Pachydactylus otaviensis BAUER, LAMB & BRANCH 2002
Close up view of Pachydactylus otaviensis.
© J. Marais.
Male of Pachydactylus otaviensis.
© J. Marais.
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, Oshikoto Region, Tsumeb District, Farm Uithoek (1917Bc).
ETYMOLOGY.— Named for the Otaviberge or OtaviHighlands, a low range of dolerite hills in northeastern Namibia to which this species appears to endemic.
DIAGNOSIS.— Snout-vent length to at least 42.9 mm (TM 85000). May be distinguished from all other members of the P. serval/weberi group by the combination of the following characters: snout blunt; rostral excluded from nostril; supranasals in narrow anterior contact; scales on dorsum of head weakly conical, those on snout much larger than those of interorbital region; interorbital and parietal granules intermixed with scattered, conical tubercles, each smaller than scales of snout; dorsal scalation heterogeneous, consisting of small conical scales interspersed with larger strongly keeled to mucronate tubercles; tubercles becoming conical on flanks; tubercles in 18 rows; thighs bearing very large conical tubercles; toes moderately long, toe pads relatively narrow; five undivided lamellae beneath digit IV of pes; tail (partly regenerated) to at least 102% of SVL, annulate, bearing whorls of large, pointed, strongly keeled tubercles, narrowly separated from each other; cloacal spurs very large bearing dorsally-directed pointed scales with concave surfaces; adult pattern of three pale bands (nape, just posterior to adpressed elbow, and posterior trunk, anterior to lumbar region) separating broader areas of grayish-brown with darker brown edges — pattern may be obscured and appear as 5–6 dark brown bands on a pale background (Figs. 117–118); juvenile pattern as adult, with three pale bands (Fig. 118).
DESCRIPTION (based on holotype).— Adult male. Snout-vent length (SVL) 39.4 mm. Body relatively depressed, short (TrunkL/SVL ratio 0.40). Head elongate, large (HeadL/SVL ratio 0.30), relatively wide (HeadW/HeadL ratio 0.65), not strongly depressed (HeadH/HeadL ratio 0.42), distinct from neck. Lores and interorbital region inflated. Snout short (Sn-Eye/HeadL ratio 0.39), longer than eye diameter (OrbD/Sn-Eye ratio 0.66); scales on snout and forehead granular to conical, round to oval; scales on snout much larger than those of parietal table. Eye moderately large (OrbD/HeadL ratio 0.26); orbits without extra-brillar fringes; posterior supracilliary scales bearing small spines; pupil vertical,with crenelated margins. Ear opening oval, small (EarL/HeadL ratio 0.07), greatest diameter vertical; eye to ear distance much greater than diameter of eyes (Eye-Ear/OrbD ratio 1.51). A series of enlarged conical tubercles between posterior border of orbit and occiput. Rostral approximately 60% as deep (1.0 mm) as wide (1.6); no rostral groove; contacted by two enlarged supranasals and first supralabials; nostrils oval, each surrounded by two postnasals, supranasal, and first supralabial; supranasals in narrow contact anteriorly, separated posteriorly by a single granule; dorsal postnasals separated by three granules; nostril rims weakly inflated; one row of scales separate orbit from supralabials; mental wedge-shaped, approximately 1.8 times deeper (1.7 mm) than wide (1.0 mm); no enlarged postmentals or chin shields; Supralabials to angle of jaws 10 (8 to mid-orbit); infralabials 9; interorbital scale rows (at midpoint of orbit) 23 (11 across narrowest point of frontal bone).
Scales of snout much larger than those of forehead; scales grade from conical on parietal region to keeled or mucronate on nape; dorsal tubercles large (4–6 times size of adjacent scales), rounded, with a pronounced median keel and obliquely-oriented ridges laterally, forming approximately 18 rows; tubercles largest on mid-flanks, keels somewhat flattened over sacrum; each enlarged tubercle surrounded by rosette of smaller scales; ventral scales flattened, subimbricate, becoming somewhat larger posteriorly, approximately 38 between lowest tubercular rows at midbody; scales on dorsum at midbody much larger than those on ventrum at same level; chin granules approximately one half size of ventral scales, increasing gradually in size on throat. No preanal or femoral pores. Scales on palm, sole, and ventral surface of forelimb smooth, granular; scales on ventral aspect of hindlimbs enlarged, juxtaposed to subimbricate; scales on dorsal aspect of forelimb smooth proximally, with small conical tubercles intermixed distally; scales on dorsum of thigh and crus greatly enlarged, conical or keeled to mucronate, terminating in sharp points.
Forelimbs moderately short, stout; forearm short (ForeaL/SVL ratio 0.14); hindlimbs relatively short, tibia moderately short (CrusL/SVL ratio 0.17); digits relatively short, 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, exclusive of divided distalmost scansor (manus): I (4), II (4), III (4), IV (4), V (4); (pes) I (4), II (5), III (5), IV (5), V (5).
Tail sub-cylindrical, somewhat depressed; partially regenerated tail longer than snout-vent length (TailL/SVL ratio 1.02); tail relatively thick basally, tapering, with distinct whorls of scales; each transverse row of enlarged, keeled tubercles separated by 2–3 rows of smaller scales; smaller scale rows continuous around tail; each row of enlarged tubercles replaced ventrally by two rows of smaller scales; each row of keeled dorsal caudal tubercles interrupted occasionally by 1–2 small granules; subcaudal scales pointed posteriorly, subimbricating; four greatly enlarged, pointed, concave, dorsally-projecting postcloacal spurs on each side of tailbase, subtended by two smaller rows of dorsolaterally projecting pointed scales.
Coloration (in preservative): Ground color of dorsum beige to light brown with six mid-brown cross bands: one behind light nape band, four on trunk on one on sacrum. Lateral surface of head with dark brown streak from nostril and anterior supralabials through eye and above ear, fusing with opposite side on nape to form anteriormost dark cross marking; dark V-shaped mark diverging from supranasal scales to dorsal aspects of orbits; scattered dark markings on frontal and parietal regions; diffuse, partly broken dark line from angle of jaws to retroarticular process. Limbs mottled, with light and dark markings roughly alternating. Tail banded with 13 somewhat irregular narrower dark bands alternating with lighter interstices. Venter beige with scattered dark punctuations, especially on scales near edges of flanks and under limbs and tail.