Four new Angolan species of Flat Geckos (Afroedura)
In a tribute to Bill Branch, four new species are described from Angola:
Afroedura donveae - which Bill named after his wife
Afreodura wulfhaackei - named after Wulf Haacke, ex Transvaal Museum herpetologist that was the first person to collect these geckos from Angola since the original type description
Afroedura vazpintorum - named after Afonso and Pedro Vaz Pinto, father and son team of Angolan naturalist and herpetologist
Afroedura praedicta - new species from Serre de Neve where Bill predicted a undescribed species to be present
Live photos: A. Afroedura bogerti; B. Afroedura wulfhaackei sp. nov.; C. Afroedura praedicta sp. nov. ; D. Afroedura donveae sp. nov.; E & F. Afroedura vazpintorum sp. nov.
Distribution ranges
"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."
Branch, W.R., Schmitz, A., Lobón-Rovira, J., Baptista, N.L., António, T. and Conradie, W., 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, p.55.
Comments
Awesome! Probably only a matter of time before we find one of these on iNaturalist (or perhaps we already have?) :-)
Yes, at least 3 of the species, but we will have to wait for the wheels to turn before we can identify them on iNaturalist.
Peter Uetz (for the Reptile Database) is usually pretty fast in updating things if you send him a direct email. Agama picticauda was added within about a month (after he checked it's validity, he added it).
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