NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Sossus Gecko
Pachydactylus etultra Branch, Bauer, Jackman & Heinicke, 2011
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Sossus gecko (Pachydactylus etultra) is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It is endemic to Namibia. The Sossus Gecko is known as the Namib Sand Gecko. This is a small lizard measuring around 10 centimeters the tail can be as long as the Sossus Gecko body. Its skin is rough helping the lizard blend in with its environment. The Sossus Gecko has a lifespan of seven years, it lives in nocturnal and terrestrials' areas. Sossus Gecko feed on insects in its environment. The Sossus Gecko is known as a survivor of desert and extreme climates. When the sand is too hot to walk on in the desert the lizard seeks shelter in burrows or beneath rocks. During the day the Sossus Gecko sleeps conserving energy for later avoiding the desert sun and at night the lizard becomes active looking for food interacting with other geckos including defending its territory or a male seeking a female's attention to mate.
Wikipedia contributors, Sossus gecko; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T02:56:30.022874+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Pachydactylus etultra Branch, Bauer, Jackman & Heinicke, 2011
- Name authority
- Branch, Bauer, Jackman & Heinicke, 2011
- Common name
- Sossus Gecko
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Gekkonidae
- Genus
- Pachydactylus
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderGekkota
- familyGekkonidae
- genusPachydactylus
- speciesPachydactylus etultra Branch, Bauer, Jackman & Heinicke, 2011
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Pachydactylus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Banded Thick-toed GeckoPachydactylus fasciatus Boulenger, 1888 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Brandberg Thick-toed GeckoPachydactylus gaiasensis Steyn & Mitchell, 1967 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Fragile Thick-toed geckoPachydactylus kladaroderma Branch, Bauer & Good, 1996 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Pachydactylus kobosensis Fitzsimons, 1938 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Spotted Thick-toed GeckoPachydactylus maculatus Gray, 1845 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Pachydactylus maraisi Heinicke, Adderly, Bauer & Jackman, 2011 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Montane Thick-toed GeckoPachydactylus montanus Methuen & Hewitt, 1914 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Namaqua Thick-toed GeckoPachydactylus namaquensis (Sclater, 1898) | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Golden Spotted GeckoPachydactylus oculatus Hewitt, 1927 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| African Thick-toed GeckoPachydactylus oreophilus Mclachlan & Spence, 1967 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Pachydactylus oshaughnessyi Boulenger, 1885 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Pachydactylus parascutatus Bauer, Lamb & Branch, 2002 | GekkonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Pachydactylus&species=etultra Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4BRB2. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.