Rhoptropella

Rhoptropella is a monotypic genus of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The genus is indigenous to southern Africa.

Rhoptropella
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Rhoptropella
Hewitt, 1937
Species:
R. ocellata
Binomial name
Rhoptropella ocellata
(Boulenger, 1885)
Approximate distribution
  Range
(Southern Africa)
Synonyms[3]
  • Rhoptropus ocellatus
    Boulenger, 1885
  • Phelsuma ocellata
    Schmidt, 1933
  • Rhoptropella ocellata
    Hewitt, 1937

Species

The sole species in the genus Rhoptropella is Rhoptropella ocellata,[3] although its generic allocation is debated.[1]

Common names

R. ocellata is known commonly as the Namaqua day gecko, the ocellated day gecko, and the spotted day gecko.[1]

Geographic range

R. ocellata is found in southwestern Namibia and South Africa (Little Namaqualand).[1][3]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of R. ocellata are desert and shrubland.[1]

Description

Adults of R. ocellata have a snout-to-vent length of 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in).[4]

Reproduction

R. ocellata is oviparous.[3] Adult females lay clutches of 1–2 hard-shelled eggs. Each egg measures 8.5 by 6.5 mm (0.33 by 0.26 in).[4]

References

  1. Bates MF, Branch WR (2018). "Phelsuma ocellata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T16939A115652199. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. Rhoptropella ocellata at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 29 November 2018.
  4. Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Phelsuma ocellata, pp. 264–265 + Plate 90).

Further reading

  • Boulenger GA (1885). "Descriptions of three new Species of Geckos". Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Fifth Series 16: 473–475. (Rhoptropus ocellatus, new species, p. 475).
  • Hewitt J (1937). "Descriptions of South African lizards". Annals of the Natal Museum 8 (2): 199–209. (Rhoptropella, new genus; R. ocellata, new combination).
  • Rocha S, Rösler H, Gehring P-S, Glaw F, Posada D, Harris DJ, Vences M (2010). "Phylogenetic systematics of day geckos, genus Phelsuma, based on molecular and morphological data (Squamata: Gekkonidae)". Zootaxa 2429: 1–28. (Rhoptropella ocellata).
  • Schmidt KP (1933). "The Reptiles of the Pulitzer Angola Expedition". Annals of the Carnegie Museum 22 (1): 1–15. (Phelsuma ocellata, new combination).


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