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Hemidactylus mercatorius GRAY, 1842

IUCN Red List - Hemidactylus mercatorius - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaGekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos)
Subspecies 
Common Names 
SynonymHemidactylus mercatorius GRAY 1842: 58
Hemidactylus gardineri BOULENGER 1909 (fide LOVERIDGE 1953)
Hemidactylus persimilis BARBOUR & LOVERIDGE 1928 (fide LOVERIDGE 1947)
Hemidactylus mandanus LOVERIDGE 1936: 60 (fide LOVERIDGE 1947)
Hemidactylus mercatorius — LOVERIDGE 1955: 170
Hemidactylus mercatorius — WERMUTH 1965: 81
Hemidactylus mercatorius — KLUGE 1993
Hemidactylus mercatorius — GLAW & VENCES 1994: 278
Hemidactylus mercatorius — RÖSLER 2000: 87
Hemidactylus mercatorius — RÖSLER 2015 
DistributionAscension Island (Breviora 471:5), Somalia (Lanza 1990)

Seychelles, Mauritius, Comoro (Mayotte), Madagascar,
Mozambique, Kitau/Manda Island, Farquhar, Malawi,
Europa island
Introduced to Tromelin island (Harris et al. 2024)
Introduced to La Réunion.

Type locality: Madagascar; restricted to Farquhar Island, Seychelles by LOVERIDGE 1947.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesType: BMNH 1946.9.7.2 (and possibly additional specimens).
Holotype: MCZ 24041 [persimilis]
Holotype: MCZ 39995 [mandanus] 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (236 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentDistribution: not in East Africa (i.e. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi fide S. Spawls, pers. comm., 28 June 2018). Not listed for Tanzania by BROADLEY & HOWELL 1991.

H. mercatorius has been synonymized with H. mabouia. 
References
  • Barbour, T. & LOVERIDGE.A. 1928. A comparative study of the herpetological fauna of the Uluguru and Usambara mountains, Tanzania Territory with descriptions of new species. Mem. Mus. comp. Zool. Cambridge (Massachusetts), 50 (2): 85-265 - get paper here
  • Belluardo F, Quirós DD, Lobón-Rovira J, Rosa GM, Rasoazanany M, Andreone F, Crottini A 2021. Uncovering the herpetological diversity of small forest fragments in south-eastern Madagascar (Haute Matsiatra). Zoosystematics and Evolution 97(2): 315-343 - get paper here
  • BORA, PARFAIT; J. CHRISTIAN RANDRIANANTOANDRO, ROMA RANDRIANAVELONA, ELISOA F. HANTALALAINA, RAPHALI R. ANDRIANTSIMANARILAFY, DANIEL RAKOTONDRAVONY, OLGA R. RAMILIJAONA, MIGUEL VENCES, RICHARD K. B. JENKINS, FRANK GLAW, AND JÖRN KÖHLER 2010. AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE TSINGY DE BEMARAHA PLATEAU, WESTERN MADAGASCAR: CHECKLIST, BIOGEOGRAPHY AND CONSERVATION. Herp. Cons. Biol. 5 (1): 111-125
  • Boulenger, G.A. 1909. A list of the freshwater fishes, batrachians and reptiles obtained by Mr. J. Stanley Gardiner's expedition to the Indian Ocean. Trans. Linn. Soc. 12: 291-300 - get paper here
  • Boumans, Louis; David R. Vieites, Frank Glaw and Miguel Vences 2007. Geographical patterns of deep mitochondrial differentiation in widespread Malagasy reptiles. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 45 (3): 822-839 - get paper here
  • Carretero, M.A.; Harris, J.D. & Rocha, S. 2005. Recent observation of reptiles in the Comoro islands (Western Indian Ocean). Herpetological Bulletin (91): 19-28
  • Cocca, W., G. M. Rosa, F. Andreone, G. Aprea, P. E. Bergò, F. Mattioli, V. Mercurio, J. E. Randrianirina, D. Rosado, M. Vences & A. Crottini 2018. The herpetofauna (Amphibia, Crocodylia, Squamata, Testudines) of the Isalo Massif, Southwest Madagascar: combining morphological, molecular and museum data. Salamandra 54 (3): 178-200 plus Supplementary Material - get paper here
  • D'Cruze, Neil; Annette Olsonn, David Henson, Sunil Kumar, and David Emmett. 2009. The Amphibians and Reptiles of the Lower Onilahy River Valley, a Temporary Protected Area in Southwest Madagascar. Herp. Cons. Biol. 4: 62-79 - get paper here
  • D'Cruze, Neil; Jeremy Sabel, Katie Green, Jeffrey Dawson, Carlie Gardner, Janine Robinson, Georgina Starkie, Miguel Vences, and Frank Glaw. 2007. The First Comprehensive Survey of Amphibians and Reptiles at Montagne des Francais, Madagascar. Herp. Cons. Biol. 2 (2): 87-99 - get paper here
  • Evans, A. M., Marshal, J. P., & Alexander, G. J. 2021. Forest patch characteristics affect reptile occurrence in north‐western Madagascar. Austral Ecology - get paper here
  • Gardner, A.S. 1985. An identification key to the geckos of the Seychelles, with brief notes on their distributions and habits. The Herpetological Journal 1 (1): 17-19. - get paper here
  • Glaw ,F. & Vences, M. 1994. A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Vences & Glaw Verlag, Köln (ISBN 3-929449-01-3)
  • Gray, J. E. 1842. Description of some new species of Reptiles, chiefly from the British Museum collection. Zoological Miscellany 2: 57-59. - get paper here
  • Harris DJ, Sanchez M, Rocha S 2024. Origins and taxonomic status of Hemidactylus geckos on the Îles Éparses of the Western Indian Ocean. Herpetozoa 37: 181-187 - get paper here
  • Hawlitschek, Oliver; Boris Brückmann, Johannes Berger, Katie Green, Frank Glaw 2011. Integrating field surveys and remote sensing data to study distribution, habitat use and conservation status of the herpetofauna of the Comoro Islands. ZooKeys 144: 21-79 - get paper here
  • Lanza, B. 1990. Amphibians and reptiles of the Somali Democratic Republic: check list and biogeography. Biogeographia, 14: 407-465 [1988] - get paper here
  • Loveridge, A. 1936. New geckos of the genus Hemidactylus from Zanzibar and Manda Islands. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 49:59-62 - get paper here
  • Loveridge, A. 1947. Revision of the African lizards of the family Gekkondiae. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard 98: 1-469 - get paper here
  • Loveridge, A. 1953. Zoological Results of a fifth expedition to East Africa. III. Reptiles from Nyasaland and Tete. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard 110 (3): 142-322. - get paper here
  • Loveridge, A. 1955. On a second collection of reptiles and amphibians taken in Tanganyika Territory by C. J. P. lonides,. Journ. E. Africa Nat. Hist. Soc. 22: 169-198
  • Mezzasalma, M. 2024. First Cytogenetic Analysis of Hemidactylus mercatorius Gray, 1842 Provides Insights on Interspecific Chromosomal Diversification in the Genus Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Life, 14(2), 181 - get paper here
  • Radonirina, Oninjatovo; H.; Randriamahatantsoa, B.; Rabibisoa, N.H.C.; Raxworthy, C.J. 2023. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Montagne des Français: An Update of the Distribution and Regional Endemicity. Animals 13: 3361 - get paper here
  • Rakotoarison, Andolalao; Jesse Erens, Fanomezana M. Ratsoavina, Miguel Vences 2015. Amphibian and reptile records from around the Betsiboka delta area in North-Western Madagascar. Herpetology Notes 8: 535-543 - get paper here
  • Rösler, H. 2000. Kommentierte Liste der rezent, subrezent und fossil bekannten Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha). Gekkota 2: 28-153
  • Rösler, Herbert 2015. Bemerkungen über einige Geckos der Zoologischen Staatssammlung München. Gekkota, Suppl. (2): 3-54
  • SANCHEZ, Mickaël & Jean-Michel PROBST 2015. L’herpétofaune terrestre de l’île d’Europa (Océan Indien, Canal du Mozambique) : synthèse des connaissances et nouvelles données sur la répartition et l’écologie des espèces en vue de leur conservation. Bull. Soc. Herp. France 156: 63-76
  • Sanchez, Mickaël; Arthur Choeur, Florent Bignon, and Alexandre Laubin 2019. Reptiles of the Iles Eparses, Indian Ocean: Inventory, Distribution, and Conservation Status. Herp. Conserv. Biology 14 (2): - get paper here
  • Sanchez, Mickaël; Sara Rocha & Jean-Michel PRobSt 2012. Un nouveau gecko nocturne naturalisé sur l’île de La Réunion: Hemidactylus mercatorius Gray, 1842 (Reptilia : Squamata : Gekkonidae). Bull. Soc. Herp. France (142-143): 89-106
  • Sassi, Anna Romoli; Russell, Anthony P.; Lanza, Benedetto 1972. On a previously unrecorded gekkonid lizard from Somalia: Hemidactylus mercatorius Gray 1842. Monitore Zoologico Italiano 4 (14): 317-326 - get paper here
  • Vences, M., Wanke, S., Vietes, D.R., Branch, W.R., Glaw, F., Meyer, A. 2004. Natural colonization or introduction? Phylogeographic relationships and morphological differentiation of house geckos (Hemidactylus) from Madagascar. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 83, 115–130 - get paper here
 
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