''Gonatodes'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

dwarf geckos of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Sphaerodactylidae The Sphaerodactylidae are a family of geckos (Gekkota) distributed in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, as well as in Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and into Central Asia. The family contains 12 ...

Description

The majority of the

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

in the genus ''Gonatodes'' are diurnally active,

scansorial Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. The habitats pose nu ...

, and

sexually dichromatic Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most anim ...

, with adult body size (

snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken in herpetology from the tip of the snout to the most posterior opening of the cloacal slit (vent)."direct line distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of vent" It is the mos ...

) ranging from for known species. Gonatodes humeralis03.jpg, ''Gonatodes humeralis'' Gonatodes albogularis01a.jpeg, ''

Gonatodes albogularis ''Gonatodes albogularis'', which has been called a number of vernacular names in English, is a smallish species of gecko found in warm parts of Central and South America, Cuba, Hispaniola and Jamaica. They prefer to live in tropical dry forest h ...

'' Gonatodes_concinnatus.JPG, '' Gonatodes concinnatus'', Colombia Ocellated gecko (Gonatodes ocellatus) male LTo.JPG, Male ocellated gecko ''Gonatodes ocellatus'',

Little Tobago Little Tobago (or Bird of Paradise Island) is a small island off the northeastern coast of Tobago, and part of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The island supports dry forest. It is an important breeding site for seabirds such as red-bille ...

Ocellated gecko (Gonatodes ocellatus) male LTo 2.JPG, Male ocellated gecko ''Gonatodes ocellatus'',

Ocellated gecko (Gonatodes ocellatus) female.JPG, Female ocellated gecko ''Gonatodes ocellatus'',

Diet

The diets of the various species of ''Gonatodes'' are composed mainly of very small arthropods.

Reproduction

Clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts ...

size is one, with most species producing several clutches per year, and some utilizing communal egg-laying sites.

Habitat

Most species are humid tropical

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

dwelling (some in warm lowlands, and others in somewhat cooler montane regions), with relatively fewer species utilizing more open, drier habitats at forest edge, tropical dry seasonal forest and scrub forest. Some species (usually those that use drier natural habitats) are able to utilize even more open human modified environments; in some cases including highly urbanized areas. ''Gonatodes'' usually spend most of their active hours perched anywhere from ground level to about 0.6 metres (2 feet) above ground, sometimes up to 2 or 3 metres (6.6 or 9.8 feet), on vertical or near vertical surfaces of tree trunks, tree stumps, logs and sometimes rocks (as well as on walls and house-posts for those that are able to use human altered environments). They seldom sit exposed to direct strong sunlight (they do not appear to bask), and most seem to prefer shade or less exposure to direct sun light.

Geographic range

Species of ''Gonatodes'' are found in

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

including southern

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

, a few Caribbean Islands (including

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and t ...

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispan ...

and Union Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and the northern part of

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

, including

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, Colombia,

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

, Guyana,

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

, parts of

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...

, the islands of

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...

and

Tobago Tobago () is an island and ward within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located northeast of the larger island of Trinidad and about off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. It also lies to the southeast of Grenada. The offici ...

, and some of the small islands just off the cost of northern South America.

Introduced species

Human mediated introductions have occurred with ''Gonatodes caudiscutatus'' in the Galapagos Islands and ''G. albogularis'' in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

. In addition, some species have been transplanted by human activity to various regions within the general range of the genus where the particular species did not previously exist.

Species

The following 34 species are recognized as being valid. Some subspecies are also listed. *''

'' ( A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1836) – white-throated clawed gecko, white-throated gecko, yellow-headed gecko **''Gonatodes albogularis albogularis'' (A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1836) **''Gonatodes albogularis bodinii'' Rivero-Blanco, 1968 **''Gonatodes albogularis notatus'' ( J.T. Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862) *'' Gonatodes alexandermendesi''

Cole Cole may refer to: Plants * Cole crops of the genus ''Brassica'', especially cabbage, kale, or rape (rapeseed). People * Cole (given name), people with the given name Cole * Cole (surname), people with the surname Cole Companies * Cole Mot ...

& Kok, 2006 *''

Gonatodes annularis The annulated gecko (''Gonatodes annularis'') is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae found in South America and the Antilles. It is known to occur in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankond ...

'' Boulenger, 1887 – annulated gecko *''

Gonatodes antillensis The Antilles gecko (''Gonatodes antillensis'') is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The ...

'' ( Lidth de Jeude, 1887) –

Antilles The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...

gecko, Venezuelan coastal clawed gecko *''

Gonatodes astralis ''Gonatodes astralis'' is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic ...

'' Schargel et al., 2010 *'' Gonatodes atricucullaris''

Noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Grea ...

, 1921 –

Cajamarca Cajamarca (), also known by the Quechua name, ''Kashamarka'', is the capital and largest city of the Cajamarca Region as well as an important cultural and commercial center in the northern Andes. It is located in the northern highlands of Peru ...

gecko *''

Gonatodes castanae ''Gonatodes castanae'', Castaño's gecko, is a species of lizard in the Sphaerodactylidae family found in Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North Ameri ...

'' Carvajal-Cogollo, Eguis-Avendaño & Meza-Joya, 2020 – Castaño’s Gecko *''

Gonatodes caudiscutatus The shieldhead gecko (''Gonatodes caudiscutatus'') is a species of lizard in the Sphaerodactylidae family native to Ecuador and Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular re ...

'' ( Günther, 1859) – shieldhead gecko *'' Gonatodes ceciliae'' Donoso-Barros, 1966 – brilliant clawed gecko, brilliant South American gecko *'' Gonatodes chucuri'' Meneses-Pelayo & Ramírez, 2020 – Chucuri gecko *'' Gonatodes concinnatus'' (

O'Shaughnessy Ó Seachnasaigh, O'Shaughnessy, collectively Uí Sheachnasaigh, clan name Cinél nAedha na hEchtghe, is a family surname of Irish origin. The name is found primarily in County Galway and County Limerick. Their name derives from Seachnasach mac ...

, 1881) – O'Shaughnessy's gecko *''

Gonatodes daudini ''Gonatodes daudini'', also known commonly as the Grenadines clawed gecko or the Union Island gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to Union Island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Conservatio ...

'' Powell &

Henderson Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina * Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada * ...

, 2005 –

Grenadines The Grenadines is a chain of small islands that lie on a line between the larger islands of Saint Vincent and Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. Nine are inhabited and open to the public (or ten, if the offshore island of Young Island is counted) ...

clawed gecko,

Union Island Union Island is part of the nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It has a surface of and lies about west-southwest of Barbados within view of the islands of Carriacou and the mainland of Grenada, which lies directly south. Clifton a ...

clawed gecko, Union Island gecko Beolens, Bo; Watkin, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . ("Daudin, J.", p. 66; "Haseman", p. 117; "Peters, J.A.", p. 204). *'' Gonatodes eladioi'' Nascimento, Ávila-Pires & Cunha, 1987 – South American gecko *''

Gonatodes falconensis The Estado Falcon gecko (''Gonatodes falconensis'') is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains ...

'' Shreve, 1947 – Estado Falcón gecko *''

Gonatodes hasemani Haseman's gecko (''Gonatodes hasemani)'' is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is indigenous to northern South America. Etymology The specific name, ''hasemani'', is in honor of American ichthyologist John Diederic ...

Griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...

, 1917 – Haseman's gecko *''

Gonatodes humeralis Trinidad gecko (''Gonatodes humeralis'') is a species of gecko in the Sphaerodactylidae family native to northern South America and the Caribbean. It is known to occur in Trinidad, French Guiana, Suriname, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Bolivia, ...

'' ( Guichenot, 1855) – South American clawed gecko,

gecko *'' Gonatodes infernalis'' Rivas & Schargel, 2008 *''

Gonatodes lichenosus ''Gonatodes'' is a genus of New World dwarf geckos of the family Sphaerodactylidae. Description The majority of the species in the genus ''Gonatodes'' are diurnally active, scansorial, and sexually dichromatic, with adult body size (snout� ...

'' Rojas-Runjaic et al., 2010 - Perijá lichen gecko *''

Gonatodes ligiae ''Gonatodes ligiae'' is a species of lizard in the Sphaerodactylidae family found in Venezuela. References

Gonatodes Reptiles described in 1967 {{Gecko-stub ...

'' Donoso-Barros, 1967 *''

Gonatodes machelae ''Gonatodes machelae'' is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic ...

'' Rivero-Blanco & Schargel, 2020 *''

Gonatodes nascimentoi ''Gonatodes nascimentoi'' is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to Brazil. Etymology The specific name, ''nascimentoi'', is in honor of Brazilian herpetologist Francisco Paiva do Nascimento. Geograp ...

'' Sturaro & Ávila-Pires, 2011 *''

Gonatodes naufragus ''Gonatodes naufragus'' is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic ...

'' Rivas et al., 2013 – La Blanquilla clawed gecko *''

Gonatodes ocellatus The eyespot gecko (''Gonatodes ocellatus'') is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The gr ...

'' (

Gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed ...

, 1831) – eyespot clawed gecko, eyespot gecko, ocellated gecko *''

Gonatodes petersi Peters' gecko (''Gonatodes petersi'') is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to Venezuela. Etymology The specific name, ''petersi'', is in honor of American herpetologist James A. Peters.Beolens, Bo; ...

'' Donoso-Barros, 1967 – Peters' gecko *''

Gonatodes purpurogularis ''Gonatodes purpurogularis'' is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphy ...

Esqueda Esqueda is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Diego Esqueda (born 1988), Mexican footballer *Enrique Esqueda (born 1988), Mexican footballer *Luis Ricardo Esqueda (born 1981), Mexican footballer *Rafael Márquez Esqueda (1947–2 ...

, 2004 *''

Gonatodes rayito ''Gonatodes rayito'' is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic si ...

'' Schargel, Rivas, García-Pérez, Rivero-Blanco, Chippindale & Fujita, 2017 *'' Gonatodes riveroi'' Sturaro & Ávila-Pires, 2011 *''

Gonatodes rozei Roze's gecko (''Gonatodes rozei''), also known commonly as ''limpiacasa'' (meaning "house cleaner" in Spanish), is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to Venezuela. Etymology The specific name Specif ...

'' Rivero-Blanco & Schargel, 2012 - Roze's gecko *''

Gonatodes seigliei The Estados Sucre gecko (''Gonatodes seigliei'') is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to Venezuela. Etymology The specific name, ''seigliei'', is in honor of Cuban-Venezuelan micropaleontologist Ge ...

'' Donoso-Barros, 1966 – Estado Sucre gecko *'' Gonatodes superciliaris'' Barrio-Amorós & Brewer-Carías, 2008 - Sarisariñama forest gecko *''

Gonatodes taniae The Estado Aragua gecko (''Gonatodes taniae''), also known commonly as the ring-necked clawed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to Venezuela. Etymology The specific name, ''taniae'', is in ho ...

'' Roze, 1963 – Estado Aragua gecko, ring-necked clawed gecko *''

Gonatodes tapajonicus The Para gecko (''Gonatodes tapajonicus'') is a species of lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The gro ...

Rodrigues Rodrigues (french: Île Rodrigues, link=yes ; Creole: ) is a autonomous outer island of the Republic of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, about east of Mauritius. It is part of the Mascarene Islands, which include Mauritius and Réunion. Rod ...

, 1980 –

Pará Pará is a state of Brazil, located in northern Brazil and traversed by the lower Amazon River. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest are the borders of Guyana a ...

gecko *''

Gonatodes timidus ''Gonatodes timidus'' is a species of lizard in the Sphaerodactylidae family found in Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous ...

'' Kok, 2011 Kok PJR (2011). "A new species of the genus ''Gonatodes'' Fitzinger, 1843 (Reptilia: Sphaerodactylidae) from central Guyana, northern South America". ''Zootaxa'' 3018: 1-12. (''Gonatodes timidus'', new species). *'' Gonatodes vittatus'' ( Lichtenstein, 1856) – striped clawed gecko, Wiegmann's striped gecko ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atte ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Gonatodes''.