''Lygodactylus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of diurnal

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 throughout the world. They range from . Geckos ar ...

s with 72

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 ...

. They are commonly referred to as dwarf geckos. They are mainly found in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

although two species are found in

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 southe ...

. ''Lygodactylus picturatus'', the best known species, is found in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

and commonly known as the white-headed dwarf gecko. Recently, illegal importation from

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

of brightly colored (and critically-endangered), '' Lygodactylus williamsi,'' known as electric blue geckos, has been gaining attention for ''Lygodactylus'' geckos in the reptile trade. Since all trade in wild-caught ''Lygodactylus williamsi'' is illegal, shipments of these geckos are often intentionally mislabelled as ''Lygodactylus spp.'' or as '' Lygodactylus capensis''.CITES Proposal for inclusion
/ref> As some customs officials have difficulty identifying members of this genus,
''Lygodactylus spp.'' identification guide
has been published online by

CITES CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...

Species

Species in alphabetical order by specific name: *'' Lygodactylus angolensis''

Bocage Bocage (, ) is a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture characteristic of parts of Northern France, Southern England, Ireland, the Netherlands and Northern Germany, in regions where pastoral farming is the dominant land use. ''Bocage'' may als ...

, 1896 – Angola dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus angularis'' Günther, 1893 – angulated dwarf gecko *''

Lygodactylus arnoulti Pasteur's dwarf gecko (''Lygodactylus arnoulti''), also Common name, commonly known as Arnoult's gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Madagascar. Etymology The Specific name ( ...

'' G. Pasteur, 1965 – Pasteur's dwarf gecko, Arnoult's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus baptistai'' Marques, Ceríaco, Buehler, Bandeira, Janota & Bauer, 2020 *''

Lygodactylus bernardi Bernard's dwarf gecko (''Lygodactylus bernardi''), also commonly known as FitzSimons' dwarf gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Zimbabwe. Etymology The specific name, ''bernardi'', is in h ...

'' V. FitzSimons, 1958 – Bernard's dwarf gecko, FitzSimon's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus bivittis'' ( W. Peters, 1883) – tiny scaled gecko *'' Lygodactylus blancae'' G. Pasteur, 1995 ‡ *'' Lygodactylus blanci'' G. Pasteur, 1967 ‡ – Blanc's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus bonsi'' G. Pasteur, 1962 – Bons's dwarf day gecko *'' Lygodactylus bradfieldi'' Hewitt, 1932 – Bradfield's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus broadleyi'' G. Pasteur, 1995 – Broadley's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus capensis'' ( A. Smith, 1849) – Cape dwarf gecko, common dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus chobiensis'' V. FitzSimons, 1932 – Okavango dwarf gecko, Chobe dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus conradti''

Matschie Matschie is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Christoph Matschie (born 1961), German politician * (born 1953), German photographer * Paul Matschie Paul Matschie Paul Matschie (11 August 1861, Brandenburg an der Havel – ...

, 1892 – Matschie's dwarf gecko, Conradt's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus conraui'' Tornier, 1902 – Cameroon dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus decaryi''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

, 1930 – Angel's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus depressus'' K.P. Schmidt, 1919 – Zaire dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus expectatus'' G. Pasteur & C. Blanc, 1967 – Ambilobe dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus fischeri'' Boulenger, 1890 – Fischer's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus grandisonae'' G. Pasteur, 1962 – Kenya dwarf gecko, Bunty's dwarf gecko, Grandison's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus graniticolus'' Jacobsen, 1992 – granite dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus gravis'' G. Pasteur, 1965 – Usambara dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus grotei'' Sternfeld, 1911 – Grote's dwarf gecko *''

Lygodactylus guibei The western dwarf gecko (''Lygodactylus guibei'') is a small species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. Etymology The specific name, ''guibei'', is in honor of French herpetologist Jean Marius ...

'' G. Pasteur, 1965 – western dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus gutturalis'' (Bocage, 1873) – Uganda dwarf gecko, chevron-throated dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus heterurus'' Boettger, 1913 – Boettger's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus incognitus'' Jacobsen, 1992 – cryptic dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus inexpectatus'' G. Pasteur, 1965 – Dar es Salaam dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus insularis'' Boettger, 1913 – insular dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus intermedius'' G. Pasteur, 1995 *'' Lygodactylus keniensis''

Parker Parker may refer to: Persons * Parker (given name) * Parker (surname) Places Place names in the United States *Parker, Arizona *Parker, Colorado * Parker, Florida * Parker, Idaho * Parker, Kansas * Parker, Missouri * Parker, North Carolina *Park ...

, 1936 – Parker's dwarf gecko, Kenya dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus kimhowelli'' G. Pasteur, 1995 – Kim Howell's dwarf gecko, Tanzanian dwarf gecko, zebra dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus klemmeri'' G. Pasteur, 1965 – Malagasy dwarf gecko, Klemmer's dwarf gecko *''

Lygodactylus klugei Kluge's dwarf gecko (''Lygodactylus klugei'') is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to northeastern Brazil. Etymology The specific name, ''klugei'', is in honor of American herpetologist Arnold G. Klu ...

'' ( H.M. Smith, R.L. Martin & Swain, 1977) – Kluge's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus laterimaculatus'' G. Pasteur, 1964 – side-spotted dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus lawrencei'' Hewitt, 1926 – Lawrence's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus luteopicturatus'' G. Pasteur, 1964 – dwarf yellow-headed gecko, yellow-headed dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus madagascariensis'' (Boettger, 1881) – Madagascar dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus manni'' Loveridge, 1928 – Mann's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus methueni'' V. FitzSimons, 1937 – Methuen's dwarf gecko, Woodbrush dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus miops'' Günther, 1891 – Günther's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus mirabilis'' (G. Pasteur, 1962) *'' Lygodactylus mombasicus'' Loveridge, 1935 – white-headed dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus montanus'' G. Pasteur, 1965 – Mount Ivohibe gecko *'' Lygodactylus montiscaeruli'' Jacobsen, 1992 – Makgabeng dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus nigropunctatus'' Jacobsen, 1992 – black-spotted dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus nyaneka'' Marques, Ceríaco, Buehler, Bandeira, Janota & Bauer, 2020 *'' Lygodactylus ocellatus''

Roux Roux () is a mixture of flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Roux is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight. The flour is added to the melted fat or oil on the stove top, blended until smooth, and cooke ...

, 1907 – ocellated dwarf gecko, spotted dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus ornatus'' G. Pasteur, 1965 – ornate dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus pauliani'' G. Pasteur & C. Blanc, 1991 – ornate dwarf gecko

*'' Lygodactylus picturatus'' (W. Peters, 1871) – white-headed dwarf gecko, painted dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus pictus'' (W. Peters, 1883) – robust dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus rarus'' G. Pasteur & C. Blanc, 1973 – thin dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus regulus'' Portik, Travers, Bauer &

Branch A branch, sometimes called a ramus in botany, is a woody structural member connected to the central trunk (botany), trunk of a tree (or sometimes a shrub). Large branches are known as boughs and small branches are known as twigs. The term '' ...

, 2013 – prince dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus rex'' Broadley, 1963 – king dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus roavolana'' Puente, Glaw, Vieites, & Vences, 2009 *'' Lygodactylus scheffleri'' Sternfeld, 1912 – Scheffler's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus scorteccii'' G. Pasteur, 1959 – Scortecci's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus somalicus'' Loveridge, 1935 – Somali dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus soutpansbergensis'' Jacobsen, 1994 – Soutpansberg dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus stevensoni'' Hewitt, 1926 – Stevenson's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus tchokwe'' Marques, Ceríaco, Buehler, Bandeira, Janota & Bauer, 2020 *'' Lygodactylus thomensis'' (W. Peters, 1881) – Annobon dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus tolampyae'' ( Grandidier, 1872) – Grandidier's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus tsavoensis'' Malonza, Bauer, Granthon, D. Williams & Wojnowski, 2019 – Tsavo dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus tuberosus''

Mertens __NOTOC__ Mertens () is a surname of Flemish Origin, meaning "son of Merten" (Martin). It is the fifth most common name in Belgium with 18,518 people in 2008. Geographical distribution As of 2014, 43.4% of all known bearers of the surname ''Merte ...

, 1965 *'' Lygodactylus verticillatus'' Mocquard, 1895 – Mocquard's dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus viscatus'' (Vaillant, 1873) – Howell's dwarf gecko, Copal dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus waterbergensis'' Jacobsen, 1992 – Waterberg dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus wetzeli'' (H.M. Smith, R.L. Martin & Swain, 1977) – South American dwarf gecko *'' Lygodactylus williamsi'' Loveridge, 1952 – Williams' dwarf gecko, turquoise dwarf gecko, electric blue gecko *'' Lygodactylus wojnowskii'' Malonza, Granthon & D. Williams, 2016 – Mt. Kenya dwarf gecko ‡ ''L. blancae'' (

feminine Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered fe ...

genitive In grammar, the genitive case (abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive can al ...

singular Singular may refer to: * Singular, the grammatical number that denotes a unit quantity, as opposed to the plural and other forms * Singular homology * SINGULAR, an open source Computer Algebra System (CAS) * Singular or sounder, a group of boar, ...

) is named for (Ms) Françoise Blanc, a French

geneticist A geneticist is a biologist or physician who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer. Geneticists may perform general research on genetic processe ...

; but ''L. blanci'' (masculine, genitive, singular) is named for (Mr.) Charles Pierre Blanc, a French

herpetologist Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians (gymnophiona)) and rept ...

.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Lygodactylus blancae'' and ''L. blanci'', p. 26). ''

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 atten ...

'': 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 ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was original described in a genus other than ''Lygodactylus''.

Species

References

Further reading