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Sphaerodactylus
''Sphaerodactylus'' is a genus of geckos from the Americas that are distinguished from other Gekkota by their small size, by their round, rather than vertical, eye pupils, and by each digit terminating in a single, round adhesive pad or scale, from which their name (''Sphaero'' = round, ''dactylus'' = finger) is derived. All species in this genus are rather small, but two species, '' S. ariasae'' and '' S. parthenopion'', are tiny, and – with a snout-vent length of about – the smallest reptiles in the world. Fossil record Fossil remains referred to ''Sphaerodactylus'' have been recovered from Dominican amber. Species The following 108 species are recognized as being valid. *'' Sphaerodactylus alphus'' - Guanaja large-scaled geckolet *'' Sphaerodactylus altavelensis'' - Alto Velo least gecko, Alto Velo sphaero *'' Sphaerodactylus argivus'' - Cayman least gecko *'' Sphaerodactylus argus'' - ocellated gecko, ocellated sphaero, stippled sphaero *''Sphaerodactylus ariasae' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sphaerodactylus Macrolepis
''Sphaerodactylus macrolepis'', also known as the big-scaled dwarf gecko or the big-scaled least gecko, is a lizard of the ''Sphaerodactylus'' genus. It was first documented in 1859 in the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, specifically, Saint Croix, St. Croix. This diurnal species has since been spotted in other locations such as Puerto Rico with major populations in Culebra, Puerto Rico, Culebra. Additionally, the big-scaled dwarf gecko displays sexual dimorphism with males being larger than females. Furthermore, size, particularly snout vent length, differs depending on the location of the lizard. Those in Puerto Rico are larger than their US Virgin Island counterparts. The big-scaled dwarf gecko is commonly seen on the forest floor of the islands, in their preferred microhabitat of leaf litter. Additionally, the species also exhibits significant Sexual dimorphism, sexual dichromatism in which the male and females are unique in coloration. A main difference is the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sphaerodactylus Parthenopion
The British Virgin Islands dwarf sphaero, Virgin Gorda least gecko, or Virgin Islands dwarf gecko (''Sphaerodactylus parthenopion'') is a species of gecko and also one of the smallest terrestrial vertebrates. It has only been found on three of the British Virgin Islands: Virgin Gorda, Tortola, and Moskito Island (also spelled “Mosquito Island”). It was discovered in 1964 and is suspected to be a close relative of ''Sphaerodactylus nicholsi'', a dwarf sphaero from the nearby island of Puerto Rico. It shares its range with the big-scaled least gecko (''S. macrolepis''), which is found in leaf litter. Unlike this larger gecko, the Virgin Islands dwarf sphaero lives on drier hillsides, yet prefers moist microhabitats found under rocks because it lacks the adaptations necessary for preventing water loss, which is a significant problem due to its small body size. The Virgin Islands dwarf sphaero has a deep brown colour on its upper side, often with a speckling of darker s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Thomas (herpetologist)
John Paul Richard Thomas (born 1938) is an American taxonomist and systematist, and retired professor of herpetology and evolution at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (San Juan, Puerto Rico). (Kindle edition). (hardcover). He described several species new to science, mostly amphibians and reptiles, from throughout the Caribbean islands including the common coquí (''Eleutherodactlys coqui)'', the national animal of Puerto Rico. Early life and education Thomas was born in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, on May 2, 1938. At the University of South Florida, Thomas graduated as a Bachelor of Arts in 1969. Later, he went to Louisiana State University and obtained a PhD in 1976. Research Thomas' research has focused mostly on amphibians and reptiles, spanning several fields from natural history to systematics and evolution. His studies have yielded descriptions of new species of dwarf geckos (''Sphaerodactylus''), blind snakes ( Scolecophidia), and rain frogs (''Eleutherodactylus''). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
