Pachydactylus reconditus BAUER, LAMB & BRANCH 2006
Young female of Pachydactylus reconditus. C-Namibia.
© M. Barts.
Young female of Pachydactylus reconditus. C-Namibia.
© M. Barts.
Pachydactylus reconditus from Rehoboth, Namibia.
© J. Marais.
Habitat of Pachydactylus reconditus. C-Namibia.
© M. Barts.
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, Khomas Region Windhoek District, Windhoek (2217Ca).
ETYMOLOGY.— The specific epithet is the Latin word reconditus, meaning hidden or concealed. It refers to the fact that this species, which has long been known from specimens, and which is common in and around Windhoek, has escaped recognition as a distinct species for almost 100 years. The name is formed in the masculine.
DIAGNOSIS.— A mid-sized species, to 44.7 mm SVL (TM 41993). Pachydactylus reconditus may be distinguished from all other members of the P. serval/weberi group by the combination of the following characters: nasal region moderately inflated laterally; rostral excluded from nostril; supranasals in broad or narrow contact, or completely separated by internasal granule; scales on snout granular, rounded to oval, domed to very weakly conical; interorbital scales smaller than those of snout, heterogeneous; posterior parts of head covered with small granules intermixed with many larger, rounded, conical tubercles regularly distributed across parietal and temporal regions, changing to dorsal trunk scalation on occiput; dorsal scalation heterogeneous, with large, strongly keeled rounded to oval tubercles arranged in 18–20 rows, largest on midflanks; thighs bearing enlarged conical tubercles; toes relatively short, toe pads relatively narrow; typically 5 undivided lamellae beneath digit IV of pes; tail to 115% of SVL, annulate, bearing whorls of moderately large, flattened, pointed, weakly-keeled tubercles, becoming conical distally; caudal tubercles usually separated from each other by a single scale; adult pattern pinkish-, yellowish- or reddish-brown or light brown with a dark-edged pale (white, pale yellow or grayish) nape band that may be entire or partially disrupted; remainder of dorsum patterned with regularly distributed, small dark brown markings; tail not banded, bearing scattered dark marks (Figs. 75–78; see also Girard 2002); hatchling pattern uniform light to mid-brown with a discrete pale nape band (e.g., NMNW number pending; Fig. 79); juvenile pattern similar to hatchling (Fig. 80–81) or with three vague pale trunk bands (two on mid-trunk one presacral) (e.g.,TM 41994; Fig. 76). This species is most similar to P. robertsi, from which it may be distinguished by its slightly smaller, non-imbricating dorsal tubercles and wider toe pads.
DESCRIPTION (based on holotype).— Adult female. Snout-vent length (SVL) 42.2 mm. Body relatively depressed, relatively long (TrunkL/SVL ratio 0.44). Head elongate, large (HeadL/SVL ratio 0.29), narrow (HeadW/HeadL ratio 0.64), moderately depressed (HeadH/HeadL ratio 0.36), distinct from neck. Lores and interorbital region weakly inflated. Snout short (Sn-Eye/HeadL ratio 0.34), much longer than eye diameter (OrbD/Sn-Eye ratio 0.70); scales on snout and forehead smooth, domed to weakly conical; large on snout and canthus becoming smaller and heterogeneous; scales on snout much larger than tiny granules of parietal table. Enlarged, rounded, conical tubercles densely and regularly scattered across interorbital, parietal, and temporal regions as far posterior as occipuit. Eye moderately small (OrbD/HeadL ratio 0.24); orbits without extra-brillar fringes; 5 supracilliary scales at posterodorsal corner of orbit bearing small spines; pupil vertical, with crenelated margins. Ear opening rounded, small (EarL/HeadL ratio 0.07); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eyes (EyeEar/OrbD ratio 1.05). Rostral approximately 37% as deep (0.4 mm) as wide (1.1), no rostral groove, contacted by two enlarged supranasals and first supralabials; nostrils oval, oriented laterally, each surrounded by two postnasals, supranasal, and first supralabial; supranasals in contact anteriorly, separated by a single granule posteriorly; dorsal postnasals larger than ventral postnasals, separated by 2–3 granules; nostril rims weakly inflated, bordered posteriorly by a slight depression; one row of scales separate orbit from supralabials; mental wedgeshaped, tapering posteriorly, approximately 2.3 times deeper (1.5 mm) than wide (0.7 mm); no enlarged postmentals or chin shields. Supralabials to angle of jaws 10/8 (8/7 to mid-orbit); infralabials 8/8; interorbital scale rows at midpoint of orbit 21 (9 across narrowest point of frontal bone). Dorsal tubercles large (10–12 times size of adjacent scales), largest on midflanks and smallest along dorsal midline, oval, with a pronounced median keel, forming 20 longitudinal rows on trunk; each tubercle surrounded by rosette of small granular scales; ventral scales flattened, imbricate, becoming larger posteriorly, approximately 37 between lowest tubercular rows at midbody; tubercular scales on dorsum at midbody larger than ventral scales at same level; chin granules approximately one sixth to one fourth size of ventral scales, increasing in size gradually 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, continuous with enlarged scales of precloacal region; 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.
Forelimbs moderately short, stout (ForeaL/SVL ratio 0.13); hindlimbs short (CrusL/SVL ratio 0.15); digits relatively short, claws absent; subdigital scansors, except for distalmost, entire, present only on distal portion of toes, 1.2–1.5 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, depressed; partially regenerated tail longer than snout-vent length (TailL/SVL ratio 1.17; based on CAS 231886); tail relatively thin basally, tapering, with distinct whorls of scales; each transverse row of enlarged, oval, pointed, weakly keeled tubercles separated by 2–3 rows of smaller scales; adjacent keeled dorsal caudal tubercles generally separated by a single smaller scale; subcaudal scales imbricating; midventral caudal scales enlarged relative to adjacent scales (5–7 times size of dorsal caudal scales); one slightly enlarged, conical, posterodorsallyprojecting postcloacal spur on each side of tailbase.
Coloration (in life): Dorsum pinkish-, yellowish- or reddish-brown to light brown with a distinct whitish, pale yellow or grayish band bordered anteriorly and posteriorly by narrow dark brown bands, the anterior of which extendining from posteroventral margins of orbit across nape. Remainder of dorsum bearing small, regular, mid- to dark brown spots or blotches, more pronounced anteriorly. A midbrown streak from postnasals to orbit, bordered above by a cream streak from nostril to anterodorsal margin of orbit. Infralabial and posterior supralabial scales white. Scales around orbit yellow. Limbs unpatterned or with faint darker or lighter markings. Tail same color as dorsum, uniform or with small, indistinct somewhat darker markings, caudal tubercles pale yellow. Venter white with very light scattered pigment, especially under limbs and post-pygal portion of tail.