''Phyllopezus maranjonensis'' is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
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 ...
, a
lizard
Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
in the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Phyllodactylidae
The Phyllodactylidae are a family of geckos (Gekkota) consisting of 163 species in 10 genera, distributed throughout the New World, North Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The family was first delineated based on a molecular phylogenetic analys ...
. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
.
Geographic range
''P. maranjonensis'' is found in
Chachapoyas Province,
Amazonas Department Amazonas Department may refer to:
* Amazonas (Colombian department), the Colombian department of Amazonas
* Amazonas (Peruvian department), the Peruvian department of Amazonas
* Department of Amazonas (Peru–Bolivian Confederation), the department ...
,
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
.
[
]
Description
''P. maranjonensis'' may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of .[ It is the largest species of gecko in the ]New World
The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...
.[Aurich, Janina; Koch, Claudia; Böhme, Wolfgang (2015). "Reproduction in a gecko assemblage (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae) in the Marañon Region (Peru) and comments on the largest gecko in the New World". ''Phyllomedusa'' 14 (1): 53-62.]
Reproduction
''P. maranjonensis'' is oviparous
Oviparous animals are animals that reproduce by depositing fertilized zygotes outside the body (i.e., by laying or spawning) in metabolically independent incubation organs known as eggs, which nurture the embryo into moving offsprings kno ...
.[ The adult female lays two eggs per ]clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device that allows an output shaft to be disconnected from a rotating input shaft. The clutch's input shaft is typically attached to a motor, while the clutch's output shaft is connected to the mechanism that does th ...
, laying multiple clutches in one year.[
]
References
Further reading
*Koch, Claudia; Venegas, Pablo J.; Böhme, Wolfgang (2006). "A remarkable discovery: description of a big-growing new gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: ''Phyllopezus'') from northwestern Peru". ''Salamandra'' 42 (2-3): 145–150. (''Phyllopezus maranjonensis'', new species).
Phyllopezus
Reptiles of Peru
Reptiles described in 2006
{{gecko-stub