| Cape Cross thick-toed gecko | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Gekkonidae |
| Genus: | Pachydactylus |
| Species: | P. kochii |
| Binomial name | |
| Pachydactylus kochii (V. FitzSimons, 1959) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
The Cape Cross thick-toed gecko (Pachydactylus kochii), also known commonly as Koch's gecko and Koch's thick-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to southern Africa.
The specific name, kochii, is in honor of Austrian-born South African entomologist Charles Koch. [3]
P. kochii is found in Namibia and in South Africa (southern Namaqualand). [2]
The preferred natural habitats of P. kochii are desert and savanna, at altitudes of 10–800 m (33–2,625 ft). [1]
Adults of P. kochii have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in). The body is slender. Dorsally, the ground color is grayish with a lavender tinge, and there are five reddish-brown crossbands. Ventrally it is white. [4]
P. kochii is terrestrial. It shelters in burrows dug by other animals. [1]
Pachydactylus is a genus of insectivorous geckos, lizards in the family Gekkonidae. The genus is endemic to Africa, and member species are commonly known as thick-toed geckos. The genus also displays rich speciation, having 58 distinct species identified when compared to other closely related gecko genera like Rhoptropus, most of which have emerged since 35Ma. It has been suggested that the reason for this rich speciation not from adaptive radiation nor nonadaptive radiation, but that the genus represents a clade somewhere between the two drivers of speciation. P. bibronii geckos have been used by NASA as animal models for experimentation.
Chondrodactylus bibronii, commonly known as Bibron's thick-toed gecko, Bibron's sand gecko, or simply Bibron's gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to southern Africa. C. bibronii has been used as an animal model in bioastronautic research examining the effects of spaceflight on the morphology and physiology of vertebrates.
Pachydactylus austeni, also known commonly as Austen's thick-toed gecko or Austen's gecko, is a species of small thick-toed gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is indigenous to the western coast of South Africa.
Pachydactylus geitje, also known commonly as the ocellated gecko, the ocellated thick-toed gecko and the Cradock thick-toed gecko, is a tiny species of thick-toed gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is indigenous to the Western Cape of South Africa.
Pachydactylus atorquatus, also known commonly as the Augrabies gecko and Good's gecko, is a species of thick-toed gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to southern Africa.
Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons, born in Pietermaritzburg, was a notable herpetologist in South Africa. Also, he contributed to the collection of spermatophyte samples for the National Herbarium which has become part of the South African National Biodiversity Institute at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden. In 1937, together with Anna Amelia Obermeyer, he collected some of the earliest plant specimens from the Eastern Highlands of Rhodesia.
Pachydactylus vansoni, commonly known as Van Son's gecko or Van Son's thick-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Southern Africa.
Chondrodactylus fitzsimonsi, also known commonly as the button-scaled gecko, FitzSimons' thick-toed gecko, Fitzsimons's thick-toed gecko, and FitzSimons' tubercled gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to southwestern Africa.
Pachydactylus kladaroderma, also known as the thin-skinned gecko, fragile thick-toed gecko, or thin-skinned thick-toed gecko, is a member of the family Gekkonidae, also known as the typical geckos, found in South Africa.
Pachydactylus barnardi, also known commonly as Barnard's rough gecko or Barnard's thick-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is indigenous to Southern Africa.
Pachydactylus formosus, also known as Smith's thick-toed gecko, southern rough gecko or Karoo gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It is found in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.
Pachydactylus griffini is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Namibia.
Pachydactylus haackei, also known commonly as Haacke's gecko or Haacke's thick-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Southern Africa.
Pachydactylus mclachlani is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Namibia.
Monica's gecko, also known commonly as Monica's thick-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to southern Africa.
Pachydactylus sansteynae, also known commonly as the coastal thick-toed gecko or San Steyn's gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Namibia.
Pachydactylus scherzi is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Southern Africa.
The Namib desert gecko, also known commonly as the Kaoko web-footed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to southern Africa.
Weber's thick-toed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to southern Africa.
Werner's thick-toed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Namibia.
