Sphaerodactylus parvus
| Sphaerodactylus parvus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Infraorder: | Gekkota |
| Family: | Sphaerodactylidae |
| Genus: | Sphaerodactylus |
| Species: | S. parvus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sphaerodactylus parvus King, 1962
| |
Sphaerodactylus parvus, the Anguilla Bank geckolet, is a species of lizard belonging to the family Sphaerodactylidae, the least geckos or sphaeros. This species is endemic to the Anguilla Bank of islands in the Lesser Antilles, which comprises Anguilla, Saint Martin, and Saint Barthélemy.
Taxonomy
[edit]Sphaerodactylus parvus was first foramlly described in 1962 as a subspecies of S. macrolepis, S. macrolepis parvus, by the American herpetologist Wayne King with its type locality given as 2.35 miles west and .25 miles north of Philipsburg in Sint Maarten. In 2001 Robert Powell and Robert W. Henderson changed its taxonomic status from a subspecies to a species, S. parvus.[2] Sphaerodactylus was formerly included in the family Gekkonidae but in 1954 Garth Underwood proposed the family Sphaerodactylidae,[3] This family is classified within the infraorder Gekkota the sole extant taxon within the clade Gekkonomorpha of the order Squamata, which includes the lizards and snakes.[4]
Etymology
[edit]Sphaerodactylus parvus is a member of the genus Sphaerodactylus, a name which is a combination of the Greek sphaira, meaning "a ball", or sphairion, which means "a little ball", with dactylos, meaning "finger", seemingly an allusion to round tips to the toes.[5] The specific name, parvus, means "small" in Latin.[2]
Description
[edit]Sphaerodactylus parvus was separated from S. marolpeis because the haor bearing organs are only located on the dorsal scales; its small size, 24mm maximum Snout–vent length compared to 35mm in S. macrolepis; the higher number of scale rows in its mid body; and the lack of clear sexual dimorphism in colour and pattern.[6]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]Sphaerodactylus parvus is endemic to i the islands of the Anguilla Bank in the northern Lesser Antilles and is found on Anguilla, Collectivity of Saint Martin , Sint Maarten and Saint Barthélemy. On Anguilla this species is typicaly found in coastal scrub near rocky terrain while on Saint Martin it prefers higher, wetter habitats.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Daltry, J.C.; Henderson, R.W. & Powell, R. (2019). "Sphaerodactylus parvus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T75605618A75607859. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T75605618A75607859.en. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ a b Sphaerodactylus parvus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 10 July 2025.
- ^ Russell, Anthony & Bauer, A. (2002). "Underwood's classification of the geckos: A 21st century appreciation". Bulletin of the Natural History Museum: Zoology. 68: 113–121. doi:10.1017/S0968047002000134.
- ^ Conrad, J. L. (2008). "Phylogeny and Systematics of Squamata (Reptilia) Based on Morphology" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 310: 1–182. doi:10.1206/310.1. hdl:2246/5915. S2CID 85271610.
- ^ Albert Schwarz (1973). "Sphaerodactylus". Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Powell, Robert and Henderson, R.W. (2001). "On the Taxonomic Status of Some Lesser Antillean Lizards" (PDF). Caribbean Journal of Science. 37 (3–4): 288–290.
External links
[edit]- Sphaerodactylus parvus at the Encyclopedia of Life
- Sphaerodactylus parvus at the Reptile Database