The coastal rock gecko (''Pristurus simonettai'') is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of 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 the appropriate s ...
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 since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Sphaerodactylidae. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found 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 found elsew ...
to
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
.
[
]
Etymology
The specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
, ''simonettai'', is in honor of Italian zoologist Alberto Mario Simonetta (born 1930).
Geographic range
''P. simonettai'' is found in southern Somalia.
Description
The body of ''P. simonettai'' is almost completely covered with strongly carinate imbricate scales.[ Lanza & Sassi (1968).]
Reproduction
''P. simonettai'' is oviparous
Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...
.[
]
References
Further reading
* Arnold EN (2009). "Relationships, evolution and biogeography of Semaphore geckos, ''Pristurus'' (Squamata, Sphaerodactylidae) based on morphology". ''Zootaxa'' 2060: 1–21.
* Lanza B (1990). "Amphibians and reptiles of the Somali Democratic Republic: check list and biogeography". ''Biogeographia'' 14: 407–465.
*Lanza B, Sassi AR (1968). "On a new genus and species of gekkonid lizard from Somalia, ''ricerche sulla fauna della Somalia promosse dall'Istituto di Zoologia e dal Museo Zoologico dell'Università di Firenze: XXIX'' ". ''Monitore Zoologico Italiano, Supplemento'' 2: 17–26. (''Geisopristurus'', new genus; ''G. simonettai'', new species). (in English, with an abstract in Italian).
* Rösler H (2000). "''Kommentierte Liste der rezent, subrezent und fossil bekannten Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha)''". ''Gekkota'' 2: 28–153. (''Pristurus simonettai'', p. 106). (in German).
Pristurus
Geckos of Africa
Reptiles of Somalia
Endemic fauna of Somalia
Reptiles described in 1968
Taxa named by Benedetto Lanza
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