Pachydactylus griffini BAUER, LAMB & BRANCH 2006
Gravid female of Pachydactylus griffini.
© M. Barts.
Female of Pachydactylus griffini.
© J. Marais.
Close up view of Pachydactylus griffini.
© J. Marais.
Gravid female of Pachydactylus griffini.
© F. Colaciccio.
Habitat of Pachydactylus griffini.
© F. Colaciccio.
Originalbeschreibung / Original description
BAUER, A., T. LAMB & B. BRANCH (2006): A Revision of the Pachydactylus serval and P. weberi Groups (Reptilia: Gekkota: Gekkonidae) of Southern Africa, with the Description of Eight New Species. – Proc. California Acad. Sci., Fourth Series, 57 (23): 595–709. — Terra typica: Namibia, Karas Region, Keetmanshoop District, 4 mi NW Aroab on rd. to Keetmanshoop (2619Dc).
ETYMOLOGY.— The specific epithet of this Namibian endemic is a patronym honoring Mike Griffin, Senior Support Specialist, Ministry of the Environment and Tourism, Windhoek, Namibia. Mr. Griffin has contributed greatly to the knowledge and conservation of the herpetofauna of Namibia and for many years has provided support and advice during our research expeditions to Namibia. The name is constructed in the masculine genitive.
DIAGNOSIS.— A small species, to 39.4 mm SVL. Pachydactylus griffini may be distinguished from all other members of the P. serval/weberi group by the combination of the following characters: snout strongly inflated laterally; rostral enters nostril; supranasals in narrow or broad contact; scales on dorsum of head uniform and granular, those on snout larger than those of interorbital region; no tubercles on parietal table; dorsal scalation largely homogeneous, with small, scattered, flattened, weakly keeled tubercles in four rows, two on each dorsolateral margin of abdomen and sacrum; thighs without tubercles; toes relatively long, slender, toe pads relatively wide; five undivided lamellae beneath digit IV of pes; tail to at least 88% of SVL (no adult specimens with original tail), weakly annulate, bearing whorls of small, weakly keeled, pointed tubercles with striated surfaces, usually separated from each other by single scales; adult pattern of small, mostly rounded, spots evenly distributed across dorsum, with some trace of two transverse, thin, dark lines or rows of spots across occiput and nape (Figs. 90–91); juvenile pattern as adult, this is the only member of the group to have spotted hatchlings and juveniles (Fig. 92).
DESCRIPTION (based on holotype).— Adult female. Snout-vent length (SVL) 30.3 mm. Body relatively depressed, moderately long (TrunkL/SVL ratio 0.45). Head elongate, large (HeadL/SVL ratio 0.29), relatively wide (HeadW/HeadL ratio 0.68), somewhat depressed (HeadH/HeadL ratio 0.36), distinct from neck. Lores and interorbital region strongly inflated. Snout short (Sn-Eye/HeadL ratio 0.35), longer than eye diameter (OrbD/Sn-Eye ratio 0.73); scales on snout and forehead round to oval, flattened, granular becoming weakly conical near anterior border of orbits; scales on snout slightly larger than those of anterior interorbital area, much larger than those of parietal table. Eye moderately large (OrbD/HeadL ratio 0.26); orbits without extra-brillar fringes; 3–4 supracilliary scales at posterodorsal corner of orbit bearing small spines; pupil vertical,with crenelated margins. Ear opening oval, large (EarL/HeadL ratio 0.10), angled posterodorsally at 45% to horizontal; eye to ear distance less than diameter of eyes (Eye-Ear/OrbD ratio 0.87) [slightly greater than diameter of eyes in paratypes]. Rostral less than 50% as deep (0.6 mm) as wide (1.2); no rostral groove; contacted by two enlarged supranasals and first supralabials; nostrils oval, oriented laterally and slightly dorsally, each surrounded by rostral, two postnasals, supranasal, and first supralabial; supranasals in broad contact; dorsal postnasals twice size of ventral postnasals, separated by three granules; nostril rims weakly inflated; one row of scales separate orbit from supralabials; mental wedge-shaped, approximately 1.6 times deeper (1.2 mm) than wide (0.7 mm); no enlarged postmentals or chin shields. Supralabials to angle of jaws 10/10 (8/8 to mid-orbit); infralabials 10/9; interorbital scale rows at midpoint of orbit 22 (7 across narrowest point of frontal bone). Dorsal scales small, granular. Tubercles small (2–3 times size of adjacent scales), rounded, with a weak median keel, in four rows – two on each dorsolateral margin of the trunk, chiefly over sacrum and abdomen; ventral scales flattened, imbricate, becoming somewhat larger posteriorly, approximately 29 between lowest rows of granular scales on flanks at midbody; scales on venter at midbody much larger than those on dorsum at same level; chin granules approximately one third to one fourth size of ventral scales, increasing gradually in size on throat. No preanal or femoral pores. Scales on palm and sole granular to weakly conical; ventral surface of shank and forearm with smooth, imbricating scales with ctenate free margins; preaxial surfaces of basal limb segments with smooth, enlarged, imbricating scales grading into juxtaposed granules on postaxial surfaces; scales on ventral aspect of thighs enlarged.
Forelimbs moderately short, stout; forearm short (ForeaL/SVL ratio 0.16); hindlimbs relatively short, tibia moderately short (CrusL/SVL ratio 0.17); digits relatively long, claws absent; subdigital scansors, except for distalmost, entire, present only on distal portion of toes, 1.5–2.0 times wider than more basal (non-scansorial) subdigital scales; interdigital webbing absent. Relative length of digits (manus): III > IV > II ~ V > I; (pes): IV > III ~ V > II > I. Subdigital scansors (excluding small distal divided scansor) I (4), II (4), III (4), IV (4), V (4) – manus; I (4), II (5), III (5), IV (5), V (5) – pes.
Tail sub-cylindrical, weakly depressed; partially regenerated tail shorter than snout-vent length (TailL/SVL ratio 0.87); tail relatively thin basally, tapering, with distinct whorls of scales; each transverse row of smooth oval tubercles separated by 3 rows of smaller scales; smaller scales rectangular with rounded free margins; subcaudal scales rounded, pointed posteriorly, larger than dorsal caudal scales; scales of midvental row larger than adjacent rows; a single, slightly enlarged, rounded, dorsally-projecting postcloacal spur on each side of tailbase.
Coloration (in preservative): Dorsal color straw, with small, rounded, evenly distributed light brown spots arranged in 4–6 relatively regular longitudinal rows on trunk. A thin, transverse, light brown line across occiput and another shorter line and three spots forming an incomplete line across nape. Pareital table, interorbital area and snout with scattered brown spots and blotches. A brown line from nostril, through center of eye, over ear to level of transverse occipital line. Anterior supralabial scales midbrown; more posterior supralabials and all infralabials cream to straw with a tinge of brown pigment on labial margins. Limbs with scattered clusters of light brown scales, forming weakly defined spots. Tail with small brown spots, like dorsum, with white tubercles. Venter buff, without pigmentation. Methuen and Hewitt (1914) indicated that the color of the paratype TM 3099 in life was straw with black markings.