The Tobago least gecko (''Sphaerodactylus molei'') 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 Sphaerodactylidae are a family of geckos (Gekkota) distributed in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, as well as in Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and into Central Asia. The family contains 12 li ...
. 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 the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
and northern
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 ...
.
Etymology
The
specific name, ''molei'' is in honor of British naturalist
Richard Richardson Mole (1860–1926) of
Port of Spain
Port of Spain (Spanish: ''Puerto España''), officially the City of Port of Spain (also stylized Port-of-Spain), is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago and the third largest municipality, after Chaguanas and San Fernando. The city has a municip ...
, Trinidad.
Geographic range
''S. molei'' is found in the
Antilles
The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...
,
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
,
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
, and
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
including
Margarita Island
Margarita Island (, ) is the largest island in the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta, situated off the northeastern coast of the country, in the Caribbean Sea. The capital city of Nueva Esparta, La Asunción, is located on the island.
History
...
.
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. molei'' is
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' ...
at altitudes of .
Description
Adults of ''S. molei'' have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about .
[ Barbour (1921).]
Reproduction
''S. molei'' 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 ...
.
[ The adult female usually lays one egg, rarely two, in a rotten stump.][King (1962).] Average egg size is by .[
]
References
Further reading
* Barbour T (1921). "''Sphaerodactylus'' ". ''Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College'' 47 (3): 215–283. (''Sphaerodactylus molei'', pp. 237–238 + Plate 1, figure 4; Plate 13, figures 5–8).
* Boettger O (1894). "''Sphærodactylus molei'', Bttgr., n. sp.". p. 80. ''In'': Mole RR, Urich FW (1894). "A Preliminary List of the Reptiles and Batrachians of the Island of Trinidad. With Descriptions of Two New Species by Professor Dr. O. Boettger". ''Journal of the Field Naturalists' Club, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad'' 2: 77-90. (''Sphaerodactylus molei'', new species, p. 80). (in English and Latin).
* King W (1962). "Systematics of Lesser Antillean lizards of the genus ''Sphaerodactylus'' ". ''Bulletin of the Florida State Museum'' 7 (1): 1-52. (''Sphaerodactylus molei'', pp. 35–38, Figures 13A-13E).
Sphaerodactylus
Reptiles described in 1894
Taxa named by Oskar Boettger
{{Sphaerodactylus-stub