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Ptenopus maculatus (GRAY, 1866)

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Higher TaxaGekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Spotted Barking Gecko, Damaraland barking gecko 
SynonymPtenopus maculatus GRAY 1866: 640
Ptenopus maculatus — COPE 1869: 321
Ptenopus garrulus maculatus — FITZSIMONS 1935: 525
Ptenopus garrulus maculatus — LOVERIDGE 1947: 33
Ptenopus garrulus maculatus — WERMUTH 1965: 153
Ptenopus garrulus maculatus — HAACKE 1975
Ptenopus garrulus maculatus — BAUER et al. 1993
Ptenopus garrulus maculatus — BRANCH 1994
Ptenopus garrulus maculatus — BATES et al. 2014: 146 
DistributionSouthwest Africa, southern Damaraland, Great Namaqualand, Nw Cape Province (= Little Namaqualand)

Type locality: Damaraland, Southwest Africa  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesLectotype. BMNH 1946.8.23.54, paralectotype: BMNH 1946.8.23.53 
DiagnosisDiagnosis (genus): Ptenopus species midsized geckos, ranging in size from approximately 50–65 mm in adult maximum SVL. Ptenopus species are robust in body form, with notably large eyes and extremely short snouts. As in all gekkonids, eyelids do not fully function, but unlike other gekkonids, the eyelids are partially movable. The typical color pattern is muted tan, brown, or gray, usually with spots, reticulations, or bands. Species of Ptenopus are distinguished from other geckos by the following combination of characteristics: hyoid with second ceratobranchial cartilages; 15–17 scleral ossicles; stapedial foramen absent; frontal single and parietal paired; cloacal bones present; phalangeal formula 2-3-4-5-3/2-3-4-5-4 (manus/pes); paraphalangeal elements absent; eye with vertical pupil, with notched margins; digits free, not broadened into adhesive pads but with lateral fringes, prominently clawed; dorsal scalation relatively uniform, small granules; preanal pores absent; tail thick, cylindrical, tapering; females lay one or two hard-shelled eggs (Loveridge 1947, Kluge 1967, 1987, Kluge and Nussbaum 1995, Russell and Bauer 2008).


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CommentType species: Ptenopus maculatus GRAY 1866 is the type species of the genus Ptenopus SMITH 1866: 640.

Key: Haacke 1964: 3 has a key to the species of Ptenopus.

Diet: a large percentage of the diet of this species (10-30%) consists of ants (Lucas et al. 2023).

Phylogenetics: P. g. maculatus is composed of multiple (paraphyletic) lineages that will need to be split up (Tolley et al. 2024).

Distribution: for a map see Becker et al. 2025: 289 (Fig. 5). 
EtymologyThe genus was named after Greek ptenos (πτηνός), feathered or winged + Greek pous (πούς), foot. [“…with a series of elongated subulate scales forming a fringe on each side of the toes on the sides…”]. 
References
  • Auerbach, R.D. 1987. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Botswana. Mokwepa Consultants, Botswana, 295 pp.
  • Barts, Mirko 2018. Ein kleiner Reiseführer zu den Reptilien und Amphibien Namibias. Draco 16 (64): 6-23 [2015] - get paper here
  • Bates, M.F.; Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M.; Burger, M., Marais, J.; Alexander, G.J. & de Villliers, M.S. (eds.) 2014. Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland. Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 512 pp.
  • Bauer, A.M. 2013. Geckos - The Animal Answer Guide. Johns Hopkins University Press, 159 pp.
  • Bauer, A.M., and Branch, W.R. 2003. The herpetofauna of the Richtersveld National Park, Northern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa. Herpetological Natural History 8: 111-160 [2001]
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  • Becker FS, Alexander GJ, Tolley KA 2025. Singing on key: An integrative taxonomic revision of barking geckos (Gekkonidae: Pteno- pus) with six additional species and keys for morphology and advertisement calls. Vertebrate Zoology 75: 277–323 - get paper here
  • Becker, F. S., Alexander, G. J., & Tolley, K. A. 2024. Substrate specialisation drives an unexpectedly diverse radiation in barking geckos (Ptenopus: Gekkonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 108104 - get paper here
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