Bauer et al. (1996) described this species as follows: Snout-vent length 23.6 mm; tail length 30.7 mm; head length7.1 mm; head width 4.6 mm, snout length 3.0 mm; orbital width 1.4 mm; ear to eye distance 2.3 mm. Head depressed, 1.3 times ear-to-eye distance and 2.1 times eye diameter; ear opening small, slightly oblique and rounded. Lacking enlarged lobules or tympanic shields; eye relatively large, ringed by small ciliary granules with a vertical pupil constricted to two pinhole openings on preserved specimens; rostral sub-pentagonal, broader than wide with a median cleft above, nostril directed upward and pierced between rostral, first supralabial, and three nasal scales; anteriormost nasal largest; supranasals separated by three small granules; mental subpentagonal, as broad as or little as broader behind than adjoining infralabials; a median pair of enlarged chinshields in contact with mental and considerably larger than granules behind; chinshields bordered by six convex granules; throat covered with granules, these granules smaller posteriorly; supralabials 10; infralabials 8. Scales on snot granular and convex, the largest being larger than those on back, much larger than the small convex to slightly flattened granules on back of head. Body elongate and dorsoventrally flattened. Limbs of moderate length; digits depressed in their basal part, with three rows of scales inferiorly, the median series moderately enlarged transversely; digital expansions rounded, slightly broader than basal portion and each bearing a pair of subrectangular adhesive scansors below, minute claws on all digits of manus and pes. Four preanal pores. Upper surface of body and limbs covered with uniform, smooth, flat granules, these granules larger than scales on back. Tail original, 130% of SVL, slightly flattened dorsoventrally, tapering, covered above with regular transverse rows of uniform, smooth, subimbricate, subrectangular scales (the scales much larger than scales on the back), and below with scales much larger than those above and even larger than those of the belly. An oblique row of three enlarged, flattened tubercles at the base of the tail on either side of the vent. Color in Preservative: Body mottled brown above, with a longitudinal series of five more-or-less paired, dorsolateral, pale yellow spots; small blotches on flanks that may be aligned with dorsolateral series to form irregular transverse series. Top of snout and crown mottled light brown; vague dark brown stripe extending from through upper eye onto temporal region and side of neck. Belly cream, with dark stipples on lateral scales; these stipples more extensive below limbs and on throat (forming scattered flecks). Upper surface of limbs blotched, irregularly on forelimbs, more distinctly on hind limbs, with a series of three pale yellow blotches on mid-femur, knee and mid-shank. Tail with 12 pale bands above, each 2-3 scales wide. Subcaudal region cream colored with mottled brown infusions. Color in Life: Similar to preserved color except dorsal spots and those on femora beige or pale pink, containing smaller canary yellow spots displaced anteriorly; pale spots on head also yellow; anterior margins of light bands on tail with two small canary yellow spots or a thin yellow band.

No separate diagnostic description was provided. Refer to the morphological description. This information was extracted from Bauer et al. (1996): A small species of the P. lineatus group, having an adult snout-vent length (SVL) of 23-30 mm and distinguished from other species in the genus and species group by the following combination of characteristics: head depressed; dorsal body scalation homogeneous; midbody scale rows 70-86; 4 preanal pores in males; dorsal color pattern with transverse rows of large yellow spots on a brown or mottled background. Phyllodactylus gemmulus differs from P . microlepidotus, P . porphyreus, and an undescribed species from the Swartberg Mountains by its smaller size, and from the last species and P. peringueyi by its homogeneous body scalation. It is distinguished from P. lineatus and several related forms (resurrected or described by Branch et aI., 1995) by its elongate trunk and its color pattern of large, diffuse yellow spots (small pale spots may be found in other species and small orange spots are seen in P. rupicolus from Namaqualand). It is distinguished from P. hexaporus and from P. lineatus by its lower number of preanal pores, and from all members of the group except P.linealus by a relatively low number of midbody scale rows. Phyllodaclylus gemmulus is also distinguished by four unique allozyme alleles. Color in Life: Similar to preserved color except dorsal spots and those on femora beige or pale pink, containing smaller canary yellow spots displaced anteriorly; pale spots on head also yellow; anterior margins of light bands on tail with two small canary yellow spots or a thin yellow band.

Type locality: 22.6 km by road E Sendelingsdrif (Park Headquarter), Richtersveld National Park, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Holotype: CAS 193645, paratypes: PEM

No taxonomic issues.

South Africa, Namibia

This species occurs in the Richtersveld region of the Northern Cape province, South Africa, and the adjacent parts of southern Namibia (Tolley et al., 2023).

This species has a pair of very distinctive leaf-shaped adhesive toe pads (scansors) under each toe-tip plus a small, retractible claw on each foot, which allow them to stick onto even smooth surfaces, making them extremely good climbers (Branch, 1998).

Carnivore - Insectivore (insect-eating)

Goggia gemmula feeds on termites and small insects (Branch, 1998).

This species is oviparous, with females laying two small eggs in a rock crack (Branch, 1998).

This species shelters under granite flakes on isolated boulders and emerges at night to feed (Branch, 1998).

Desert, Shrubland