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Parrinha, Marques, Picelli, Jordaan, Bishop-Schouster, Heinicke, Bauer & Ceríaco, 2025 |
Abstract
Recent surveys in southwestern Angola uncovered cryptic diversity within Pachydactylus caraculicus. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA recover three distinct lineages. Two of these lineages, characterized by their typical banded dorsal pattern, show clear geographic structuring: a “northern” lineage corresponding to true P. caraculicus, and a distinct “southern” lineage extending into neighboring Namibia. The third lineage, sister to the clade of banded caraculicus, comprises morphologically divergent specimens resembling P. punctatus. All three lineages within the P. caraculicus complex are diagnosable based on morphological and coloration characters. We formally describe the two unnamed lineages of P. caraculicus as new species and discuss these findings in the biogeographic context of the Kaokoveld's lizard fauna.
Pachydactylus namibensis, new species
Namibe Thick-Toed Gecko
Osga de Dedos Grossos do Namibe
Etymology.—The specific epithet namibensis is here applied as a substantive in apposition and is given in reference to the known distribution of the species in Namibe Province, Angola. We suggest “Namibe Thick-Toed Gecko” and “Osga de Dedos Grossos do Namibe” as the English and Portuguese common names, respectively.
Pachydactylus ovahimba, new species
Himba Thick-Toed Gecko
Osga de Dedos Grossos Himba
Etymology.—The specific epithet ovahimba is a noun in apposition, given in honor of the dominant ethnolinguistic group in the region where the species is known from. The OvaHimba are a semi-nomadic Herero people who inhabit the Kaokoveld of northwestern Namibia and southwestern Angola, a harsh and rugged region that roughly corresponds to the distribution of the newly described species. The name is given in recognition of the support and enthusiasm received from the Himba people during fieldwork. We suggest “Himba Thick-Toed Gecko” and “Osga de Dedos Grossos Himba” as the English and Portuguese common names, respectively.
Diogo Parrinha, Mariana P. Marques, Amanda M. Picelli, Adriaan Jordaan, Lacey J. Bishop-Schouster, Matthew P. Heinicke, Aaron M. Bauer and Luis M. P. Ceríaco. 2025. Two New Species of Pachydactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Kaokoveld. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 113(3); 412-432. DOI: doi.org/10.1643/h2024108 (8 August 2025)
