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Tetradactylus tetradactylus (DAUDIN, 1802)

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Higher TaxaGerrhosauridae (Gerrhosaurinae), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Cape Long-tailed Seps, Longtail Whip Lizard 
SynonymChalcides tetradactylus DAUDIN 1802
Tetradactylus chalcidicus MERREM 1820
Saurophis tetradactylus — WAGLER 1830
Saurophis lacepedii DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1839: 389
Saurophis lacepedii — GRAVENHORST 1851: 304
Tetradactylus bilineatus HEWITT 1926: 417
Tetradactylus tetradactylus bilineatus LOVERIDGE 1942
Tetradactylus tetradactylus tetradactylus — FITZSIMONS 1943: 291
Tetradactylus tetradactylus bilineatus — FITZSIMONS 1943: 293
Tetradactylus tetradactylus — BRANCH 1990
Tetradactylus tetradactylus — BATES et al. 2014: 235 
DistributionRepublic of South Africa  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: lost (was MNHN); additional material: PEM
Holotype: PEM R9550 [bilineatus] 
DiagnosisDiagnosis (genus): Tongue covered with oblique plicae converging anteriorly towards the median line; nostril pierced between 2 (rarely 3) nasals and first
labial, or latter rarely excluded; no prefrontals; frontoparietals present; lower eyelid scaly; dorsal and ventral scales forming straight longitudinal and transverse series; a strong lateral fold; fore limbs present or absent; digits, if present, smooth inferiorly; femoral pores present or absent.
The members of this genus present an interesting series of stages between the four-footed Gerrhosaurus and the serpentiform Paratetradactylus. (Loveridge 1942: 524)


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CommentType species: Tetradactylus chalcidicus MERREM 1820 is the type species of the genus Tetradactylus MERREM 1820.

Synonymy: new material examined by Branch 1990 shows wide variability in the supposedly 'diagnostic' characters between T. tetradactylus and T. bilineatus. The many new localities also fill in much of the gap between the two 'races', hence Branch 1990 synonymized Tetradactylus bilineatus with Tetradactylus tetradactylus. 
EtymologyNamed after the 4 digits on both fore- and hindlimb, from Greek tetras (τετράς), the number four, and G. dactylos (δάκτυλος = finger).

The genus was named like the species although only this species appears to show the 4 finger / 4 toe arrangement. All other species have different numbers of toes (most of them fewer). 
References
  • BATES, M.F. 2011. Tetradactylus tetradactylus (Daudin, 1802). African Herp News (53): 52-53 - 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.
  • Bates, Michael F. 1993. Geographical Distribution. Gerrhosauridae: Tetradactylus tetradactylus (Lacepede, 1803). Journal of the Herpetological Association of Africa (Humewood), 42: 41. - get paper here
  • Berger-Dell'mour, H. A. E. 1983. Der Übergang von Echse zu Schleiche in der Gattung Tetradactylus, Merrem. Zool. Jb. Anat., 110 (1983): 1-152
  • Berger-Dell'mour, Hartwig A. E. 1985. The Lizard Genus Tetradactylus: A Model Case of an Evolutionary Process. In: Schuchmann, Karl-L. (Hrsg.): Proceedings of the International Symposium on African Vertebrates. Systematics, Phylogeny and Evolutionary Ecology. - Museum A. Koenig (Bonn); S. 495-510.
  • Branch, W. R. 1990. The genus Tetradactylus (Sauria: Gerrhosaurinae) in the Cape Province, South Africa: New records and their taxonomic status. J. Herp. Assoc. Africa 37: 13-16 - get paper here
  • Branch, William R.; Haagner, Gerald V. & Branch, M. S. 1992. Geographical Distribution. Sauria: Gerrhosauridae: Tetradactylus tetradactylus (Lacepede, 1803). Journal of the Herpetological Association of Africa (Humewood), 41: 37. - get paper here
  • Conradie, Werner; Brian Reeves , Neil Brown, & Jan A. Venter 2016. Herpetofauna of the Oviston, Commando Drift and Tsolwana nature reserves in the arid interior of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Indago 32: 81-98 - get paper here
  • CONRADIE, WERNER; WILLIAM R. BRANCH, & GILLIAN WATSON 2019. Type specimens in the Port Elizabeth Museum, South Africa, including the historically important Albany Museum collection. Part 2: Reptiles (Squamata). Zootaxa 4576 (1): 001–045 - get paper here
  • Daudin, F. M. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière des Reptiles, Vol. 4. F. Dufart, Paris, 397 pp. - get paper here
  • Duméril, A. M. C. and G. Bibron. 1839. Erpétologie Générale on Histoire Naturelle Complète des Reptiles. Vol. 5. Roret/Fain et Thunot, Paris, 871 pp. - get paper here
  • Essex, R. 1925. Descriptions of two new species of the genus Acontias and notes on some other lizards found in the Cape Province. Rec. Albany Mus. 3: 332-342.
  • Gravenhorst, J. L. C. 1851. Über die im Zoologischen Museum der Universität Breslau Befindlichen Wirtelschleichen (Pseudosaura), Krüppelfüssler (Brachypoda), und einige andere, Denselben verwandte Reptilien aus den Zünften der Schleichen und Dickzüngler [Euprepes striolatus]. Acta Acad. Caes. Leop. Carol. Nat. Cur. 23 (1): 291-394 [1847] - get paper here
  • Hewitt, J. 1915. Descriptions of two new South African lizards, Tetradactylus laevicauda and T. fitzsimonsi. Annals Transvaal Mus. 5 (2): 101-103 - get paper here
  • Hewitt, J. 1926. Descriptions of new and little known lizards and batrachians from South Africa. Annals of the South African Museum 20 (6): 413-431
 
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