Phylogenetic relationships of southern African geckos in the Pachydactylus group (Squamata: Gekkonidae)

Abstract

Pachydactylus and its close relatives (Chondrodactylus, Colopus, Palmatogecko) constitute the most species‐rich component of the southern African gekkonid fauna. We conducted a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial (cytb, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA) and nuclear (RAG‐1) gene sequences for these geckos. Pachydactylus tetensis + P. tuberculosus form the sister group to the remaining taxa, and we resurrect the genus Elasmodactylus to accommodate these two basal species. The P. bibronii group is sister to Chondrodactylus angulifer, and is here transferred to the latter genus. Pachydactylus kochii is the sister species of Colopus wahlbergii and is transferred to that genus. All remaining taxa ‐ including the P. namaquensis group, the ‘small‐bodied’ Pachydactylus, and Palmatogecko ‐ form a well‐supported monophyletic assemblage recognised herein as Pachydactylus sensu stricto. The major clades within Pachydactylus s.s. include the capensis, serval/weberi, rangei, rugosus, and geitje groups, as well as a diverse “northwestern group” that occurs chiefly in northern Namibia and southern Angola. The fine‐scale regional endemism apparent among members of the southern African Pachydactylus Group probably reflects an interplay between substrate specialisation and vicariant events (both geologically and climatically associated) since at least the Miocene. Explicit phylogenies for Pachydactylus, cordylid lizards, scorpions, and other taxa provide a basis for the first fine‐scaled analytical biogeographic analysis of southern Africa.