Dwarf yellow-headed gecko

Yellow-headed dwarf gecko
	In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Gekkonidae
Genus:	Lygodactylus
Species:	L. luteopicturatus
Binomial name
	Lygodactylus luteopicturatus; Pasteur, 1964
Subspecies
	L. l. zanzibaritis Pasteur, 1964; L. l. luteopicturatus Pasteur, 1964;

The yellow-headed dwarf gecko or dwarf yellow-headed gecko (Lygodactylus luteopicturatus) is a small species of dwarf gecko found in the rocky areas of southern Kenya, Somalia (maybe as an introduced species), eastern Tanzania, and Zanzibar.^[2] It can grow up to 90 millimetres (3.5 in), but on average attains a length of 80 millimetres (3.1 in) with a snout-vent (body) length of 39 millimetres (1.5 in). The tail length can be equal to the length of the body from snout to the anus (SVL or Snout-Vent Length).^[3]

The yellow-headed dwarf gecko has a defense mechanism called tail autotomy, where they drop their tails to flee to safety when they are attacked by a predator. However, tail autotomy only gives the gecko an immediate benefit to escape because an autotomized gecko is slower without its tail and has difficulty running on vertical surfaces. Eggs can be found in places that are secure from predators.^[4]

References

^ Pasteur, G. 1964. Recherches sur l'évolution des lygodactyles, lézards Afro-Malagaches actuels. Trav. Inst. Scient. Chérif., Ser. Zool., No. 29: 1-132
^ ^a ^b Lygodactylus luteopicturatus, The Reptile Database
^ Geckos Archived 2019-11-01 at the Wayback Machine, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund
^ Medger, Katarina; Verburgt, Luke; Bateman, Philip W. (2008). "The Influence of Tail Autotomy on the Escape Response of the Dwarf Gecko, Lygodactylus". Ethology. 114 (1): 42–52. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.2007.01445.x. hdl:2263/9021. ISSN 1439-0310.

Broadley, D. G. & HOWELL, K. M. (1991). A checklist of the reptiles of Tanzania, with synoptic keys. Syntarsus, 1: 1—70
Spawls, S.; Howell, K.; Drewes, R.C. & Ashe, J. (2001). A field guide to the reptiles of East Africa. Academic Press, 543 pp

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[1] Pasteur, G. 1964. Recherches sur l'évolution des lygodactyles, lézards Afro-Malagaches actuels. Trav. Inst. Scient. Chérif., Ser. Zool., No. 29: 1-132

[rdb-2] Lygodactylus luteopicturatus, The Reptile Database

[3] Geckos Archived 2019-11-01 at the Wayback Machine, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund

[4] Medger, Katarina; Verburgt, Luke; Bateman, Philip W. (2008). "The Influence of Tail Autotomy on the Escape Response of the Dwarf Gecko, Lygodactylus". Ethology. 114 (1): 42–52. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.2007.01445.x. hdl:2263/9021. ISSN 1439-0310.

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