Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Krystal A Tolley Michael Bates William Branch
Contributors: Josh Weeber
Facilitators: Graham Alexander
Reviewers: Adrian Armstrong Buyisile Makhubo Bryan Maritz

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

Has a small range in the Swartberg Mountains, Western Cape Province, South Africa, with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 1,676 km2. The entire distribution is within a pristine and well-managed provincial Protected Area (Swartberg Nature Reserve). This species is found at high elevations where terrain is rough and largely inaccessible. The species is therefore considered Least Concern.



Distribution

Endemic to Western Cape Province, South Africa and restricted to high elevation areas of the Groot and Klein Swartberg ranges (Bates et al. 2014).   There are only two records to the east of Meiringspoort, although suitable habitat occurs along this eastern part of the Groot Swartberg and is therefore inferred as part of the range.

Decline

None

Population trend

Trend

 The species is inferred to be stable, given that the habitat is essentially pristine. It is possible the species is patchy or that abundances are naturally low, given that it is difficult to find. However, this could also be a result of the difficult terrain in this region which hinders the ease of comprehensive surveys.

Threats

There are no known threats to this species. It is, however, possible that the species could be affected by climate change, given that it occurs at elevation and there is no possibly for upslope displacement.

Uses and trade

Not known to be utilized in any way.

Conservation

Collect data on specific habitat requirements and extent of available habitat, total range and population numbers within suitable habitat, and the effect of fire on habitat and population numbers.

References 

[@electronic{181632,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-2},
 year = {2018}
}
,@book{612,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Bates, M.F., Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M., Burger, M., Marais, J., Alexander, G.J. and de Villiers, M.S.},
 publisher = {Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{17124,
 author = {Bauer, A.M., Good, D.A. and Branch, W.R.},
 journal = {Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences},
 number = {14},
 pages = {447--497},
 title = {The taxonomy of the southern African leaf-toed geckos, with a review of Old World '<i>Phyllodactylus</i>' (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and the description of five new genera},
 volume = {49},
 year = {1997}
}
,@article{17124,
 author = {Branch, W.R. and Bauer, A.M.},
 journal = {Herpetological Natural History},
 pages = {127--134},
 title = {Notes on two poorly-known <i>Phyllodactylus</i> (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from South Africa},
 volume = {4},
 year = {1996}
}
,@article{196903,
 author = {Heinicke, M.P., Daza, J.D., Greenbaum, E., Jackman, T.R. and Bauer, A.M.},
 journal = {Systematics and Biodiversity},
 number = {1},
 pages = {23--42. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2013.877999},
 title = {Phylogeny, taxonomy and biogeography of a circum-Indian Ocean clade of leaf-toed geckos (Reptilia: Gekkota), with a description of two new genera},
 volume = {12},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{196903,
 author = {Haacke, W.D.},
 journal = {Annals of the Transvaal Museum},
 pages = {229--237},
 title = {Description of a new species of <i>Phyllodactylus</i> Gray (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from the Cape Fold Mountains, South Africa},
 volume = {36},
 year = {1996}
}
,]
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