Beck's least gecko (''Sphaerodactylus becki'') 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
Navassa Island.
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 ...
, ''becki'', is in honor of American ornithologist
Rollo Howard Beck.
[Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Sphaerodactylus becki'', p. 21).]
Habitat
The preferred
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
of ''S. becki'' is dry
forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
.
[
]
Behavior
''S. becki'' hides in leaf litter and under rocks.[
]
Reproduction
''S. becki'' 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
* Powell R, Ottenwalder JA, Inchaustegui SJ (1999). "The Hispaniolan Herpetofauna: Diversity, Endemism, and Historical Perspectives, with Comments on Navassa Island". pp. 93–168 ''In'': Crother BI, editor (1999). ''Caribbean Amphibians and Reptiles''. San Diego California: Academic Press. 495 pp. + color plates 1-8. . (''Sphaerodactylus becki'', pp. 138, 140, 161).
* Rösler H (2000). "''Kommentierte Liste der rezent, subrezent und fossil bekannten Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha)'' ". ''Gekkota'' 2: 28-153. (''Sphaerodactylus becki'', p. 110). (in German).
* Schmidt KP (1919). "Descriptions of New Amphibians and Reptiles from Santo Domingo and Navassa". ''Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History'' 41: 519-525. (''Sphaerodactylus becki'', new species, p. 520).
* Schwartz A, Henderson RW (1991). ''Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History''. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press. 720 pp. . (''Sphaerodactylus becki'', p. 472).
*Schwartz A, Thomas R (1975). ''A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles''. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (''Sphaerodactylus becki'', p. 145).
Sphaerodactylus
Lizards of the Caribbean
Reptiles described in 1919
Taxa named by Karl Patterson Schmidt
{{Sphaerodactylus-stub