Rhoptropella

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

Rhoptropella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Rhoptropella
Hewitt, 1937
Species:
R. ocellata
Binomial name
Rhoptropella ocellata
(Boulenger, 1885)
Synonyms[2]
  • Rhoptropus ocellatus
    Boulenger, 1885
  • Phelsuma ocellata
    — Schmidt, 1933
  • Rhoptropella ocellata
    — Hewitt, 1937

Species

The sole species in the genus Rhoptropella is Rhoptropella ocellata,[2] 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][2]

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).[3]

Reproduction

R. ocellata is oviparous.[2] 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).[3]

References
  1. Bates MF, Branch WR (2018). "Phelsuma ocellata". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2018: e.T16939A115652199. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  2. Rhoptropella ocellata at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 29 November 2018.
  3. 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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