Belize leaf-toed gecko

Belize leaf-toed gecko
	Phyllodactylus insularis in Turneffe Flats, Belize
Conservation status
	; Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Phyllodactylidae
Genus:	Phyllodactylus
Species:	P. insularis
Binomial name
	Phyllodactylus insularis; Dixon, 1960

Last updated March 06, 2024

The Belize leaf-toed gecko^[2] (Phyllodactylus insularis) is a species of gecko native to Belize. It is a small, pale, large headed gecko^[3] only found on small islands off Belize's coast^[4] and was first described by James R. Dixon in 1960.^[5] This species is currently classified as "vulnerable" by the IUCN Red List.^[1]

Description

The Belize leaf-toed gecko is a small, pale, large-headed gecko.^[3] It is nocturnal and emerges from under barks and limbs to feed on insects and other arthropods. Like other geckos it has adhesive friction pads on the toes of each foot.^[6] The gecko emits a sounds similar to a high pitched squeak or click.^[6]

Habitat

The gecko lives in trees and can be found in littoral forests on small islands.^[7] It is endemic to lowland Maya forests.^[8] Sub-adults are exclusively found under surface objects while adults are found solely on palm trunks.^[9]

Distribution

The Belize leaf-toed gecko has been recorded on Half Moon Caye, Long Caye, Twin Cayes, Glover's Reef, Crawl Caye, False Caye, Lagoon Caye, Peter Douglas Caye, Ambergris Caye and West Snake Caye off the coast of Belize.^[4]

Elevation

Elevation ranges from sea level ^[7] to 50 meters.^[4]

Reproduction

They are oviparous and typically lay 1 or 2 eggs in a clutch^[10]

Predation

Phyllodactus insularis is known to be preyed upon by rats.^[3]

Threats

The IUCN Red List reports that habitat destruction caused by tourism development is a threat to this species. It is also threatened by sea level rise and storm surge.^[1]

Related Research Articles

Phyllodactylus is a genus of geckos distributed in South America and Central America, and as far north as the southern United States. They are commonly known as "leaf-toed geckos" in their native range, and otherwise as American leaf-toed geckos to distinguish them from unrelated genera with similar feet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Belize</span>

Belize is a country with a rich variety of wildlife, due to its unique position between North and South America, and a wide range of climates and habitats for plant and animal life. Belize's low human population, and approximately 8,867 square miles (22,970 km²) of undistributed land, provides an ideal home for more than 5000 species of plants, and vast numbers species of animals — with several hundred vertebrates including armadillos, snakes, and monkeys.

The western leaf-toed gecko is a species of gecko. It is endemic to Peru. It was described by Johann Jakob von Tschudi in 1845.

Phyllodactylus xanti is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. It is endemic to northwestern Mexico. It is also known as the leaf-toed gecko or Raza Island leaf-toed gecko when referring to the subspecies from the Isla Rasa; at present, there are altogether four recognized subspecies, while several more have been recognized previously.

James Ray Dixon was professor emeritus and curator emeritus of amphibians and reptiles at the Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection at Texas A&M University. He lived in El Campo, Texas, throughout most of his childhood. He published prolifically on the subject of herpetology in his distinguished career, authoring and co-authoring several books, book chapters, and numerous peer reviewed notes and articles, describing two new genera, and many new species, earning him a reputation as one of the most prominent herpetologists of his generation. His main research focus was morphology based systematics of amphibians and reptiles worldwide with emphasis on Texas, US, Mexico, Central America, and South America, although bibliographies, conservation, ecology, life history and zoogeography have all been the subjects of his extensive publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal leaf-toed gecko</span> Species of lizard

The coastal leaf-toed gecko or Tumbesian leaf-toed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to South America.

The peninsula leaf-toed gecko is a medium-sized gecko. It is found in southern California (USA) and Baja California (Mexico), including many islands in Gulf of California as well as Islas Magdalena and Santa Margarita off the west coast of Baja California.

The Barbados leaf-toed gecko is a species of gecko endemic to the Caribbean island-nation of Barbados. It is the only known leaf-toed gecko in the Lesser Antilles.

Lighthouse Reef is an atoll in the Caribbean Sea, the easternmost part of the Belize Barrier Reef and one of its three atolls, the other two being Turneffe Atoll and Glover's Reef. Lighthouse Reef is located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Belize City. The atoll is of oblong shape, approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) long from north to south, and about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) wide. It forms a shallow sandy lagoon with an area of 120 square kilometres (46 sq mi) and a depth between 2 and 6 metres deep.

Goggia essexi, also known commonly as Essex's dwarf leaf-toed gecko, Essex's leaf-toed gecko, and Essex's pygmy gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to South Africa.

Davis's leaf-toed gecko, also known commonly as Davis' leaf-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

Phyllodactylus delsolari is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to Peru.

Duellman's pigmy leaf-toed gecko, also known commonly as la salamanquesa pigmea de Duellman in Mexican Spanish, is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

Gilbert's leaf-toed gecko, also known commonly as the Wenman Island gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to the Galapagos Islands.

The Rio Huancabamba leaf-toed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to Peru.

Phyllodactylus reissii, also known commonly as Peters' leaf-toed gecko or the coastal leaf-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to northwestern South America.

The Venezuela leaf-toed gecko, also known commonly as the Venezuelan leaf-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to islands off the coast of Venezuela.

Phyllodactylus thompsoni is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to Peru.

The Puerto Rican leaf-toed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to Puerto Rico.

References

1 2 3 Townsend, J.H.; Walker, P. (2014). "Phyllodactylus insularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T203074A2759895. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T203074A2759895.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
↑ Phyllodactylus insularis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 24 October 2017.
1 2 3 Meerman, J. C. (1996). "Half Moon Caye Terrestrial Survey Results and Management Implications" (PDF). Biological Diversity in Belize. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
1 2 3 Köhler, Gunther (2003). Reptiles of Central America (English ed.). Offenbach, Germany: Herpeton. ISBN 978-3936180022. OCLC 52843681.
↑ Dixon, James (1960). "The discovery of Phyllodactylus tuberculosus (Reptilia: Sauna) in Central America, the resurrection of P. xanti, and description of a new gecko from British Honduras". Herpetologica. 16 (1): 1–11. JSTOR 3890311.
1 2 McKeon, C. S.; Feller, I. C. (2004). "The Supratidal Fauna of Twin Cays, Belize" (PDF). Smithsonian Libraries. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
1 2 Wilson, L. D.; Townsend, J. H.; Johnson, J. D., eds. (2010). Conservation of Mesoamerican Amphibians and Reptiles (1 ed.). Eagle Mountain, Utah: Eagle Mountain Publishing. ISBN 9780972015448.
↑ Radachowsky, Jeremy (2002). "Edemism in the Maya Forest" (PDF). The Gaps Guide. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
↑ Julian C. Lee (1996). The Amphibians and Reptiles of the Yucatan Peninsula. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. pp. xii + 500 pp. + 41 color plates. Retrieved 2017-10-14– via ResearchGate.
↑ Bartlett, Richard D.; Bartlett, Patricia P. (1995). Geckos: Everything about Selection, Care, Nutrition, Diseases, Breeding, and Behavior . Barron's Educational Series. p. 43. ISBN 9780812090826.

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[iucn_status_20_November_2021-1] 1 2 3 Townsend, J.H.; Walker, P. (2014). "Phyllodactylus insularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T203074A2759895. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T203074A2759895.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.

[RDB-2] Phyllodactylus insularis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 24 October 2017.

[:3-3] 1 2 3 Meerman, J. C. (1996). "Half Moon Caye Terrestrial Survey Results and Management Implications" (PDF). Biological Diversity in Belize. Retrieved October 11, 2017.

[:2-4] 1 2 3 Köhler, Gunther (2003). Reptiles of Central America (English ed.). Offenbach, Germany: Herpeton. ISBN 978-3936180022. OCLC 52843681.

[5] Dixon, James (1960). "The discovery of Phyllodactylus tuberculosus (Reptilia: Sauna) in Central America, the resurrection of P. xanti, and description of a new gecko from British Honduras". Herpetologica. 16 (1): 1–11. JSTOR 3890311.

[:0-6] 1 2 McKeon, C. S.; Feller, I. C. (2004). "The Supratidal Fauna of Twin Cays, Belize" (PDF). Smithsonian Libraries. Retrieved October 1, 2017.

[:1-7] 1 2 Wilson, L. D.; Townsend, J. H.; Johnson, J. D., eds. (2010). Conservation of Mesoamerican Amphibians and Reptiles (1 ed.). Eagle Mountain, Utah: Eagle Mountain Publishing. ISBN 9780972015448.

[8] Radachowsky, Jeremy (2002). "Edemism in the Maya Forest" (PDF). The Gaps Guide. Retrieved October 12, 2017.

[9] Julian C. Lee (1996). The Amphibians and Reptiles of the Yucatan Peninsula. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. pp. xii + 500 pp. + 41 color plates. Retrieved 2017-10-14– via ResearchGate.

[10] Bartlett, Richard D.; Bartlett, Patricia P. (1995). Geckos: Everything about Selection, Care, Nutrition, Diseases, Breeding, and Behavior . Barron's Educational Series. p. 43. ISBN 9780812090826.

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