Anatomy of an enigma: an osteological investigation of the Namibian festive gecko (Narudasia festiva: Gekkonidae: Gekkota)

Daza, J.D., Aurich, J. and Bauer, A.M. 2011. Anatomy of an enigma: an osteological investigation of the Namibian festive gecko (Narudasia festiva: Gekkonidae: Gekkota). Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 93: 465486. The monotypic genus Narudasia is a poorly studied Namibian endemic gekkonid lizard. It has been hypothesized to have close relationships with a diversity of other gekkotan genera, including representatives of three of the currently recognized families of geckos, but most such interpretations have been based solely on overall morphological similarity. X-ray CT scans, cleared-and-stained specimens and conventional radiographs were used to provide a detailed osteological description of N. festiva, with an emphasis on the cranium. Narudasia exhibits a number of features associated with miniaturization, including a relatively large neurocranium and a bulging occipital condyle. However, many skeletal features differ from other minaturized taxa but are shared with one or more larger-bodied gecko taxa. Narudasia shares a number of putatively derived features with at least some representatives of a large clade of Afro-Malagasy gekkonids, but at present neither molecular nor osteological data adequately resolve its relationships. It remains a phylogenetic enigma, but more extensive osteological taxon sampling across the Gekkota may ultimately reveal synapomorphies uniting Narudasia with particular Afro-Malagasy genera.