Goggia rupicola (FITZSIMONS 1938)
Adultes Weibchen von Goggia rupicola. NW-Südafrika.
© M. Barts.
Adultes Weibchen von Goggia rupicola. NW-Südafrika.
© M. Barts.
Frisch geschlüpftes Jungtier von Goggia rupicola. NW-Südafrika.
© M. Barts.
Schlupf von Goggia rupicola.
© M. Barts.
Originalbeschreibung / Original description
Nine specimens were collected: T.M. 18161-18168, between O'okiep and Springbok, 23 August 1937; 18105, 32 miles from Springbok on road to Kamaggas, 25 August 1937.
TYPE. Male T.M. 18161.
DESCRIPTION. Head oviform, about 1 1/3 times as long as broad, distinctly depressed and flattened above; snout obtusely pointed, a little over 1 1/2 times diameter of eye and about 1 1/6 times distance from eye to ear-opening; latter oval and very oblique. Nostril pierced between rostral, first upper labial, a large nasorostral and 2-3 small nasals. Rostral large, subrectangular, at least twice as broad as deep, with a median cleft above, not quite extending half-way down. Nasorostrals widely separated by 2-3 granular scales. Upper labials 7-8 (seventh usually below middle of eye), lower 6-7. Mental large, broader at base than adjoining labials, subtriangular to subpentagonal in shape, narrowing to a point behind, where it extends well beyond posterior margin of adjoining labials; a row of enlarged chin shields, median pair in contact with mental and larger than other's which become smaller along sides. Scales on snout slightly convex, larger than those on occiput which are much flattened; scales on back more or less flattened, subgranular, rounded, juxtaposed, smaller over middle of back than on sides, subequal to or a little larger than scales on snout. Below, gular scales small, subequal in size to those on occiput; scales on belly large flattened hexagonal, subimbricate, distinctly larger than scales on back. Body depressed; digits with infero-median row of scales slightly enlarged, especially at base, thence becoming smaller distally and breaking up into small scales short of distal expansion, which consists of a pair of enlarged, slightly elongate, rhomboidal adhesive plates. A short transverse row of 4 preanal pores. Tail depressed, covered above with flattened, subimbricate scales, larger than on back, arranged in more or less regular transverse series; below, scales larger, less uniform, in shape and arrangement, imbricate and larger than on belly. A slightly oblique row of 3 enlarged flattened scales at base of tail near vent.
COLOUR. Above, dark greyish brown with scattered semicircular, pale greyish to slate spots, each bearing a small yellowish to salmon-coloured spot within the black-edged anterior curve; a thin black streak from nostril through eye to just above ear-opening. Below, greyish white. Tail above similarly marked as back, but tinged with olive yellow.
DIMENSIONS. Type male (T.M. 18161), H. and B. 28, tail 29,3, length head 6,6, breadth head 5,2, forelimb 8,8, hindlimb 11,5 mm. Paratype female (T.M. 18165), H. and B. 29, tail 31, length head 6,8, breadth head 5,2, forelimb 9,5, hindlimb 12 mm.
REMARKS. The following variations were noted: nasorostrals widely separated by one large granular scale in two specimens, by two granules in six and by three in one; mental may be subtriangular to subpentagonal; 2-3 enlarged chin shields in contact with mental behind, these may be distinctly larger or not much larger than those following; preanal pores in males, 4 in three specimens and 3 in one; pale semicircular spots (dark edged in front) occasionally arranged in more or less regular transverse series on back. Closely related to P. lineatus essexi Hewitt, from which it can be distinguished mainly on the dorsal and ventral scaling and the colour markings.
FIELD NOTES. Taken in cracks and crevices of rocks forming small outcrops along bottom of valley. Three eggs were collected between O'okiep and Springbok; these are elliptical in shape and average 7,8 x 6,0 mm.