''Lygodactylus lobeke'', or the Lobeke dwarf gecko, is a species of
gecko
Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates. They range from .
Geckos are unique among lizards ...
.
Discovery
The gecko was discovered in
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
's
Lobéké rainforest in 2002 by researchers, who found and captured a specimen, and kept it in a
terrarium
A terrarium ( terraria or terrariums) is a glass container containing soil and plants in an environment different from the surroundings. It is usually a sealable container that can be opened for maintenance or to access the plants inside; howeve ...
for five years. They suspected it was a new species but were unsure until finding a similar specimen in
Cabinda,
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
in 2023.
[
]
Description
Considered "moderately sized", the Lobeke dwarf gecko is about 2.5 inches in length.[ Leaves are the gecko's preferred resting spot.][
The male and the female do not differ in coloration.][ Researchers found that in captivity, the female showed "distinct 'mood dependent' colorations".][
*Neutral: The gecko was described as "beige" or "light brown", with a speckling of darker brown and lighter cream blotches"
*Stressed: A darker brown hue, with the gecko's speckles "richer in contrast"
*Display: A "pale creamy brown color with very few speckles"
*Pyjamas: Called this due to being the gecko's coloration while sleeping during night, hence it being the gecko's "]pyjamas
Pajamas (American English) or pyjamas (Commonwealth English), sometimes colloquially shortened to PJs, jammies, jim-jams, or in South Asia, night suits, are several related types of clothing worn as nightwear or while lounging. Pajamas are s ...
", in which the gecko is an "olive brown hue with pale sides" that seemingly match the leaves
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q131376559
Endemic fauna of Angola
Endemic fauna of Cameroon
Geckos of Africa
lobeke
Reptiles described in 2024
Reptiles of Angola
Reptiles of Cameroon