388 research outputs found
Afroedura haackei Jacobsen, Kuhn, Jackman & Bauer, 2014, stat. nov.
No full text<i>A. haackei</i> stat. nov. Onderstall, 1984 <p>(Fig. 5 A)</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Granite outcrops of the southern Lowveld of Mpumalanga province, South Africa (Bauer 2014h) (Figs. 4, 6). TM 49920 from Farm Scrutton 23MT (2230AD) (illustrated by Pienaar 1978 as <i>A. transvaalica</i>) appears similar or identical to <i>A. haackei</i> (Onderstall 1984, Jacobsen 1990) and may represent a translocation.</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> This species was described as a subspecies of <i>A. pondolia</i> (Onderstall 1984), but was amended by Jacobsen (1990) to <i>A. multiporis haackei</i>. Our molecular data confirm the relationship of the two taxa, but based on substantial genetic differentiation (Fig. 1) as well as differences in body size and precloacal pore counts (see Table 4), and their allopatric distribution, we here formally elevate <i>A. haackei</i> to specific rank. The species was previously listed in the <i>South African Red Data Book</i> as “Restricted” (Jacobsen 1988a) but is currently considered to be of Least Concern (Bauer 2014h).</p>Published as part of <i>Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4)</i> on page 474, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/250495">http://zenodo.org/record/250495</a>
Afroedura namaquensis Jacobsen, Kuhn, Jackman & Bauer, 2014, stat. nov.
No full textA. namaquensis stat. nov. (FitzSimons, 1938) Distribution. Known from scattered localities in the Succulent Karoo Biome in the Little Namaqualand region of the Northern Cape Province (Bauer 2014 a) (Fig. 4). Remarks. Haacke (1965), in describing A. africana tirasensis considered A. namaquensis as a subspecies of A. africana, and it has maintained this rank since (Mertens 1971; Branch 1981, 1988, 1998; Onderstall 1984; Bauer 2014 a), although chiefly because this poorly known taxon has not been reviewed subsequently. Under modern species concepts, the differences between the supposed subspecies of A. africana— including precloacal pore counts, presence of internasal granules, gular scale counts, and color pattern (Haacke 1965) would generally be accepted as evidence of specific distinctness, especially in light of the large disjunctions between the forms and their likely low vagility (Mouton & Mostert 1985; Jacobsen 1997). On this basis we here recognize this taxon at the rank of full species.Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on page 470, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
Afroedura tirasensis Jacobsen, Kuhn, Jackman & Bauer, 2014, stat. nov.
No full textA. tirasensis stat. nov. Haacke, 1965 Distribution. Farm Tiras, Lüderitz District, southern Namibia (Mouton & Mostert 1985; Griffin 2003) (Fig. 4). Remarks. Haacke (1965) originally described this form as a subspecies of A. africana, and it has maintained this rank since (Mertens 1971; Branch 1981, 1988, 1998; Onderstall 1984; Branch et al. 1988; Griffin 2003), although chiefly because this poorly known taxon has not been reviewed subsequently. Under modern species concepts, the differences between the supposed subspecies of A. africana (Haacke 1965) (see above) would generally be accepted as evidence of specific distinctness, especially in light of the large disjunctions between the forms and their likely low vagility (Mouton & Mostert 1985; Jacobsen 1997). On this basis we here recognize this taxon at the rank of full species.Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on page 470, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
Afroedura transvaalica
No full textAfroedura transvaalica Group Diagnosis. Two pairs of enlarged scansors per digit, tail strongly verticillate and flattened.Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on page 467, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
Afroedura leoloensis Jacobsen, Kuhn, Jackman & Bauer, 2014, sp. nov.
No full textAfroedura leoloensis sp. nov. (Fig. 10 B) Afroedura pondolia langi (part) Visser 1984 a (fig. p. 61) Afroedura langi 'Leolo' Jacobsen 1992 a, 1997 Holotype. TM 81113, adult male, Farm Hendriksplaats 281 KT, 24 ° 38 ' S, 30 °08' E, Lydenburg District, (2430 CA) Mpumalanga Province, Republic of South Africa, collectors R. E. Newbery and W. Petersen, 15 November 1985. Paratypes. TM 81115, TM 81125, 81127, same data as for holotype; TM 81119, 81124, Farm Maandagshoek 254 KT, Sekhukhuneland District, Limpopo Province (2430 CA) collector N. H. G. Jacobsen, 25 October 1980; TM 81112, 81116– 81118, same locality as TM 81119, collector R.E.Newbery, 29 June 1982; TM 81126, Farm Kalkfontein 367 KT, Lydenburg District, Mpumalanga Provicne (2430 CC), collector N. H. G. Jacobsen, 23 April 1981; TM 81114, 81121, 81123, 81128, same locality as TM 81126, collectors R. E. Newbery and W. Petersen, 16 November 1985; TM 81122, Kgoloko lokasie, Sekhukhuneland District, Limpopo Province (2429 DB), collector R. E. Newbery, 27 October 1980; TM 81120, Farm De Grooteboom 373 KT, Lydenburg District, Mpumalanga Province (2430 CC), collector N. H. G. Jacobsen, 23 October 1981. Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Leolo hills in Sekhukhuneland, Limpopo Province, where it was first discovered. Diagnosis. A small Afroedura (maximum SVL 40.5 mm) differing from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: two pairs of enlarged subdigital lamellae per digit; tail faintly verticillate and flattened near base, with four subcaudal rows and 6–7 supracaudal rows per verticil; dorsal scales smooth, 87–95 scale rows at midbody; internasal scales typically absent; 31–35 precloacal pores in males. Description. (based on holotype TM 81113) Adult male; 37.0 mm SVL; 45.0 mm TailL; mass before preservation 0.9 g. Body small and slender, dorsoventrally depressed; head oval, wider than the neck. Rostral approximately 2.5 times wider than high; nostril pierced between rostral, first upper labial and three nasal scales; nasorostrals in moderate contact behind rostral. Scales on snout hexagonal, flattened and much larger than scales on crown of head; nine scales between nasals and eye and 16 scales between eye and ear. Four supraciliary spines. Supralabials 10. Mental wedge-shaped, much longer than wide and in contact with two postmentals. Infralabials eight. Dorsal scales minute, more-or-less homogeneous, smooth, juxtaposed to subimbricate, rounded to slightly hexagonal. Midbody scales 89. Ventrals large, smooth and imbricate. Digits with two pairs of enlarged scansors and six enlarged inferomedian scales under the fourth toe. Precloacal pores in a continuous, almost straight row of 34. Tail broad and flattened near the base, tapering to a fine tip, faintly verticillate; caudal scales arranged in six dorsal and four ventral rows per verticil. Supracaudals subimbricate, almost rectangular; subcaudals as broad as long and imbricate. Two postcloacal spurs on either side of tail base. Color. Pale brown to brown dorsally with 7–8 dark brown irregular crossbands extending from the occiput to sacrum. Crossbands with darker posterior margins and, in most specimens, a white vertebral spot just posterior to each crossband. Limbs longitudinally striped or banded. The paler areas between the stripes are spotted dark brown. Crown of head pale brown with darker spotting and other variegations. Tail with 10 blackish crossbands from base to tip. Venter pinkish; tail brownish with darker markings. Variation. Paratypes and other specimens agree with the holotype in most features of scalation (Table 4). Nasorostrals in broad contact behind rostral but separated posteriorly by a single granule in TM 81120. Scales between nasals and eye 9–12, from eye to ear 16–18. Five supraciliary spines in TM 81115. Mental as long as broad in some specimens; postmentals three in TM 811141. Supralabials 8–10. Infralabials 6–10. Midbody scale rows 87–95. 0–8 enlarged inferomedian scales under fourth toe. Precloacal pores in male paratypes 31–35 (except for TM 81126, which has only 11), females lacking pores. Original tails 50.00– 55.9 % of total length. Supracaudal scales in 6 or 7 rows per tail whorl. Tail has been autotomized in 54.5 % of the specimens examined (n= 17). Distribution. Endemic to the Leolo Hills and outcrops above the Steelpoort River on either side of the border between Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces (Fig. 6). Natural history. Exclusively rupicolous, apparently limited to norite and granitic formations. Afroedura leoloensis sp. nov. lives in narrow crevices under exfoliating rock. These are usually on the underside of boulders with the openings facing downwards, protecting them from rain. The species is found in Sekhukhune Mountain Bushveld (SVcb 28) and Leolo Summit Sourveld (GM 20) (Mucina & Rutherford 2006) at an elevation of 1200–1800 m a.s.l. Two eggs are laid at a time and measure 8.9 –9.0 x 6.1–6.4 mm with a mass of 0.2 g. The eggs appear to be laid in midsummer and are initially soft-shelled, adhering to the rock and then hardening. Remarks. Afroedura leoloensis sp. nov. is a member of the A. langi clade (Figs. 1–2; see Remarks under A. granitica sp. nov.). This species exhibits the highest number of precloacal pores (31–35) not only in its clade, but in the genus as a whole, and may thus be distinguished from its congeners.Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on pages 486-487, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
Afroedura langi FitzSimons 1930
No full textA. langi (FitzSimons, 1930) (Fig. 5 C) Distribution. Lowveld savannah in northeastern Mpumalanga and northeastern Mpumalanga provinces and adjacent Mozambique (Visser 1984; Jacobsen 1990; Bauer 2014 e) (Figs. 4, 6). Remarks. This species was previously considered a subspecies of A. pondolia (e.g., Onderstall 1984) until raised to specific status by Jacobsen (1990, 1992a). Six of the nine new species described herein are related to A. langi and earlier references to this species outside of its currently recognized range may refer to one or more of these taxa.Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on page 483, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
Afroedura nivaria
No full textAfroedura nivaria Group Diagnosis. Small to medium sized (SVL <65 mm), three pairs of enlarged scansors on each digit (two in A. pondolia), tail faintly to strongly verticillate and flattened, nasorostrals separated by internasal granule(s), precloacal pores <20.Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on page 470, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
Afroedura loveridgei Broadley 1963
No full textA. loveridgei Broadley, 1963 Distribution. Tete district, Mozambique (Onderstall 1984) (Fig. 4). Remarks. This species was originally described as a subspecies of A. transvaalica, but was elevated to specific status without comment by Branch (1998), although Kluge (2001) continued to recognize it as a subspecies.Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on page 467, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
Afroedura waterbergensis Jacobsen, Kuhn, Jackman & Bauer, 2014, sp. nov.
No full textAfroedura waterbergensis sp. nov. (Fig. 11 A) Afroedura langi 'Waterberg' Jacobsen 1990, 1992a, 1997 Holotype. TM 81266, adult female, Farm Waterval 601 LQ, 23 ° 53 ' S, 27 ° 39 ' E, Waterberg District (2327 DC), Limpopo Province, collectors N. H. G. Jacobsen & R. E. Newbery, 20 January 1987. Paratypes. TM 81267, 81269, 81273, Farm Fancy 556 LQ, Waterberg District, Limpopo Province (2327 DC), collectors N. H. G. Jacobsen & R. E. Newbery, 22 January 1987. TM 81268, 81270, Farm Fourieskloof 557 LQ, Waterberg District, Limpopo Province (2327 DC), collector R. E. Newbery, 26 September 1979; TM 81271–81272, same data as for holotype. Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Waterberg massif, Limpopo Province, to which the species is endemic. Diagnosis. A small Afroedura (maximum SVL 46 mm) differing from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: two pairs of enlarged subdigital lamellae per digit; tail moderately verticillate (semiverticillate) and flattened near base, with four subcaudal rows and 7 supracaudal rows per verticil; dorsal scales smooth, 92–99 scale rows at midbody; internasal scales absent; 4–7 precloacal pores in males. Description. (based on holotype TM 81266) Adult female, SVL 44.0 mm; TailL 53.0 mm; mass before preservation 2.2 g. A small to medium-sized, dorsoventrally depressed gecko. Head oval, neck thick, almost as wide as head. Rostral approximately 2.5 times wider than high; nostril pierced between rostral, first supralabial and three nasals; nasorostrals large and in contact behind rostral. Scales on snout rounded but not flattened, decreasing in size posteriorly to crown of head; 9–10 granular scales between nasals and eye and 18 from eye to ear; 3–4 supraciliary spines; supralabials 11. Mental longer than broad and not wedge-shaped; postmentals two; infralabials nine. Dorsal scales smooth, juxtaposed, uniform and rounded, becoming larger and oblique laterally. Midbody scales in 101 rows. Ventral scales hexagonal to rounded, smooth and juxtaposed. Hindlimbs robust, feet moderately enlarged. Digits with two pairs of enlarged scansors and 4 th toe with six enlarged inferomedian scales. Precloacal pores absent. Tail semi-verticillate, flattened and tapered, constricted at base and widening at the beginning of the first verticil. Caudal scales arranged in verticils with seven dorsal and four ventral rows. Supracaudals subimbricate, more or less square with a rounded posterior margin; subcaudals imbricate wider than or as wide as long. Two postcloacal spurs on either side of tail base. Color. Brown to pale brown above with 6–7 wavy dark brown to blackish crossbands extending from the occiput to the sacrum. Posterior margin of crossbands darker and with white spots in indentations. A vertebral row of white spots is most pronounced. Crown of head marbled with dark brown and a dark brown stripe extending from the nostril through the eye, merging into the occipital crossbar. Limbs striped with dark brown, with interstices spotted and a reticulate pattern on the thighs. Venter white to whitish pink. Tail with seven crossbands at regular intervals. Underside of tail brown with incomplete pale crossbars. Variation. Paratypes and other specimens agree with the holotype in most features of scalation (Table 4). Scales from eye to ear 16–18. Mental in some specimens only as long as wide. Supralabials 8–11. Infralabials 7–9. Midbody scale rows 92–99. Eight enlarged inferomedian scales under 4 th toe in TM 81272. Precloacal pores in males in continuous series of 4–7. 0–3 postcloacal spurs on either side of tail base. Original tails 50.0– 56.4 % of total length. Supracaudal scales in 6–7 (rarely 8) rows per tail whorl. 33 % of specimens have regenerated tails (n= 6). Distribution. Endemic to the western Waterberg massif, Limpopo Province (Fig. 6). Natural history. Afroedura waterbergensis sp. nov. is a rupicolous gecko found in crevices between rocks on rocky outcrops and cliff faces of Waterberg sandstone. It inhabits both vertical and horizontal dry crevices. It has only been observed in Waterberg Mountain Bushveld (SVcb 17) (Mucina & Rutherford 2006) at an elevation of 1000 m a.s.l. Remarks. Afroedura waterbergensis sp. nov. is the westernmost member of its genus in Limpopo Province. It may be more widespread along the Waterberg than the current records indicate. It is a member of the A. langi complex and may be easily distinguished from all other members of this clade on the basis of its low number of precloacal pores (see Table 4).Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on pages 488-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
Afroedura hawequensis
No full textAfroedura hawequensis Group Diagnosis. Large sized (maximum SVL 83 mm), three pairs of enlarged scansors on digits II–V, first digit with a single scansor, tail verticillate and flattened, precloacal pores> 25.Published as part of Jacobsen, Niels H. G., Kuhn, Arianna L., Jackman, Todd R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2014, A phylogenetic analysis of the southern African gecko genus Afroedura Loveridge (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of nine new species from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, pp. 451-501 in Zootaxa 3846 (4) on page 467, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/25049
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