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Afroedura wulfhaackei sp. nov.; Afroedura donveae sp. nov.; Afroedura bogerti Loveridge, 1944 Afroedura praedicta sp. nov.; Afroedura vazpintorum sp. nov. Branch, Schmitz, Lobón-Rovira, Baptista, António & Conradie, 2021 DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.57202 Photos: William R. Branch & Pedro Vaz Pinto. |
Abstract
Four new species of flat geckos in the Afroedura bogerti Loveridge, 1944 group are described from south-western and west-central Angola. The description of these new species significantly restricts the distribution range of typical A. bogerti, a morphologically very similar species, from which they differ genetically by 5.9–12% divergence for the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Morphologically and genetically, Angolan Afroedura are divided into two main groups: a mostly south-western coastal group and a west-central inland/highland group. These two groups are further divisible into three and two subgroups respectively, all geographically isolated, differing by a combination of the following features: colouration, average adult size, number of mid-body scale rows, number of scale rows on dorsal and ventral surface of each tail verticil and if nostril scales are in contact or not. All five Angolan species are morphologically distinguishable and in agreement with the molecular results. An updated dichotomous key to the Afroedura transvaalica group is provided. The new discovery adds to a growing number of endemic Pro-Namib reptiles described from Angola in recent years.
Key Words: Biodiversity hotspot, cryptic species, endemism, Gekkonidae, Reptilia
Afroedura bogerti Loveridge, 1944
Namba or Bogert’s Flat Gecko
Osga-achadata da Namba, ou osga-achatada de Bogert
Natural history and habitat: (Fig. 4A). An exclusively rupicolous species sheltering in crevices and under flakes of exfoliating rock amongst large granite boulders during the day. Individuals were observed at night foraging in vertical rock faces of large granite boulders. The surrounding habitat was mostly montane grasslands and some cultivated fields, but also included stunted altitude miombo and some Afromontane forest elements in steeper gorges and between boulders. It should be noted that the southern face of Namba Mountain contains the most extensive and well-preserved Afromontane forest patches in Angola, recognised as an important biodiversity reservoir and regional hotspot (Mills et al. 2013).
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| Figure 4. Typical habitat of Angolan Afroedura. A. Namba area (Afroedura bogerti); B. Mt Sandula (Afroedura sp. 5); C. Serra da Neve (Afroedura praedicta sp. nov.); D. Omauha Lodge (Afroedura donveae sp. nov.); E. Farm Mucungo (Afroedura vazpintorum sp. nov. ); F. Bimbe (A. vazpintorum sp. nov. ). Photos: A. Javier Lobón-Rovira; B, D, E. William R. Branch; C. Pedro Vaz Pinto; F. Ninda L. Baptista. |
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| Figure 5. Live photos of Angolan flat geckos: A. Afroedura bogerti (PEM R24187); B. Afroedura wulfhaackei sp. nov. (paratype PEM R24232); C. Afroedura praedicta sp. nov. (holotype NB 854); D. Afroedura donveae sp. nov. (holotype PEM R17937); E. Afroedura vazpintorum sp. nov. (holotype PEM R24118); F. Afroedura vazpintorum sp. nov. (NB 0745); Photos: A, B, D, E. William R. Branch; C, F. Pedro Vaz Pinto. |
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| B. Afroedura wulfhaackei sp. nov. (paratype PEM R24232); C. Afroedura praedicta sp. nov. (holotype NB 854) |
Afroedura wulfhaackei sp. nov.
Angolan Flat Gecko
Osga-achatada de Angola
Etymology: The new species is named in honour of Wulf Haacke, retired curator of the herpetology collection at the former Transvaal Museum (now Ditsong National Museum of Natural History). His herpetological expeditions to Angola in the early 1970s paved the way for this study and much of the material used in this study resulted from his expeditions. The name is constructed in the masculine singular genitive.
Afroedura praedicta sp. nov.
Serra da Neve Flat Gecko
Osga-achatada da Serra da Neve
Etymology: The specific epithet reflects the earlier prediction by William R. Branch of the potential existence of an isolated population of Afroedura at Serra da Neve. We use the specific epithet “praedicta”, the Latin participle meaning predicted or anticipated, formed in the feminine genitive to match the gender of Afroedura.
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| D. Afroedura donveae sp. nov. (holotype PEM R17937); E. Afroedura vazpintorum sp. nov. (holotype PEM R24118) |
Afroedura donveae sp. nov.
Iona Flat Gecko
Osga-achatada do Iona
Etymology: This gecko is named after Donvé Branch, William R. Branch’s wife, with the following personal quote: “This, the most beautiful of all the Angolan flat geckos, is named for my wife, Donvé Branch (‘Dove’) who bore the long periods I was away on fieldwork, and to whose nest I returned, and surrounded me with love until the end”. The name is constructed in the feminine singular genitive.
Afroedura vazpintorum sp. nov.
Coastal Flat Gecko
Osga-achatada da planície costeira
Etymology: This species is named in honour of father and son, Pedro and Afonso Vaz Pinto, two enthusiastic Angolan naturalists with whom William R. Branch spent a great deal of time in the field, to recognise their contributions in collecting and studying Angolan herpetofauna. The name is constructed in the masculine plural genitive.
William R. Branch, Andreas Schmitz, Javier Lobón-Rovira, Ninda L. Baptista, Telmo António and Werner Conradie. 2021. Rock Island Melody: A Revision of the Afroedura bogerti Loveridge, 1944 Group, with Descriptions of Four New Endemic Species from Angola. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 97(1): 55-82. DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.57202
Resumo: Aqui são descritas quatro novas espécies de osga-achatada, do grupo Afroedura Loveridge, 1944, do sudoeste e centro-oeste de Angola. A descrição destas novas espécies reduziu significativamente a área de distribuição da A. bogerti típica, uma espécie uma espécie morfologicamente muito semelhante às primeiras, da qual estas têm entre 5.9 e 12% de diferença genética para o gene mitocondrial 16S rRNA. Do ponto de vista morfológico e genético, as Afroedura de Angola dividem-se em dois grupos principais: o do sudoeste, maioritariamente das planícies costeiras e do norte, e o do planalto interior. Estes grupos podem ainda ser divididos em dois e três subgrupos, respectivamente, todos isolados geograficamente, e estes diferem entre si na combinação das seguintes características: coloração, tamanho médio dos adultos, número de fileiras de escamas na secção mediana do corpo, número de escamas dorsais e ventrais por cada anel caudal de escamas, escamas nasais em contacto ou não. É possível distinguir morfologicamente as cinco espécies de Angola, de forma concordante com os resultados da genética. Aqui apresentamos uma chave dicotómica actualizada para o grupo Afroedura transvaalica. Esta nova descoberta junta-se ao crescente número de répteis endémicos do Pro-Namibe descritos em Angola nos últimos anos.
Palavras-chave: Еndemismo, espécies crípticas, Gekkonidae, hotspot de biodiversidade, Reptilia
