Sphaerodactylus klauberi is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae The species is endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico.
| Sphaerodactylus klauberi | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Sphaerodactylidae |
| Genus: | Sphaerodactylus |
| Species: | S. k. [1]
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sphaerodactylus klauberi [1] | |
Common names
editCommon names for S. klauberi include Klauber's dwarf gecko, Klauber's least gecko, Puerto Rican highland sphaero, Puerto Rican upland gecko, and Puerto Rican upland sphaero.
Etymology
editThe epithet or specific name, klauberi, is in honor of American herpetologist Laurence Monroe Klauber.[4][5]
Description
editSphaerodactylus klauberi is one of the larger-sized Sphaerodactylus species. It may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 37 mm (1.5 in). Its colorings consist of a dark-brown upper body with darker-brown or black spots which become larger on the tail. The underbody is usually orange or reddish-pink with a gray throat that may have dark mottled areas.[6][7]
Behavior
editLike all Sphaerodactylus species, S. klauberi is voiceless. It is mostly active at night.[7]
Diet
editS. klauberi is an insectivore.[7]
Reproduction
editThe female of S. klauberi lays one hard-shelled egg that can be as large as her head. The egg's incubation lasts 2 to 3 months.[7]
Habitat
editS. klauberi specimens have been collected between 160 ft (50 m) and 3,600 ft (1,097 m) in elevation. They can sometimes be seen on the ground or on low branches in the Tabonuco, Colorado, and Palma Sierra sections of the Caribbean National Rain Forest.[7]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Sphaerodactylus klauberi ". ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). topic=TSN&search value=174077 ITIS taxonomy
- ^ Joglar R (2016). "Sphaerodactylus klauberi ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T178241A71743795.en. Accessed on 15 September 2024.
- ^ Schwartz A, Thomas R (1975). A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (Sphaerodactylus klauberi, p. 153).
- ^ Species Sphaerodactylus klauberi at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ 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. (Sphaerodactylus klauberi, p. 143).
- ^ Thomas & Schwartz (1966).
- ^ a b c d e US Forest Service
Further reading
edit- Grant C (1931). "The sphaerodactyls of Porto Rico, Culebra and Mona islands". Journal of the Deptartment of Agriculture of Porto Rico 15 (3): 199–213. (Sphaerodactylus klauberi, new species, p. 207).
- Thomas R, Schwartz A (1966). "Sphaerodactylus (Gekkonidae) in the greater Puerto Rico region". Bulletin of the Florida State Museum 10 (6): 193–260. (Sphaerodactylus klauberi, pp. 236–240).