Lygodactylus

Lygodactylus
Dwarf yellow-headed gecko, Lygodactylus luteopicturatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Gekkonidae
Subfamily:	Gekkoninae
Genus:	Lygodactylus Gray, 1864
Species
c. 60 sp., see text

Lygodactylus is a genus of diurnal geckos with approximately 60 species. They are commonly referred to as Dwarf Geckos. They are mainly found in Africa and Madagascar although two species are found in South America. Lygodactylus picturatus, the best known species, is found in Kenya and commonly known as the "White-headed Dwarf Gecko". Recently, importation from Tanzania of brightly-colored Lygodactylus williamsi, known as 'Electric blue geckos', has been gaining attention for Lygodactylus geckos in the reptile trade.

Species (in alphabetical order)

• Lygodactylus angolensis – Angola dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus angularis – Angulated dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus arnoulti – Pasteur's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus bernardi – Bernard's dwarf gecko, Arnoult’s dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus blancae – Blanc's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus bradfieldi – Bradfield's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus broadleyi – Broadley's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus capensis – Cape dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus chobiensis – Okavango dwarf gecko, Chobe dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus conradti – Matschie's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus conraui – Cameroon dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus decaryi – Angel's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus depressus – Zaire dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus expectatus – Ambilobe dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus fischeri– Fischer's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus grandisonae – Kenya dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus graniticolus – Granite dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus gravis – Usambara dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus guibei – Western dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus gutturalis – Uganda dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus heterurus – Boettger's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus howelli
• Lygodactylus inexpectatus – Dar-es-Salaam dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus insularis – Insular dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus intermedius
• Lygodactylus keniensis – Parker's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus kimhowelli
• Lygodactylus klemmeri – Malagasy dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus klugei – K'uge's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus lawrencei – Lawrence's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus luteopicturatus – Dwarf yellow-headed gecko, Yellow-headed dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus madagascariensis – Madagascar dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus manni – Mann's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus methueni – Methuen's dwarf gecko, Woodbrush dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus miops – Gunther's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus mirabilis
• Lygodactylus mombasicus
• Lygodactylus montanus – Mount Ivohibe (dwarf) gecko
• Lygodactylus nigropunctatus – Black-spotted dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus ocellatus – Ocellated dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus ornatus – Ornate dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus pauliani

White-headed dwarf gecko in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The tail has been lost due to a self-defense mechanism known as Autotomy

• Lygodactylus picturatus – White-headed dwarf gecko, Painted dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus pictus – Robust dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus praecox
• Lygodactylus rarus – Thin dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus rex – King dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus scheffleri – Scheffler's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus scorteccii – Scortecci's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus septemtuberculatus – Seven-bump dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus somalicus– Somali dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus stevensoni – Stevenson's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus thomensis – Annobon dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus tolampyae – Grandidier's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus tuberosus
• Lygodactylus verticillatus – Mocquard's dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus waterbergensis – Waterberg dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus wetzeli – South American dwarf gecko
• Lygodactylus williamsi – Williams' dwarf gecko

References

• Branch, Bill. Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third revised edition. Sanibel Is., Florida:Ralph Curtis Books Publ., 1998.