Microgecko helenae, also known commonly as the banded dwarf gecko, Helen's banded dwarf gecko, Helen's tiny gecko, the Khuristan dwarf gecko, and the Khuzestan dwarf gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Iran. There are two recognized subspecies.[2]

Microgecko helenae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Microgecko
Species:
M. helenae
Binomial name
Microgecko helenae
Nikolsky, 1907
Synonyms[2]
  • Microgecko helenae
    Nikolsky, 1907
  • Tropiocolotes helenae
    Mertens, 1956
  • Microgecko helenae
    S. Anderson, 1961
  • Tropiocolotes (Microgecko) helenae
    Rösler, 2000
  • Microgecko helenae
    Bauer et al., 2013

Etymology

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The specific name, helenae, is in honor of Helena Nikolsky.[3]

Geographic range

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M. helenae is found in western Iran.[2]

Habitat

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The preferred natural habitats of M. helenae are forest, shrubland, and grassland, at altitudes up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft).[1]

Description

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Adults of M. helenae have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 15.0–26.2 mm (0.59–1.03 in).[2]

Reproduction

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M. helenae is oviparous.[2]

Subspecies

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Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[2]

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Microgecko.

References

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  1. ^ a b Ananjeva, Natalia; Papenfuss, Theodore; Bafti, Soheila Shafiei; Sharifi, Mozafar (2009). "Microgecko helenae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T164568A5908520. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T164568A5908520.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Microgecko helenae at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
  3. ^ 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. (Tropiocolotes helenae, p. 119).

Further reading

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  • "Nikolski AM" (1907) ("1905"). "Reptiles et Amphibies, recueillis par Mr. N. A. Zaroudny en Perse en 1903–1904 ". Annuaire du Musée Zoologique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de St.-Pétersbourg 10 (3-4): 260-301 + Plate I. (Microgecko helenae, new species, pp. 265–268). (article in Latin and Russian, article title in French in table of contents of journal).
  • Rösler H (2000). "Kommentierte Liste der rezent, subrezent und fossil bekannten Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha)". Gekkota 2: 28–153. (Tropiocolotes helenae, p. 117). (in German).
  • Schmidtler JJ, Schmidtler JF (1972). "Zwerggeckos aus dem Zagros-Gebirge (Iran)". Salamandra 8 (2): 59–66. (Tropiocolotes helenae fasciatus, new subspecies, p. 62). (in German).
  • Sindaco R, Jeremčenko VK (2008). The Reptiles of the Western Palearctic. 1. Annotated Checklist and Distributional Atlas of the Turtles, Crocodiles, Amphisbaenians and Lizards of Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. (Monographs of the Societas Herpetologica Italica). Latina, Italy: Edizioni Belvedere. 580 pp. ISBN 978-88-89504-14-7. (Microgecko helenae).