Synopsis of the terrestrial Reptiles of Equatorial Guinea
Author
Sánchez-Vialas, Alberto
Author
Calvo-Revuelta, Marta
0000-0002-8628-1055
Author
Riva, Ignacio De La
0000-0001-5064-4507
albertosv@mncn.csic.es
text
Zootaxa
2022
2022-11-03
5202
1
1
197
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5202.1.1
journal article
182444
10.11646/zootaxa.5202.1.1
45ba25c1-47a9-4001-93d9-294815bf37e7
1175-5326
7285600
BF4831D2-D98B-4265-9138-03DB8607B826
Hemidactylus longicephalus
Bocage, 1873
Figure 8C
Hemidactylus longicephalus
Bocage, 1873: 210
. Type locality:
Holotype
lost from “Mossamedes (Capangombe) et de Catumbella, près de Benguella”.
Neotype
from “Kawa Camp,
Kissama National Park
(-9.18303°, 13.37063°,
136 m
),
Luanda Province
,
Republic of Angola
”.
Hemidactylus bocagii
Boulenger, 1885: 125
(
nomen novum pro
H. longiceps
).
Hemidactylus mabouia
var.
molleri
Bedriaga, 1892: 739
.
Type
locality: São Thomé.
Distribution
. Widespread from
Angola
to
Cameroon
and West of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. In
Equatorial Guinea
it had never been recorded (
Map 8A
).
Comments.
The presence of this species in
Equatorial Guinea
is currently based on a single specimen held at the Yale University Peabody Museum and catalogued as “YPM HERR 014399” from Los Altos de Nsork National Park, in southeastern
Río Muni
. This is the first record of this taxon from
Equatorial Guinea
. The specimen MNCN 15665, which is morphologically similar to
H. longicephalus
,
was supposedly collected in
Annobon
together with some specimens of
H. angulatus
(MNCN 15664, MNCN 15666–15668). Altought
H. longicephalus
was introduced in
São Tome
(
type
locality of
Hemidactylus mabouia
var.
molleri
), this seems not to be the case in
Annobon
, since several field expeditions carried out to the island failed to record it. Remarkably,
H. aporus
, a closely allied species (based on morphology) to
H. longicephalus fide
Boulenger (1906)
has been never recorded since the original description (see
H. aporus
account).
Hemidactylus longicephalus
presents 8–11 subdigital lamellae in the fourth toe, 14–18 regular rows of dorsal tubercles, and 4–8 precloacal pores in males, whereas
H. aporus
presents 7 lamellae in the fourth toe, 16–20 regular rows of dorsal tubercles, and absence of precloacal pores in males (
Loveridge, 1947
). The examined specimen MNCN 15665, a female (precloacal pores absent), has five subdigital lamellae in the first toe and nine in the fourth, and around 16 dorsal tubercles regularly arranged. The combination of these traits is mostly within the variability of
H. longicephalus
. Because of (1) the possibility of a labelling mistake, or (2) the taxonomic problem regarding the
Annobon
endemic
H. aporus
, we remain cautious and do not consider
H. longicephalus
as part of the
Annobon
fauna until more evidence is obtained.
FIGURE 8.
From left to right: dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of the head of.
Hemidactylus angulatus
(A) (MNCN 4473),
Hemidactylus coalescens
(B) (MNCN 4504); and dorsal view of the head, dorsal trunk surface and ventral view of the head of
Hemidactylus
cf.
longicephalus
(C) (MNCN 15665). Photos: AS-V.
MAPS 7 A–C.
Distribution maps for Equatorial Guinean records of (A)
Hemidactylus biokoensis
; (B)
Hemidactylus coalescens
; (C)
Hemidactylus kamdemtohami
.
Specimens examined.
One specimen.
Annobon
? (missing original label) (MNCN 15665).