Pachydactylus sansteynae STEYN & MITCHELL 1967
Männchen von Pachydactylus sansteynae.
© W.D. Haacke.
Trächtiges Weibchen von Pachydactylus sansteynae.
© M. Barts.
Frisch geschlüpftes Jungtier von Pachydactylus sansteynae.
© M. Barts.
Lebensraum von Pachydactylus sansteynae. Namibia.
© M. Barts.
Originalbeschreibung / Original description:
Holotype: An adult U (CR 4478/4) from near Kuidas water-hole. Collected by C. Brits, 3. 4. 1966.
Allotype: An adult T (CR 4478/3) from the same locality. Collected by P.Motonane. 3. 4. 1966.
Paratypes: Two adults U U one subadult male(CR 4478/7, CR 4478/2 CR 4478/1), two juveniles (CR 4478/5—6) all from near Kuidas collected by W. Steyn. A. Visagie and P. Motonane, 3. 4. 1966; a juvenile (CR 3057) collected by F. Brown ten miles inland from the Huab river mouth, 28. 6. 1966; and a juvenile CR 2838) collected by P. Motonane 5 miles north of the Huab river mouth, near the coast, 24. 4. 1966.
Other material: Two juveniles (CR 3871/1—2) collected by W. Steyn and P. Motonane respectively, 5 miles north of the Huab river mouth, near the coast, 29. 1965; and a juvenile CR 2838/1 collected at the same locality by S. M. Steyn 24. 4. 1964. The last-mentioned specimen was the first to be collected, and was donated to the TransvaalMuseum on 1. 5. 1964. All other material referred to is kept in the StateMuseum.
Type locality: The vicinity of Kuidas water-hole in the Southern Kaoko-veld, (about 13°45' E., 20°38' S., altitude about 1200').
Diagnosis: A nocturnal form related to Pachydactylus serval Werner, but distinguishable therefrom by the presence of enlarged conical keeled tubercles on the hindlimbs, a higher labial count, the granular nature of the ventral lepidosis, a lower num ber of subdigital scansors, and by the arrangement of the tubercles at the base of the tail.
Description: Holotype: Body slender. Head elongately oval, distinct from neck and 1.19 times as long as broad. Snout slightly convex, obtusely pointed 1.54 times as long as the horizontal diameter of the eye, and 1.34 times as long as the distance from eye to ear opening, which is small (approximately 1/3diameter of the eye) and horizontally oval. Nostril opening outwards and forwards, pierced between the first upper labial, the rostral and 3 nasal scales, the anteriormost of which (the nasorostrals) are in narrow contact behind the rostral, which is 1.75 times as broad as deep. The nasorostrals are moderately swollen but the nasal "ring" is not raised. Upper labials 11+11; lower labials 10+11. Mental a little narrower than adjacent labials; not narrowed posteriorly. No enlarged chin shields. Gulars granular, juxtaposed, rounded and subconical becoming larger towards and at lateral labial margins. Over chest and belly, the granules become progressively larger, convex, juxtaposed to subimbricate except for a small triangular area midabdominally where the scales are larger and flattened; for the most part the belly scales are subequal to or slightly larger than the dorsal scales. No preanal nor femoral pores. Occipital granules slightly unequal, juxtaposed, rounded, sub-conical and much smaller than the enlarged convex scales on the snout. Intermixed with the occipital granules are a few widely scattered rounded conical tubercles, which are subequal in size to the scales on the snout and more num erous posteriorly. Dorsal scales granular, juxtaposed, convex to subconical, slightly unequal in size and subequal to or slightly larger than the occipital granules.
On the back are small, well separated, rounded, moderately keeled tubercles distinctly larger posterolaterally and arranged in a pattern of 6—7 irregular longitudinal rows on either side of a wide middorsal area free of tubercles. This middorsal area is ± 5 granules wide. The granules on the flanks are more strong ly conical. Tail (distal 1/3reproduced) distincly verticillate each segment terminating dorsally in a transverse series of 6 to 4 (6 approximally 4 distally) strongly keeled, large almost spinose tubercles; each row of tubercles being separated by 4—5 transverse rows of convex obtusely keeled, juxtaposed scales. Ventrally the tail is covered with unequal, juxtaposed subconical scales more or less subequal to or slightly larger than the scales on the dorsal surface. Limbs moderately slender. The adpressed hindlimb reaches the elbow of the backward pressed forelimb. Hindlimb with large strongly keeled tubercles; few on upper limb, but fairly numerous on dorsolateral surface of lower limb. Forelimb with convex, granular, juxtaposed scales but without tubercles. Digits moderate, a median series of transversely enlarged scales below. Digital expansions small.
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Scansors under fingers |
Scansors under toes |
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|
Right |
Left |
Right |
Left |
|
I 4 |
4 |
I 5 |
5 |
|
II 4 |
4 |
II 4 |
5 |
|
III 5 |
5 |
III 4 |
5 |
|
IV 5 |
5 |
IV 4 |
4 |
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V 4 |
4 |
V 5 |
5 |
Postanal sacs present above which, on either side of the base of the tail are a serie of white tubercles, arranged in the order 4 superior and 3 inferior. The upp er 4 are tooth-like and much larger than the lower 3.
Colour (in spirits): Head and body mauvish brown above with irregular darker vermicular spots or blotches from the head to the base of the tail. Limbs and tail more or less uniform brown with faint vermiculations. Caudal tubercles a little ligther in colour, giving the tail an indistinctly barred appearance. On either side of the head a streak of darker brown arises at the snout, passes through the eye and terminates above and behind the ear opening.
The extra-brillar fringes at the anterior edge of the eyes are white. The under parts are uniformly white to greyish white.
Dimensions (in mm.):— Total length 86.3 (48.2 + 38.5) the tail being equivalent to 79% of the head and body measurement. Head length 12.70; Head breadth 10.67
Allotype: Head 1.18 times as long as broad, snout 1.70 times as long as the horizontal diameter of the eye and 1.18 times as long as the distances from eye to ear opening which is small to moderate, (one side being nearly 1/2 the diameter of the eye). Rostral twice as broad as deep. Upper labials 10 + 10; lower labials 10 + 9. Middorsal area free of tubercles 4—6 granules wide. The tail is not the original one, the upper surface with slightly unequal juxtaposed, obtusely keeled scales below as described for the holotype.
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Scansors under fingers |
Scansors under toes |
||
|
Right |
Left |
Right |
Left |
|
I 4 |
4 |
I 5 |
5 |
|
II 4 |
4 |
II damaged |
5 |
|
III 5 |
4 |
III 5 |
5 |
|
IV 4 |
4 |
IV 5 |
5 |
|
V 4 |
4 |
V 4 |
4 |
A minute needle-like claw is present on the toes between the first scansor (the most distal one) and the nail-like scale above. There are no postanal sacs and the tubercles laterally at the base of the tail are small the lower series being indistinct. The basic colour is a little lighter and the vermicular spots are much smaller than in the holotype.
Dimensions:— Total length 78.5 (45.7 + 42.8) the tail being equivalent to 72% of snout to vent measurement. Head length 11.20; Head breadth 9.51
Paratypes: The variation observed in the paratypes is as follows. (The mean is given for the whole type series.) Head 1.19—1.50 (mean 1.30) times as long as broad. Snout 1.31—1.70 (mean 1.49) times as long as the diameter of the eye, and 1.13—1.48 (mean 1.33) times as long as the distance from eye to ear opening, which is small to moderate, horizontally oval or rounded. The ear opening appears to have the ability to close almost completely to a horizontal slit; and in the juveniles the eye is larger in proportion to the other measurements. Nostril opening outwards, or outwards and forwards pierced between three nasal scales, the first upper labial and the rostral on one side in each of two paratypes the first upper labial is narrowly excluded by a thin forward prolongation of the posterior nasal scale. Generally the labial borders the nostril more extensively than does the rostral, which is 1.75—2.00 (mean 1.93) times as broad as deep. Nasorostrals usually in short to moderate contact, or separated by a single gran- ule in 4 paratypes.
Upper labials 10—12 (usually 10—11) lower labials, 8—12 (usually 10—11) for only one side in a single paratype is the lowest figure recorded and similarly the higher figure of twelve occurs only once in the series. Middorsal area free of tubercles usually 5—7 granules wide. In two paratypes this area is very large being 10—20 granules wide. A few of the median scales ventrally in the tail of one paratype are enlarged. There are never more than 5, or less than 4 scansors per digit. Claw observed only in the allotype. Tubercles at the base of the tail arranged in all specimens, with 4 above. In the juveniles the lower series are difficult to distiguish from the adjacent conical granules. The size of the brown spots dorsally in the series is very variable. In the juveniles these spots are broken up into densely aggregate minute flecks, giving the body a more or less uniform colour. Every stage of gradation occurs from this condition to that described for the holotype. To a large extent this variability can be correlated with age as is the case with the state of development of the keeled tubercles on the hindlimbs. In juveniles these tubercles may be very inconspicuous.
Dimensions:— The tail is equivalent to between 73 and 92% (mean 81%) of the snout to vent measurement, regenerated tails apparently not growing to the legnth of the originals.
Sexual dimorphism:— In the female and juveniles the postanal sacs are absent and the tubercles at the base of the tail are much less developed.