Kuroiwa's ground gecko

The Kuroiwa's ground gecko (Goniurosaurus kuroiwae) (from Japanese: クロイワトカゲモドキ/黒岩蜥蜴擬), also known as the Ryukyu eyelid gecko, Kuroiwa's leopard gecko, Kuroiwa's eyelid gecko, Okinawan ground gecko, or Tokashiki gecko, is a species of lizards in the family Eublepharidae. The species is endemic to the Okinawa Islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan.[1][2]

Kuroiwa's ground gecko
in Ōgimi, Kunigami, Okinawa, Japan
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Eublepharidae
Genus: Goniurosaurus
Species:
G. kuroiwae
Binomial name
Goniurosaurus kuroiwae
(Namiye [jp], 1912)
Synonyms[2]
  • Gymnodactylus albofasciatus kuroiwae
    Namiye, 1912
  • Eublepharis kuroiwae
    Wermuth, 1965
  • Amamisaurus kuroiwae
    Börner, 1981
  • Goniurosaurus kuroiwae
    Grismer, 1987

The Kuroiwa's ground gecko is a common host for the parasite Cryptosporidium serpentis. This parasite is detrimental to the health of the gecko and causes severe gastrointestinal problems. Symptoms of a Cryptosporidium serpentis infection include: diarrhea, vomiting, and emaciation.[3]

Etymology

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The specific name, kuroiwae, is in honor of T. Kuroiwa, collector of the holotype.[4]

Habitat

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Kuroiwa's ground gecko occurs in subtropical forests in karst limestone areas at elevations below 450 m (1,480 ft). It forages on small invertebrates in leaf litter at night.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Kidera, N. & Ota, H. (2017). "Goniurosaurus kuroiwae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T98152257A96877452. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T98152257A96877452.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Goniurosaurus kuroiwae at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 16 December 2020.
  3. ^ Ootawa, Tomoki; Toda, Mitsuhiko; Takahashi, Hiroo; Saruta, Tomohisa; Murakami, Yuki; Iguchi, Yuka; Masatani, Tatsunori (2023). "Record of Cryptosporidium serpentis from Goniurosaurus kuroiwae sengokui (Reptilia, Squamata, Eublepharidae) in Tokashikijima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan". Journal of Veterinary Medical Science. 85 (10): 1142–1145. doi:10.1292/jvms.23-0186. PMC 10600540. PMID 37558494.
  4. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Goniurosaurus kuroiwae, p. 148).

Further reading

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  • Namiye M (1912). "[The geckos from the Okinawa Islands]". Dobutugaku Zasshi [Zoological Magazine], Tokyo 24: 442–445. (Gymnodactylus albofasciatus kuroiwae, new subspecies). (in Japanese).