Lygodactylus pictus (PETERS, 1883)
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Lygodactylus pictus
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| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Robust Dwarf Gecko |
| Synonym | Scalabotes pictus PETERS 1883: 28 Lygodactylus pictus — BOULENGER 1885: 158 Lygodactylus robustus BOETTGER 1913 Lygodactylus pictus — KLUGE 1993 Lygodactylus pictus — GLAW & VENCES 1994: 284 Lygodactylus (Lygodactylus) pictus — RÖSLER 2000: 94 Lygodactylus pictus — PUENTE et al. 2009: 27 Lygodactylus pictus — RÖLL et al. 2010 Lygodactylus robustus — BÖHME 2014: 140 |
| Distribution | S Madagascar Type locality: “Centrum ... Madagascar” [Scalabotes pictus PETERS 1883] Type locality: Ankarimbelo, SW Madagascar [robustus] |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Lectotype: ZMB 10453; designated by PASTEUR 1964 (Scalabotes pictus PETERS 1883) Lectotype: SMF 8956 from Ankarimbela, designated by Mertens (1967); paralectotypes: NMW, ZMB, ZFMK [robustus] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: L. pictus is a relatively large species of Lygodactylus that is common on the central high plateau of Madagascar. It can be assigned to the L. pictus group based on the characters listed in the group definition above. It differs from L. tuberosus by usually having distinct dark spots on the throat (vs. no or only faint spots in L. tuberosus), by a yellow ventral colour in life (usually whitish and not distinctly yellow in L. tuberosus; the yellow pigment, however, quickly fades in preservative), and by the presence of only a dark stripe behind the eye (vs. presence in most individuals of a dark marking behind the eye which includes spiny scales). Typically, specimens of L. pictus are relatively large, but also some individuals classified as L. tuberosus can attain large sizes (up to 38 mm). Clearly, the definitions of these species require revision, and the specimens assigned here to either L. pictus or L. tuberosus do not form homogeneous groups. Distinction of L. pictus from L. roavolana is easy by the absence of distinct black markings above the forelimbs (vs. presence), by the number of 4–6 infralabial scales (vs. 7), and by the presence of a claw on the first finger (vs. apparent absence). (PUENTE et al. 2009) |
| Comment | BAUER et al. (1995) list Lygodactylus robustus BOETTGER 1913 as the present name for Scalabotes pictus PETERS 1883. Habitat: Specimens were observed active during the day, on the trunks of large eucalypt trees and on agava leaves near Sendrisoa (F. Glaw, D. R. Vieites and M. Vences, personal observation), and on tree trunks, walls, and fences in the towns of Ambositra and Antsirabe (M. Puente and F. Glaw personal observation). At Antsirabe, ca. 10–12 eggs (not glued) were found deposited in the bark of a tree, probably representing a communal egg deposition site (F. Glaw, M. Puente, M. Thomas, R. Randrianiaina, personal observation, January 2004). At Ambositra, pairs of eggs (not glued) were found between old wood in a hotel garden (M. Vences, personal observation, 2003) [Puente et al. 2009]. Karyotype: see Mezzasalma et al. 2016. |
| Etymology | Probably based on the coloration, derived from Latin pictus (painted): “Unten schmutziggelb, am Unterlippenrande und in der Submentalgegend schwarz punktirt”, according to the original description. |
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