Chondrodactylus angulifer

Chondrodactylus angulifer, also known as the common giant ground gecko, the South African ground gecko, or the Namib sand gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to southern Africa.

For the species called Namib sand gecko in the genus Pachydactylus, see Pachydactylus rangei

Chondrodactylus angulifer
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Chondrodactylus
Species:
C. angulifer
Binomial name
Chondrodactylus angulifer
W. Peters, 1870
range

Geographic range

C. angulifer is found in Namibia, southernmost Botswana, and western South Africa.[2]

Description

C. angulifer is a large gecko. Adults average 7 to 9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in) snout-to-vent length (SVL). The record size is a male 11.3 cm (4.4 in) SVL.[3]

Reproduction

An adult female C. angulifer may lay a clutch of one or two eggs. The eggs are almost spherical, 18 by 16 mm (0.71 by 0.63 in). Each hatchling is approximately 7 cm (2.8 in) total length (including tail).[3]

Subspecies

There are two subspecies which are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[2]

  • Chondrodactylus angulifer subsp. angulifer W. Peters, 1870
  • Chondrodactylus angulifer subsp. namibensis Haacke, 1976

References

  1. Goldberg SR (2010). "Chondrodactylus angulifer ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T178743A7607128. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T178743A7607128.en. Downloaded on 01 January 2018.
  2. "Chondrodactylus angulifer ". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
  3. Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Chondrotactylus angulifer, pp. 237-238 + Plate79).

Further reading

  • Haacke WD (1976). "The burrowing geckos of southern Africa, 4 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae). Annotated taxonomic account (cont.) E. Genus Chondrodactylus Peters". Annals of the Transvaal Museum 30: 53–70. (Chondrodactylus angulifer namibensis, new subspecies).
  • Peters W (1870). "Beitrag zur Kenntnis der herpetologischen Fauna von Südafrika ". Monatsberichte der Königlich Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zur Berlin 1870: 110–115. (Chondrodactylus angulifer, new species, p. 111). (in German and Latin).


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