Chondrodactylus angulifer

Chondrodactylus angulifer
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Gekkota
Family:	Gekkonidae
Genus:	Chondrodactylus
Species:	C. angulifer
Binomial name
Chondrodactylus angulifer W. Peters, 1870
range

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.

Geographic range

Chondrodactylus angulifer is found in Namibia, southernmost Botswana, and western South Africa.

Description

Chondrodactylus angulifer is a medium sized 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.

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).

Subspecies

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

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

References

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).