Ptyodactylus is a genus of geckos, which are commonly known as fan-fingered geckos. The genus has 12 described species.

Ptyodactylus
Ptyodactylus puiseuxi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Phyllodactylidae
Genus: Ptyodactylus
Goldfuss, 1820[1]
Species

12, see text.

Geographic range and habitat edit

The genus Ptyodactylus is distributed across dry areas of Africa and the Middle East.

Description edit

The common name, fan-fingered geckos, is derived from the pattern of the straight toes which are splayed out like the pattern of a snowflake. The pads on the ventral surface of the toes are adhesive, and each toe has a retractable claw.

Species & subspecies edit

The following species and subspecies are recognized as being valid.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Goldfuss GA (1820). "Reptilia". In: Schubert GH (editor) (1820). Handbuch der Naturgeschichte zum Gebrauch bei Vorlesungen, Handbuch der Zoologie, vol. 3. Nürnberg: J.L. Schrag. pp. 121–181.
  2. ^ Genus Ptyodactylus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ Simó-Riudalbas, M.; Metallinou, M.; de Pous, P.; Els, J.; Jayasinghe, S.; Péntek-Zakar, E.; Wilms, T. [in German]; Al-Saadi, S.; Carranza, S. (2017), "Cryptic diversity in Ptyodactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from the northern Hajar Mountains of Oman and the United Arab Emirates uncovered by an integrative taxonomic approach", PLOS ONE, 12 (8): e0180397, Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1280397S, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180397, PMC 5540286, PMID 28767644, e0180397

Further reading edit

  • Oken L (1817). Isis oder Encyclopadische Zeitung von Oken. Erster Band [Volume One]. Jena: Expedition der Isis. 1,576 pp. + 12 plates. (Ptyodactylus, new genus, p. 1183). (in German).