Lygodactylus verticillatus MOCQUARD, 1895
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Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Mocquard's Dwarf Gecko |
Synonym | Lygodactylus verticillatus MOCQUARD 1895 Lygodactylus verticillatus — KLUGE 1993 Lygodactylus verticillatus — GLAW & VENCES 1994: 282 Lygodactylus (Lygodactylus) verticillatus — RÖSLER 2000: 95 Lygodactylus verticillatus — PUENTE et al. 2009: 57 Lygodactylus verticillatus — RÖLL et al. 2010 Lygodactylus verticillatus — GIPPNER et al. 2021 |
Distribution | Madagascar, Europa Island Type locality: Madagascar |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Syntypes: MNHN-RA 1895.0158-0159 (West coast of Madagascar) |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Lygodactylus verticillatus is a widespread species from the South of Madagascar, characterized as a member of the L. verticillatus group as defined above by its clearly whorled tail. It differs from other species of the group as follows: from L. heterurus and L. klemmeri by the absence (vs. presence) of distinct longitudinal black lines on the throat; from L. arnoulti and L. blanci by smaller body size (mean SVL 23.1 mm vs. 30.2 and 30.3 mm); from L. arnoulti further by a different dorsal colouration (no clearly defined pattern with a tendency to a longitudinal striation, vs. grey with indistinct ocellae or distinct black transversal lines or markings). Lygodactylus verticillatus is, by external characters, probably most similar to L. decaryi, but that species is characterized by having 15 preanal pores (vs. 9–11 in L. verticillatus). (PUENTE et al. 2009) |
Comment | Habitat. According to Pasteur (1977), this species occurs in dry forest, on houses, fences and trunks. Puente et al. 2009 observed specimens of L. verticillatus on isolated trees and shrubs in semi-arid areas, found on trees and fences in towns. Karyotype: see Mezzasalma et al. 2016. |
Etymology | named (by implication from the original description) after the whorled tail of the species. |
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