Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris HEWITT 1923
A pair of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. NW-South Africa.
© M. Barts.
Male of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. NW-South Africa.
© M. Barts.
Male of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. S-Namibia.
© M. Barts.
Female of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. NW-South Africa.
© M. Barts.
Male of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. N-Namibia.
© W.D. Haacke.
Female of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. SW-South Africa.
© M. Barts.
Female of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. NW-South Africa.
© M. Barts.
Close up view of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. NW-South Africa.
© M. Barts.
Copula in a terrarium Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris.
© K. Grießhammer.
Captive born animal of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris.
© M. Barts.
Dead embryo with two heads Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris.
© M. Barts.
Habitat of Pachydactylus mariquensis latirostris. NW-Südafrika.
© M. Barts.
Originalbeschreibung / Original description
Nostril encircled by three small scales, the innermost widely separated from its neighbour on the other side of the median line by several very small scales (text-fig. 2). Rostral scale transversely elongated, more than twice as broad as deep, the upper edge truncated in the middle and not forming a median angle. Eight upper labials and 9 lower labials. The scales on the snout are not so definitely granular as in mariquensis, but are more or less imbricate and flattened; and on the dorsal surface of the body the scales are also more distinctly imbricate than in that species. On each side of the base of the tail there are three enlarged, scales in the male. Dorsal surfaces greyish with dark markings, which, however, do not form complete cross stripes: in two of the specimens there are 5 dark patches along the middle of the back; these are more or less quadrangular but constricted anteroposteriorly, the front and hind borders being V-shaped; there is also a trace of a semi-circular stripe passing backwards from the eyes around the occiput (PI. IV, fig. 3). In the third specimen these markings are completely broken up into irregular small spots and freckles.
From snout to vent the largest example measures 44 mm.
Types. — Two specimens in the AlbanyMuseum, Grahamstown, and one specimen in the NatalMuseum, Pietermaritzburg.
Hab. — Victoria West. Cape Province, collected by Mr. B. Marais.
Pachydactylus latirostris is closely related to P. mariquensis Smith, agreeing therewith in general form but differing in the scaling of the snout and in the colour-pattern; it is also appreciably smaller than mariquensis.
In the Kimberley Museum there is a specimen referable to latirostris, taken between Zwaart Modder and Reitfontein by Miss Lennox. This is perhaps a little more strongly imbricate in its scaling than are the Victoria West specimens, but the snout characters are identical. The colour-markings take the form of imperfect wavy cross lines, which represent the darker borders of the broad cross bands of mariquensis.
The three species, mariquensis, austeni and latirostris, together with their ally maculatus, are on the digital character amongst the most primitive members of the genus, as the scales on the ventral surfaces of the digits show no modification whatever except at the expanded end. In the following species there is a series of transversely elongated scales along the whole length of the digits ventrally: purcelli, brunnthaleri, punctatus, ocellatus, and probably also serval and amoenus, most of which are western in distribution.
The species with heterogeneous dorsal scaling are of the mariquensis type in bibroni, rugosus, oshaughnessyi and capensis, but there is a tendency in capensis and its allies towards an enlargement and broadening of some of the inferomedian digital scales; this is most marked in tigrinus, which presents conditions more or less intermediate between the two sections. This the character is at any rate not of generic importance.
Synonym
Pachydactylus mariquensis macrolepis FitzSimons 1939
Descripion of some new Species and Subspecies of Lizards from South Africa. — Ann. Transvaal Mus., 20 (1): 6, Fig. 1 — Terra typica: Namaqualand.
Originalbeschreibung/Original description: Two specimens in the collection of the South African Museum, previously placed under typical mariequensis by Boulenger (see above), prove now to be distinctly separable, mainly on the size and form of the scales on the snout and back. The specimens in question are, a male (S.A.M. 1159: Namaqualand, J. L. Whitley, 1885) and a female (S.A.M. 2417: Springbokfontein, M. Schlechter, 1897).
Description. Nostril pierced between three nasals and first upper labial (first upper labial usually not entering nostril in mariequensis), the uppermost or nasorostral in good contact with its fellow; a moderately large (as large as or larger than any other on snout), flattened, polygonal scale placed mesially just behind nasorostrals, and separating second pair of nasals. Scales on snout large, flattened hexagonal, much larger than those on back (in mariequensis scales much smaller, granular, convex and subequal in size to those on back); on occiput scales much smaller, rounded and slightly convex (in mariequensis finely granular and convex); scales over back more or less flattened or but very slightly convex, juxtaposed, larger than on back of head; scales smallest on nape. Upper labials 8-9, lower 6-7; scales on throat very small, convex and granular; belly scales flattened, imbricate, much smaller than on back (in mariequensis belly scales only slightly smaller than scales on back). Digits with three lamellae below distal dilatation. A horizontal row of three enlarged pointed compressed scales on either side of tail near vent.
Colour (in spirit). Tawny to yellowish brown above, head uniform or finely speckled with black; five to six irregular, broad, chestnut brown, dark-edged, transverse bands on back from nape to root of tail; the first round back of head from behind the eyes, second on nape, third and fourth on back and last on rump; these cross-bands may sometimes be partially divided mesially. Tail banded, pale interspaces much narrower than brown cross-bands. Limbs light brown above with indistinct whitish spots. Lower surfaces a uniform creamy white.
Dimensions. Male (S.A.M. 1159), head and body 50,5, tail 39, length head 11,8, breadth head 9,2 mm. Female (S.A.M. 2417), head and body 52, tail missing, length head 12, breadth head 10,2 mm.