Hemidactylus barbierii Sindaco, Razzetti, and Ziliani, 2007

Kirchhof, Sebastian, Wasonga, Victor, Mazuch, Tomáš, Spawls, Stephen & Malonza, Patrick Kinyatta, 2023, An annotated checklist of the herpetofauna of the Sibiloi National Park in northern Kenya based on field surveys, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 324) 17 (1 / 2), pp. 1-18 : 6-8

Hemidactylus barbierii Sindaco, Razzetti, and Ziliani, 2007

Vouchers: NMK-378L/1–4 (field nos. SK16 1078, SK16 1085–1087)

Distribution: KA ( R)

Remarks: Four individuals were found at KA (about 15 km inland of Lake Turkana) at about 514 m elevation. These represent the first records from the eastern side of Lake Turkana ( Sindaco et al. 2007). This species can be distinguished from the syntopic Hemidactylus ruspolii Boulenger, 1896 by the presence of precloacal pores in males (instead of femoral pores), and a dorsal pattern consisting of four transverse dark grey (or at least bordered with dark grey margins) bands (one nuchal and three between anterior and posterior limbs), and a dark rather narrow crescent shaped band bordering the posterior skull margins and extending through the eyes to the nostril (more pronounced in the yellow and black juveniles; Fig 4F ). It is different from Hemidactylus bavazzanoi Lanza, 1978 in the mental scale arrangement as well as the dorsal pattern, which in H. bavazzanoi comprises only three dark transverse bands and a broader crescent shaped head band. Little is known about the ecology of H. barbierii . It is usually considered to be terrestrial, hiding under ground coverings or in holes ( Sindaco et al. 2007; Spawls et al. 2018). Based on our observations, we consider it to be arboreal rather than terrestrial. This species inhabits the riparian woodlands along dry laggas where individuals were found actively foraging at night on the tree stems and at the bases of trees. All individuals escaped by fleeing up the trees rather than running away on the ground. One recently hatched individual ( Fig. 4F ) was found during the day hiding under the bark of a Vachellia sp. tree at about 1.8 m above the ground on 29 November 2019.

So far, this species is only known from the Lake Turkana region. The type series was collected south of KF, 10 km inland from AB ( Sindaco et al. 2007) .

Figures

Fig. 4. Reptile species recorded during the surveys: (A) Crocodylus niloticus; (B) Agama lionotus; (C) Agama rueppelli; (D) Holodactylus africanus; (E) Hemidactylus angulatus; (F) Hemidactylus barbierii; (G) Hemidactylus lanzai; (H) Hemidactylus ruspolii; (I) Homopholis fasciata; (J) Lygodactylus somalicus; (K) Stenodactylus sthenodactylus; (L) Heliobolus spekii; (M) Latastia longicaudata; (N) Philochortus rudolfensis; (O) Chalcides bottegi; (P) Mochlus sundevallii; (Q) Trachylepis striata; (R) Varanus albigularis; (S) Eryx colubrinus; (T) Platyceps brevis; (U) Psammophis cf. tanganicus; (V) Psammophis punctulatus; (W) Rhamphiophis rostratus; (X) Naja pallida; (Y) Bitis arietans; and (Z) Echis pyramidum.