acacia shrubs, spinifex and low heaths (from collectors’ notes and Shea and Peterson [1993]). |
| Etymology | In reference to the type locality, Edel Land, where this species occurs and where the first specimens for Storr’s description were collected. Edel Land means ‘noble land’ in Dutch (and German), and the suffix -ensis is Latin for ‘from there’. |
| References |
- Bamford, M. J. 1998. Field observations on the semi-arboreal pygopodids Aclys concinna (Kluge 1974) and Pletholax gracilis (Cope 1864). Herpetofauna (Sydney) 28 (2): 2-4
- Boulenger, G.A. 1885. Catalogue of the lizards in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) I. Geckonidae, Eublepharidae, Uroplatidae, Pygopodidae, Agamidae. London: 450 pp. - get paper here
- Cogger, H. G. 2014. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, xxx + 1033 pp. - get paper here
- Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp.
- Cope, E.D. 1864. On the characters of the higher groups of Reptilia - Squamata - and especially y of the Diploglossa. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 1864: 224-231 - get paper here
- Glauert, L. 1956. Herpetological Miscellanea VIII Snake Lizards and Worm Lizards (Family Pygopodidae). Western Australian Naturalist 5 (6): - get paper here
- Kealley, Luke; Paul Doughty, Danielle Edwards and Ian G. Brennan 2020. Taxonomic assessment of two pygopodoid gecko subspecies from Western Australia. Israel J Ecol Evol 66 (3-4): 126-141 - get paper here
- Kinghorn, J. Roy 1926. A brief review of the family Pygopodidae. Rec. Austral. Mus. 15 (1): 40-64 - get paper here
- Kluge, Arnold G. 1976. Phylogenetic relationships in the lizard family Pygopodidae: an evaluation of theory, methods and data. Miscellaneous Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan (152): 1-72 - get paper here
- Laube, A. & Langner, C. 2007. Die “Geckos” Australiens. Draco 8 (29): 4-21 - get paper here
- Maryan, B., Gaikhorst, G., & Parkhurst, B. 2024. The terrestrial herpetofauna of the Zuytdorp coast and hinterland of Western Australia: Exceptional richness in a global biodiversity hotspot. Western Australian Naturalist, 33, 3
- Schlegel, [H.] 1865. Pygopus gracilis. p. 229. In: Cope, E. D. On the characters of the higher groups of REPTILIA SQUAMATA--and especially of the DIPLOGLOSSA. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 1864: 224-231 - get paper here
- Shea G M. & Peterson M. 1993. Notes on the biology of the genus Pletholax Cope (Squamata: Pygopodidae). Rec. West. Austr. Mus. 16 (3): 419-425. - get paper here
- Storr G M 1978. Taxonomic notes on the reptiles of the Shark Bay region, Western Australia. Rec. West. Aust. Mus. 6 (3): 303-318 - get paper here
- Wilson, S. & Swan, G. 2010. A complete guide to reptiles of Australia, 3rd ed. Chatswood: New Holland, 558 pp.
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