Sphaerodactylidae

Gonatodes albogularis, males

The Sphaerodactylidae are a family of gecko -like ( Gekkota ), which includes about 200 species. They are found in most of South America, Central America, the islands of the Caribbean, North Africa, Southern Europe and Western Asia.

All sphaerodactylinen geckos are very small, mostly nocturnal and live mainly on tree trunks. A clade of three genera Coleodactylus, Lepidoblepharis and Pseudogonatodes comes in the leaf litter of not periodically flooded rain forests from the Amazon Basin ( Terra firma). The animals are brownish in color and if they do not move, barely visible.

The largest genus, with 98 species Sphaerodactylus. Some species of the genus have been introduced by man in southern Florida. To them the smallest lizard in the world belongs - Spaerodactylus ariasae is only three inches long and reaches a weight of twelve grams.

The genus Gonatodes has 24 species, which are only 35 to 40 mm long. Here, the males are much more colorful than the females. The Gonatodes species live mainly on the trunks of the forest trees and hide in the above-ground root system or between the stilt roots of the palm trees.

Sexual dimorphism and dimorphism are in the subfamily frequently. In most species, the males are larger and often much more colorful than the females.

System

The sphaerodactylinen geckos of the New World are found in the subfamily Sphaerodactylinae. Further phylogenetic relationships between the genera of the Old World have not yet been determined. They are therefore incertae sedis out. The separation between the Sphaerodactylinen the New World and their nearest relatives in the Old World is said to have occurred 95 million years ago.

  • Sphaerodactylidae incertae sedis Aristelliger Cope, 1862
  • Euleptes Fitzinger, 1843
  • Lepidoblepharis Peracca, 1897
  • Pristurus Rüppell, 1835
  • Wonder Geckos ( Teratoscincus ) Shrub, 1863
  • Saurodactylus Fitzinger, 1843
  • Sphaerodactylini Coleodactylus Parker, 1926
  • Gonatodes Fitzinger, 1843
  • Lepidoblepharis Peracca, 1897
  • Pseudogonatodes Ruthven, 1915
  • Ball finger geckos ( Sphaerodactylus ) Wagler, 1830
Squamata Middle America (region)
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