Scientific Name
Common Name
Distribution
Size
Notes
Transvaal Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (four northernmost provinces): poss. Free State & SE Botswana
6-9cm
RSA (Cape Province, Namaqualand)
?
For some reason this species is not mentioned in Branch. See the EMBL database listing. B I
Austen's Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (coastal areas of W Cape to Little Namaqualand)
6-9cm
B I
RSA (S Little Namaqualand, Cape Province), Namibia
Formerly considered subspecies of P. rugosus. B I
Velvety Thick-Toed Gecko
Namibia (NW Damaraland and Kaokoveld)
6-8cm
B I
Bibron's Gecko
S. Africa, Angola, S. Tanzania
8-9"
Aggressive colonial species, usually found among rocks. Colouring is varying shades of brown, but Bibron's Geckos are distinguishable by five darker brown stripes across the back that are outlined with white spots. The skin is covered with many tubercular scales. This species requires warm dry conditions, in which it will thrive. Despite their colonial habits in the wild (up to 20 have been found in one shelter), cannibalism is not unknown in these lizards and males are aggressive, so they are best kept individually or at most on male and one female, if both are of similar size. Prey consists of insects of various sizes up to the grasshopper: Bibrons are also not hesistant about biting their keeper. Breeding is rare but is a worthwhile goal in view of the restrictions on wildlife exports from this region. Bill Branch commends these lizards as excellent pets. B I
Cape Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (Cape Provinces)
8-13½cm
Description: head regularly oviform, not much broader than the neck ; snout a little longer than the diameter of the orbit. Ear-opening oval, oblique. Body depressed. Limbs moderate; digits short, rather slender, distinctly broader at the end than at the base, the dilated part with 5-6 lamellae inferiorly. Tail rather depressed, tapering, distinctly annulate. Snout covered with convex scales which are much larger than the granules of the back; hinder part of head covered with granules intermixed with large round tubercles; naso-rostrals in contact; rostral broader than high ; seven or eight upper labials; 6-7 infralabials, the anterior as large as the mental; latter about twice as long as broad, slightly narrowing posteriorly. Upper parts covered with very small granules intermixed with large, feebly keeled, roundish or suboval tubercles, arranged symmetrically on the back; abdominal scales moderate, increasing in size from throat to groin. Upper surface and sides of tail with slightly imbricate smooth scales and transverse rows of large feebly keeled tubercles; lower surface of tail with imbricate smooth scales. Coloration: light brown above, variegated with dark brown and whitish; a dark brown streak on each side of the head, passing through the eye ; lower surfaces immaculate. [SOURCE: Boulenger] B I
Angolan Banded Thick-Toed Gecko
SW Angola, Namibia (N Kaokoveld)
6-8cm
B I
Banded Thick-Toed Gecko
Namibia (N Damaraland and Kaokoveld)
8-11cm
B I
Fitzsimons' Thick-Toed Gecko
Namibia (Damaraland), S Angola
13-18cm
B I
Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (W Cape Province)
13-18cm
Description: agrees in general with P. capensis. Differs in having the digits rather shorter and furnished with four or five lamellae inferiorly, the large dorsal tubercles strongly keeled and the small scales between them more irregular, and the ventral scales smaller. Scales on the upper part of the tail keeled. Coloration: yellowish, with brown variegations; a broad, brown, crescent-shaped band bordering the head posteriorly; four broad, brown, transverse bars on the back, broader than the interspaces between them. [SOURCE: Boulenger] B I
Brandberg Thick-Toed Gecko
Namibia (Brandberg)
10-13cm
B I
Ocellated Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (SW Cape, inc. Cape Fold mtns, Port Elizabeth and Cradock)
6-9cm
Description: snout very short, scarcely longer than the diameter of the orbit, obtuse, convex. Ear-opening subcircular. Body not much depressed. Limbs moderate; digits short, subequal, the end not much dilated, with 4-5 lamellae inferiorly. Tail: thick, rounded, tapering. Scalation details: upper surface of head, body, and limbs covered with granules of nearly equal size. Naso-rostrals generally separated; rostral scarcely broader than high; upper labials 8-9; lower labials 7-8, the anterior as long as, and broader than, the mental; latter quadrangular, not, or but little, narrowed posteriorly. Abdominal scales imbricate, equal. Caudal scales smooth, slightly imbricate, subequal, about twice as large as the granules of the back. Male with a series of 3-4 conical scales on each side of the base of the tail. Coloration: grey or brown above, with small, white, dark-edged ocelli; upper lip white; a dark streak on the side of the head and neck, passing through the eye; whitish beneath, throat dotted with brown. [SOURCE: Boulenger] B I
Haacke's Thick-Toed Gecko
S Namibia
14-17cm
B I
Thin-Skinned Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (inland Cape escarpment on the Nuweveldberg, through to western Karoo and on to the southern Cape fold mtns)
13-17cm
B I
Namibia
?
Very restricted range: see EMBL database listing. B I
Koch's Thick-Toed Gecko
Namibia (Cape Cross & vicinity)
8-11cm
Closely related to P. mariquensis. B I
Western Cape Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (W Cape from Little Namaqualand to Calvinia)
6-9cm
B I
RSA, Namibia, Angola
?
For some reason this species is not mentioned in Branch in the 1998 edition, but is cited from Branch in the EMBL database listing. B I
P. l. laevigatus
P. l. fitzsimonsi
P. l. pulitzerae
Spotted Thick-Toed Gecko
SE Africa [[RSA (Cape Province, S. Zululand, Natal, Transkei, SE Transvall), Swaziland]
4-5"
A grey-brown gecko with dark, sharply outlined spots. It lives among stones and bush roots, in leaf litter or in holes in ground, in the latter case often sharing these with girdle-tailed lizards (Cordylid species) or scorpions. Perhaps as a result of this, many in the wild seem to have regenerated tails. Although rarely seen in the trade, in captivity it apparently tames readily. Description: agrees in size, proportions, and scutellation with P. geitje, except that the granules of the back are intermixed with scattered larger tubercles, twice or three times the size of the granules, that there are a few conical tubercles on the outer side of the tibia, and that there is one lamella less under the disks of the digits. Coloration: greyish or brownish above ; a broad dark brown streak on the side of the head, passing through the eye, converging towards its fellow on the occiput; back with four longitudinal series of large dark brown spots, those of the outer series generally, those of the inner series constantly confluent into a band; tail spotted and variegated with dark brown ; lower surfaces dotted with brown. [SOURCE: Boulenger, Branch] B I
Marico Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA, Namibia
8-11cm
Description: head very convex ; snout very short, hardly as long as the diameter of the orbit, round. Ear-opening oval or subcircular. Body not much depressed. Limbs long; digits rather short, the end slightly dilated, with three lamellae inferiorly; the outer toe inserted a good deal below the fourth. Tail: cylindrical, tapering, without annuli. Scalation details: upper surface of head, body, and limbs covered with granules of subequal size; naso-rostrals generally in contact; rostral broader than high; 7-8 upper labials; 6-7 lower labials, gradually decreasing in size, the anterior as long as, and broader than, the mental, which is very slightly narrowed posteriorly. Abdominal scales equal. Caudal scales equal, smooth, slightly imbricated, much larger than the granules of the back, Male with a series of four conical scales on each side of the base of the tail. Coloration: grey above, with reddish-brown blackish-margined markings ; these markings are a spot on the nose, another on the forehead, a semicircular broad bar surrounding the back of the head, stretching from eye to eye, and posteriorly directed angular broad bars on the back and tail; lower surfaces whitish, immaculate. [SOURCE: Boulenger] B I
P. m. mariquensis
RSA (E Cape [Addo] to S Fre State, Ceres and Little Namaqualand)
Scalation: nasorostrals in contact: dorsal scales granular and abutting. B I
P. m. latirostris
RSA (C & N Karoo to Great Namaqualand): Namibia (Spitzkoppe and SW of Brandberg)
Scalation: nasorostrals separated by granular scales: dorsal scales flattened and slightly overlapping. Namibian population is isolated. B I
RSA (Cape Province)
?
Status unclear: not listed by Branch. See the EMBL database listing. B I
Namaqua Thick-Toed Gecko
Namaqualand: poss. Namibia
14-17cm
B I
Golden Spotted Thick-Toed Gecko
Southern Africa
7-11cm
White ventral and grey-brown dorsal surfaces with dark band running along both sides and dark stripes across the back as far as the tail. A lateral dark band extends across the eye to the snout. B I
Kaokoveld Thick-Toed Gecko
Namibia (Brandberg), S Angola
8-11cm
B I
O'Shaughnessy's Thick-Toed Gecko
N Zimbabwe, W Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, E Congo
9-11cm
Description: head regularly oviform, not much broader than the neck; snout obtuse, subtriangular, a little longer than the diameter of the orbit. Ear-opening very small, oval, oblique. Limbs moderate; digits short, of subequal width throughout their length, with 4-5 lamella; inferiorly. Body not much depressed. Tail: rounded, very thick in its anterior half, ending in a thin point. Scalation details: snout covered with convex scales which are much larger than the granules of the back; the remainder of the head covered with very small granules intermixed with larger ones; naso-rostrals in contact; rostral broader than high; 8 upper labials; 7 lower labials, first as long as, and broader than, the mental; latter a little narrowed posteriorly, twice as long as broad. Back covered with small granules intermixed with large, keeled, conical tubercles arranged rather irregularly. Outer side of femur and tibia with conical tubercles. Throat granulate, belly covered with moderate-sized imbricated scales. Tail: covered with rather large, equal, strongly imbricate, cycloid, smooth scales. Coloration: head yellowish, bordered by a blackish streak extending from one nostril to the other, passing through the eye and conturning the occiput; this streak bordered posteriorly by a broader cream-coloured band; back and upper surface of tail light brown, the former with two, the latter with seven, large, transverse, cream coloured, blackish- edged spots; limbs and lower surfaces uniform cream-coloured. [SOURCE: Boulenger] B I
P. o. oshaughnessyi
As above except Congo
3-4 yellow crossbands on back (4-5 in Zambia). B I
P. o. kantanganus
Congo (Shaba Province)
6-8 thin yellow bands and larger keeled tubercles. B I
P. punctatus
Speckled Thick-Toed Gecko
N Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola, Congo
5-7cm
Differs from P. geitje in having the snout somewhat longer and more pointed, the granules of the back and the scales of the tail larger, and the scales on the snout three or four times as large as those on the back of the head. Seven upper and six lower labials. Brown above, spotted with blackish brown; behind the eye a yellow band, blackish-edged above; lower surfaces pure white. [SOURCE: Boulenger] B I
Rough Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA [S. Little Namaqualand, Cape Province], Namibia
9-13cm
Until recently this lizard was known as Pachydactylus formosus (click here for reference). Very occasionally seen. Branch notes that all three subspecies may be full species. Preferred habitat is dry riverbeds and/or rocky outcrops, where they may either conceal themselves in cracks or in leaf litter, etc. Description: head oviform, very distinct from neck; snout moderate, obtuse, a little longer than the diameter of the orbit. Ear-opening oval, oblique. Body not much depressed. Limbs rather long; digits short, of subequal width throughout their length, with 4-5 lamellae inferiorly. Tail (reproduced?): short, thick. Head covered with conical tubercles intermixed with small granules; naso-rostrals separated by a granule ; rostral a little broader than high ; 10 upper labials; 9 lower labials, gradually decreasing in size; mental subtriangular. Upper parts with small granules of irregular size, intermixed with large, conical, spinose tubercles arranged irregularly. Scales on lower surfaces granular, subconical. Coloration: head brownish white, with a large, crescent-shaped, greyish-brown mark extending from eye to eye; back greyish brown, with four transverse, dentated, whitish bars, narrower than the intervals; a whitish band from the mouth to the anterior cross bars; lower surfaces whitish, speckled with brown. [SOURCE: Boulenger] B I
P. r. rugosus
Inland Nambia, from N Cape to Calvinia
Distinguished by four yellowish-brown undulating bands across the back (Branch). B I
P. r. barnardi
RSA [S. Little Namaqualand]
Now raised to full species status. B I
P. r. formosus
RSA [W Cape Province]
Until recently this lizard was known as Pachydactylus formosus (click here for reference). Very occasionally seen. B I
Schertz's Thick-Toed Gecko
Namibia (coastal plain and inland escarpment, from the Brandberg north to the Kaokoveld)
5-7cm
B I
San Steyn's Thick-Toed Gecko
Namibia (Kuidas, S Kaokoveld, mouth of Cunene River)
7-9cm
B I
Large-Scaled Thick-Toed Gecko
N Nambia and S Angola
6-8cm
B I
Western Spotted Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (S Karoo to Lower Orange River and Great Namaqualand: absent from W Cape and Little Namaqualand): S Namibia
7-9cm
B I
P. s. serval
S Namibia
Scalation: dorsal tubercles scattered and enlarged, not keeled or raised.
P. s. onscepensis
RSA (lower Orange River valley)
Scalation: dorsal tubercles scattered, raised and keeled.
P. s. purcelli
RSA (W Little Karoo), SE Namibia
Scalation: dorsal scales granular, lacks tubercles.
Tete Thick-Toed Gecko
SE Tanzania, Mozambique, Lower Zambezi valley
Max TL 18cm: avg TL 13-15cm
B I
Tiger Gecko
Zimbabwe, Republic of South Africa (N. Transvaal), E. Botswana, W. Mozambique (S. Blinkwater/Brak River)
?
A brown gecko with white stripes in a tiger pattern. I have seen this gecko offered for sale on a business web site, but other than that have no information about it. Click here for EMBL's reference and a link to a photograph. B I
Tsodilo Thick-Toed Gecko
N Botswana (Tsodilo Hills)
9-12cm
B I
Tuberculate Thick-Toed Gecko
Zimbabwe, Republic of South Africa (N. Transvaal), E. Botswana, W. Mozambique (S. Blinkwater/Brak River)
Max TL 17cm: avg 12-15cm
A lighter brown gecko than most of its co-species, with pronounced tubercles on the body and short darker brown patches, or stripes, on its dorsal surfaces. The tail is fairly long and tapering. Click here to find a photograph. B I
Turner's Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (Orange River Valley, Free State, NW and N Provinces, N KwaZulu-Natal), Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola and Tanzania; poss. Kenya
Max TL 18-20cm: avg 12-15cm
??. B I
Van Son's Thick-Toed Gecko
RSA (Free State, E N Provinces, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal), SE Zimbabwe, Mozambique
8-12cm
B I
Weber's Thick-Toed Gecko
C Namibia, RSA (Namaqualand to W Cape)
7-10cm
B I