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Pachydactylus oreophilus MCLACHLAN & SPENCE 1967

Male of Pachydactylus oreophilus. © J. Boone.

Semiadult female of Pachydactylus oreophilus. © T. Gamble.

Male of Pachydactylus oreophilus. © J. Marais.

Juvenile of Pachydactylus oreophilus. © J. Boone.

Originalbeschreibung / Original description 

MCLACHLAN, G.R. & J.M. SPENCE (1967): A New Species of Pachydactylus from Sesfontein SW- Afrika. — Cimbebasia, Windhoek, 21: 3 — Terra typica: from 20 miles west of Sesfontein. Collected 17. 10. 1965

Holotype: T No. P. E. M. 1503/67 from 20 miles west of Sesfontein. Collected 17. 10. 1965. Allotype U No. P. E. M. 1503/69 from 20 miles west of Sesfontein. Collected 17. 10. 1965. Paratype T No. P. E. M. 1503/68 from 5 miles west of Sesfontein. Collected 10. 1965.

Diagnosis: This species does not appear to be closely related to any described species of Pachydactylus. It is exceeded in size only by P. namaquensis, bibronii and laevigatus. With its high labial and scansor counts it is also near these species but the character of the dorsal scaling is altogether different, consisting of small granules intermixed with larger elongated feebly keeled tubercles. The head is only feebly depressed and quite unlikely the heavy triangular head of the other large species. Numbers 1503/67 and 69 are considered to be adults and No. 1503/68 to be a subadult.

Description: Hollotype: T No. P. E. M. 1503/67 from 20 miles west of Sesfontein; collec-ted 17. 10. 1965.

Head much longer than broad. Snout obtusely pointed. Canthus rostralis prominent and rounded; cheek region (except for a ridge from anterior edge of eyebrow to the 3rd. and 4th. upper labial) concave, making the upper labials very prom nent. Scales on back of head smaller than those on snout which are rounded. Feebly enlarged tubercles on occiput. Nostril raised, pointing outwards and slightly upwards, pierced between three nasals, the first upper labial and rostral The anterior nasal is the largest and is separated from its fellow by a single large rounded granule. Upper labials 11 and 12. Lower labials 9 and 9. (Some difficulty was experienced in counting the upper labials. For example on the left side there are 11 clear labials, then three small scales and another large scale. This was taken as a count of 11 labials although the last scale was quite as large as some of the posterior labials. (See Fig. 1.) Mental about three times as long as broad, narrowing slightly posteriorly. Ear opening small, oval to rounded.

Gulars minute, rounded, granular. Ventrals much larger,imbricate, smooth and more or less rounded. Dorsal tubercles large, rather keeled, in 16 irregular longitudinal rows; intermixed with smaller heterogeneous rounded to oval granules of varying size becoming larger dorsolaterally.

Hind limbs covered with large, imbricate, smooth scales intermixed with keeled tubercles. No tubercles on forelimbs.

Tail segmented with 6 transverse rows of large keeled scales per segment. Median row of subcaudal enlarged. Tail very slightly longer than head and body. A row of three enlarged scales posterolateral to the vent just behind hind limbs. Inferomedian row subdigital scales, from the base of toe to first scansor enlarged transverseely. Six scansors under fingers except the fourth which has 7; 6 scansors under first toe and 7 under all others.

Length of head and body: 57.2 mm.; tail 61.2 mm.

COLOUR: Head pale pinkish brown dusted with greyish, pale posteriorly. A narrow horseshoe-shaped brown line from behind eye round occiput and a similar line from ear-hole over base of hind limbs, the anterior band entire, the posterior brocken; interspace broad, whitish with a few brownish vermiculations. Body dorsally, pale pinkish brown with large dark vermiculations arranged more or less in two longitudinal lines on either side of the vertebral line which is pale.

Sides of body dusted with small flecks of brownish. Underparts white; tail whitish with a row of indistinct brownish spots dorsolaterally. Front limbs frec-kled with brown; hind limbs with brownish vermiculations. Allotype: U No. P. E. M. 1503/69 from 20 miles west of Sesfontein. Collec-ted on 17. 10. 1965.

As for holotype except that the upper labials number 13 and 12 and the lower labials 10 on both sides. Dorsal tubercles in 18 irregular rows. The enlarged scales posterolateral to the vent are in two rows of three, the upper row being larger and more prominent.

Length of head and body: 53.6 mm.; tail 56.7 mm.

Colour: Similar to holotype but darker markings on dorsal surface more distinct. Head more heavily dusted with greyish (See Fig. 2).

Paratype: T No. P. E. M. 1503/68 from 5 miles west of Sesfontein. Collected on 16.10. 1965.

As for holotype but upper labials 11 and 11. Keeled dorsal tubercles in 18 irregular rows. Six scansors under all fingers except the first of one hand which has only 5. The second finger missing from the other hand.

Length of head and body: 42.4 mm.; tail 46.6 mm.

Colour: Similar to holotype but markings finer and more distinct; less greyish dusting on head.

Table 1. Scale and scansor counts.

Table 2. Table of measurements.