Pachydactylus labialis

Pachydactylus labialis, commonly known as the Calvinia thick-toed gecko, Western Cape gecko, or Western Cape thick-toed gecko, is a gecko species endemic to the Western and Northern Cape in South Africa, often found taking shelter under stones.[1]

Pachydactylus labialis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Pachydactylus
Species:
P. labialis
Binomial name
Pachydactylus labialis
Synonyms
  • Pachydactylus capensis labialis
    V. FitzSimons, 1938
  • Pachydactylus labialis
    — Kluge, 1993[2]

Geographic range

P. labialis is endemic to the arid western parts of South Africa. One common name refers to the town of Calvinia in the Namakwaland.

Description

P. labialis has a body length (snout-vent length or SVL) of about 44 mm (1.7 in) with a tail that is a further 38 mm (1.5 in) in length. The head has a shorter snout than Pachydactylus capensis and is slightly narrower at 7.5 mm (0.30 in).[3]

From above it is greyish brown with irregular dark markings and lighter spots arranged in stripes over the back.

The head is about 10 mm (0.39 in) in length and has a dark band running from the lower part of the eye to above the ear, while a paler stripe runs from the tip of the snout above the eye's dark streak. The labial scales (on the mouth) are dark brown and creamy white, giving the appearance of striped lips.[3]

The original tail has dark brown to blackish crossbars, but regenerated tails are more spotted.

See also

References
  1. "Pachydactylus labialis . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  2. "Pachydactylus labialis". The Reptile Database.
  3. "Pachydactylus labialis at www.pachydactylus.com". Retrieved 11 November 2014. (in German).

Further reading
  • Branch, Bill. 2004. Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Pachydactylus labialis, p. 253 + Plate 82).
  • FitzSimons V. 1938. "Transvaal Museum Expedition to South-West Africa and Little Namaqualand, May to August 1937. Reptiles and Amphibians". Annals of the Transvaal Museum 19 (2): 153–209. (Pachydactylus capensis labialis, new subspecies, pp. 168–170, figure 7).
  • Kluge AG. 1993. Gekkonoid Lizard Taxonomy. Ann Arbor, Michigan: International Gecko Society. 245 pp.


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