Goggia essexi

Goggia essexi
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Infraorder:	Gekkota
Family:	Gekkonidae
Genus:	Goggia
Species:	G. essexi
Binomial name
	Goggia essexi; (Hewitt, 1925)
Synonyms
	Phyllodactylus essexi; Hewitt, 1925; Phyllodactylus lineatus essexi; — Hewitt, 1937; Phyllodactylus essexi; — Branch, Bauer & Good, 1995; Goggia essexi; — Bauer, Good & Branch, 1997;

Last updated July 06, 2025

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.^[2]

Etymology

The specific name, essexi, is in honor of South African herpetologist Robert Essex.^[3]

Geographic range

G. essexi is found in Eastern Cape province, South Africa.^[1]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of G. essexi is rocky areas in shrubland.^[1]

Description

G. essexi is very small for its genus. Adults usually have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 2.0–2.5 cm (0.79–0.98 in), with a tail slightly longer than SVL. The maximum recorded SVL is 2.84 cm (1.12 in).^[4]

Reproduction

G. essexi is oviparous.^[2] Sexually mature females lay eggs in a communal site under a rock.^[4]

References

1 2 3 Bates, M.F.; Branch, W.R. (2018). "Goggia essexi ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T169698A115655138. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T169698A115655138.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
1 2 3 Goggia essexi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Goggia essexi, p. 85).
1 2 Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Goggia essexi, p. 240 + Plate 108).

Bauer AM, Good DA, Branch WR (1997). "The taxonomy of the southern African leaf-toed geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with a review of Old World Phyllodactylus and the description of five new genera". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences49 (14): 447–497. (Goggia essexi, new combination, p. 470).
Branch WR, Bauer AM, Good DA (1995). "Species limits in the Phyllodactylus lineatus complex (Reptilia: Gekkonidae), with the elevation of two taxa to specific status and the description of two new species". Journal of the Herpetological Association of Africa44 (2): 33–54. (Phyllodactylus essexi).
Hewitt J (1925). "On some new species of Reptiles and Amphibians from South Africa". Records of the Albany Museum, Grahamstown3: 343–370. (Phyllodactylus essexi, new species, p. 343).
Rösler H (2000). "Kommentierte Liste der rezent, subrezent und fossil bekannten Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha)". Gekkota2: 28–153. (Goggia essexi, p. 83). (in German).

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[iucn_status_18_November_2021-1] 1 2 3 Bates, M.F.; Branch, W.R. (2018). "Goggia essexi ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T169698A115655138. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T169698A115655138.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.

[RDB-2] 1 2 3 Goggia essexi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database

[3] Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Goggia essexi, p. 85).

[Bill2004-4] 1 2 Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Goggia essexi, p. 240 + Plate 108).

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