''Pachydactylus geitje'', also known
commonly as the ocellated gecko, the ocellated thick-toed gecko and the Cradock thick-toed gecko, is a tiny
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
thick-toed gecko, a
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 ...
Gekkonidae
Gekkonidae (the common geckos) is the largest family of geckos, containing over 950 described species in 64 genera. Members of the Gekkonidae comprise many of the most widespread gecko species, including house geckos (''Hemidactylus''), tokay ge ...
. The species is indigenous to the
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020 ...
of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.
Description
''P. geitje'' is a very colourful, mottled little
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 ...
. Its smooth (almost silky) body is usually covered in dark-edged white spots.
Habitat
''P. geitje'' typically lives on the ground among debris and under rocks. Further inland it only lives higher in the mountains where rocky outcrops provide it with sufficient places to hide.
Reproduction
''Pachydactylus geitje'' lays a clutch of two tiny eggs in the summer.
References
Further reading
*
Boulenger GA (1885). ''Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume I. Geckonidæ ....'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 436 pp. + Plates I-XXXII. (''Pachydactylus ocellatus'', pp. 205–206).
*
Branch, Bill (2004). ''Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. . (''Pachydactylus geitje'', p. 254 + Plate 82).
*
Loveridge A (1947). "Revision of the African Lizards of the Family Gekkonidae". ''Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College'' 98 (1): 1–469. (''Pachydactylus geitje'', pp. 350–352).
*
Sparrman A (1778). "''Befkrifning och berättelfe om'' LACERTA GEITJE, ''en obekant och giftig ÖDLA ifrân Goda Hopps Udden'' ". ''Götheborgska Wetenskaps och Witterhets Samhallets Handlingar, Wetenskaps Afdelningen Forsta Stycket, Götheborg'' 1: 75–78. (''Lacerta geitje'', new species, p. 75). (in
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
).
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3062132
geitje
Endemic reptiles of South Africa
Natural history of Cape Town
Lizards of Africa
Reptiles of South Africa
Reptiles described in 1778
Taxa named by Anders Sparrman