Geckolepis

Geckolepis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Subfamily: Gekkoninae
Genus: Geckolepis
Grandidier, 1867

Geckolepis is a genus of geckos, commonly referred to as fish scale geckos, which are endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. They are nocturnal, arboreal, insectivorous lizards, found in primary and secondary forest, as well as degraded habitats.

Taxonomy

The genus Geckolepis has difficult taxonomy due to variable pholidosis.[1][2] Recent taxonomic and genetic investigation have shown that several cryptic species are present in this genus.[1][3] Recently, Hawlitschek et al. (2016) resurrected Geckolepis humbloti from synonymy with Geckolepis maculata, as a species endemic to the Comoro Islands.[4]

Species

The following four species are recognized.[4][5]

References

  1. 1 2 Köhler, Günther; Diethart, Hans-Helmut; Nussbaum, Ronald A.; Raxworthy, Christopher J. (2009). "A revision of the fish scale geckos, genus Geckolepis Grandidier (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Madagascar and the Comoros". Herpetologica. 65 (4): 419–435.
  2. ↑ Glaw, Frank; Vences, Miguel (1994). A fieldguide to the amphibians and reptiles of Madagascar. Cologne, Germany: Vences & Glaw Verlags GbR. ISBN 3-929449-01-3.
  3. ↑ Lemme, Inga; Erbacher, Martina; Kaffenberger, Natalie; Vences, Miguel; Köhler, Jörn (2012). "Molecules and morphology suggest cryptic species diversity and an overall complex taxonomy of fish scale geckos, genus Geckolepis". Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 13 (1): 87–95. doi:10.1007/s13127-012-0098-y.
  4. 1 2 Hawlitschek, Oliver; Scherz, Mark D.; Straube, Nicolas; Glaw, Frank (2016). "Resurrection of the Comoran fish scale gecko Geckolepis humbloti Vaillant, 1887 reveals a disjointed distribution caused by natural overseas dispersal". Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 16 (1): 289–298. doi:10.1007/s13127-015-0255-1.
  5. ↑ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
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