Paroedura maingoka

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Paroedura maingoka
Paroedura maingoka dans le parc national de Tsimanampetsotsa, Madagascar cropped.jpg
In Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, Madagascar
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Paroedura
Species:
P. maingoka
Binomial name
Paroedura maingoka
Nussbaum & Raxworthy  [ fr ], 2000
Paroedura maingoka distribution.png
Approximate distribution of Paroedura maingoka

Paroedura maingoka, the scorpion leaf-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It is endemic to southwest Madagascar, where it occurs on rock outcrops in dry forests and scrubland. It is a nocturnal species, emerging to feed at night.

Contents

This lizard is known for its defensive behavior in which it curls its tail over its back. It is named after this posture, which resembles that of a scorpion ('Batesian mimicry'). The specific name maingoka is Malagasy for "scorpion".

Taxonomy

The species Paroedura maingoka was described in 2000, with the holotype (UMMZ 211210) being an adult male found on 10 December 1995 in Tsimanampetsotsa National Park. Several other specimens from the same locality were included as paratypes. The specific name is a Malagasy word meaning "scorpion", referencing the lizard's defensive posture in which the tail is curved over the back. [2]

Distribution and habitat

View of the dry forest in Tsimanampetsotsa Spiny Forest, Tsimanampetsotsa, Madagascar (4463143687).jpg
View of the dry forest in Tsimanampetsotsa

This gecko is one of many species endemic to the island of Madagascar, and is recorded from several areas in the extreme southwest of the country. This species is found on rock outcrops in dry forests with xeric vegetation, dominated by baobabs and similar trees. Initially it was known only from Itampolo and the type locality of Tsimanampetsotsa, but was already theorized to occur across most of the Mahafaly Plateau. [2] Later, it was also recorded from Vohombe and Efoetsy. [3] It is a lowland species, with all these localities between 20 and 160 meters (66 and 525 ft) in elevation, and it has a known extent of occurrence of 7,564 km2 (2,920 sq mi). [1] Because this species is readily observable and prone to habitat degradation, it may serve as an indicator of suitable locations for reptile conservation. [4]

Description

This is a moderately-sized species, with mature individuals having a snout–vent length of 47 to 71 mm (1.9 to 2.8 in), while the tail measures approximately 50 mm (2.0 in). The head is wider than the neck, comparable to the torso in width, with a short and steep snout. The canthal ridges are prominent, with a slight depression inbetween, and the ear opening is a vertical slit. The rectangular rostral scale is wider than it is tall, and makes no contact with the nostrils. Enlarged tuberculate scales are arranged in longitudinal rows on the dorsal surface, with smaller tubercles and flat scales separating them. The ventral scales are flat, with those on the limbs slightly larger than on the belly. Each digit ends with a widened toe pad and a downward-curving claw. [2]

The upper side is primarily tannish brown, with a distinct white stripe running down the spine interrupted by dark crosslines. White crossbands with dark borders are present on the torso, while the tail has alternating black and white bands. An additional white crossband is located on the back of the head, and a short white stripe extends from each eye to the lip. The upper surfaces of the limbs are dark brown with white tubercles. The underside is mostly light. [2]

Patterning is variable within the species, with the crossbands being more distinct in some individuals while in others they are almost totally obscured, and tails which have been regenerated may have a variegated instead of banded pattern. Smaller individuals have been noted to be brighter colored and show greater contrast between the dark and light areas of the body (particularly in the crossbands), a phenomenon also observed in juvenile ocelot geckos and Mocquard's Madagascar ground geckos. This lizard can be distinguished from related species by its distinct coloration and patterning, the separation of the nostril from the rostral scale, and the presence of smaller scales between large tubercles. [2]

Biology

Paroedura maingoka is a nocturnal species, emerging to feed on insects at night. It is a terrestrial animal, found crawling on the ground among rocks or boulders in its scrub habitat. [2]

This gecko is best known for its defensive behavior, for which it is named. When threatened, the lizard will curl its tail forwards over its back, taking a posture resembling that of a scorpion. This behavior is also known in other lizards such as Teratoscincus roborowskii , and has been theorized to be Batesian mimicry of scorpions. [5] In P. maingoka, it has also been proposed that in association with its banded coloring, this posture attracts the attention of predators towards the tail. The tail is the most expendable part of this species' body and can be autotomized, which is known from the fact that some collected specimens have regenerated tails. Various scorpion species are known occur in the same areas as this gecko, though none have similar banded patterning. [2]

Conservation

This species was listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List in 2010, on the basis that it is locally abundant and the population shows no sign of decline. However, it was also noted that this gecko has a limited extent of occurrence and further degradation of its habitat may threaten the species, requiring it to be listed in a more threatened category. [1] Habitat loss from deforestation has been identified as the main threat to this species, and it is known have a low degree of tolerance towards habitat degradation. [4]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko</span> Species of lizard

Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko, also known commonly as Henkel's flat-tailed gecko or the frilled leaf-tail gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.

<i>Uroplatus phantasticus</i> Species of gecko endemic to Madagascar

Uroplatus phantasticus, the satanic leaf-tailed gecko, eyelash leaf-tailed gecko or the phantastic leaf-tailed gecko, is a species of gecko indigenous to the island of Madagascar. First described in 1888 by George Albert Boulenger, U. phantasticus is the smallest in body of the Uroplatus geckos, though there is an ongoing debate as to whether one of its cousins, U. ebenaui, is smaller because of its shorter tail.

<i>Paroedura masobe</i> Species of lizard

Paroedura masobe, also called masobe gecko, is an endangered species of gekkonid gecko. They are known for their white-speckled dark skin and big eyes. The average life span of the Paroedura masobe is approximately eight years. Paroedura masobe reaches lengths of up to 17 centimetres (6.69 in).

<i>Paroedura lohatsara</i> Species of lizard

Paroedura lohatsara is a species of small-to-medium-sized geckos native to northern Madagascar where it is found on a single mountain range. These geckos are up to 6 cm (2.4 in) long and are brown with black speckling, the speckles sometimes combining into longitudinal bands. Juveniles have wide transverse bands of black and transition into the adult colouring as they grow. This gecko is mainly nocturnal and is found on the ground, on boulders and in the lowest branches of trees. Because of its limited range and the ongoing destruction of its forest habitat, this species is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is not currently protected under CITES. Some individuals are kept in captivity in the United States and may act as a genetic resource if the gecko becomes extinct in the wild.

<i>Phelsuma vanheygeni</i> Species of lizard

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mocquard's Madagascar ground gecko</span> Species of lizard

Mocquard's Madagascar ground gecko is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It is a moderately-sized reptile reaching just over 7 cm (2.8 in) in snout–vent length. The species is endemic to southeastern Madagascar, where it can be found on the ground or climbing tree trunks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graceful Madagascar ground gecko</span> Species of lizard

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Madagascar ground gecko</span> Species of lizard

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ibity ground gecko</span> Species of lizard

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<i>Paroedura karstophila</i> Species of lizard

Paroedura karstophila is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It is described from Montagne des Français, a karstic limestone massif in the far north of Madagascar recently established as nature reserve. The new species has the nostril in contact with the rostral scale and shares many characters with P. karstophila and especially with P. homalorhina which are also restricted to karstic habitats. Paroedura hordiesi differs from P. karstophila by a smoother skin on dorsum and legs, by original and regenerated tails being both entirely smooth, by colouration, and by larger snout-vent length. Morphologically the new species is most similar to P. homalorhina from the Ankarana reserve from which it can be distinguished by shorter limbs and a less slender habitus. Published molecular data place the new species as close relative of P. homalorhina and another undescribed species from Nosy Hara Island, while newly determined data of the cox1 gene for P. karstophila confirm the distinctness of the new species from this taxon. Integrating the information from published and novel molecular data, the new species differs from all nominal Paroedura by strong genetic divergences. P. hordiesi might be another microendemic species of the Montagne des Français region. We suggest its IUCN Red List classification as "Critically Endangered" on the basis that it has an extent of occurrence of at most 50 km², it is known from a single location, and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat. It is endemic to Madagascar.

The Nosy Be ground gecko is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It is endemic to Madagascar.

<i>Paroedura tanjaka</i> Species of lizard

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<i>Paroedura vahiny</i> Species of lizard

Paroedura vahiny is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. This nocturnal species is terrestrial and can be found on the ground or climbing onto vegetation. It is endemic to southwest Madagascar, where it is found in deciduous dry forests.

<i>Teratoscincus roborowskii</i> Species of lizard

Teratoscincus roborowskii, commonly known as the Tibetan wonder gecko or Turpan wonder gecko, is a species of gecko in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to the Turpan Depression in Xinjiang, northwestern China, where it occurs in arid shrubland and desert habitats. It reaches a snout-vent length of 75.5–93.6 mm (3.0–3.7 in), and adult males tend to have wider heads than adult females.

<i>Paroedura neglecta</i> Species of lizard

Paroedura neglecta is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It was first discovered in 2006, but the species was not named until 2019, hence the specific name meaning "neglected". It is endemic to Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in northwestern Madagascar.

<i>Paroedura guibeae</i> Species of lizard

Paroedura guibeae, Guibé's ground gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species was formerly synonymized with Paroedura bastardi, but a study in 2021 found that it represents a separate species within the species complex. It is endemic to Madagascar.

<i>Paroedura rennerae</i> Species of lizard

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<i>Paroedura manongavato</i> Species of lizard

Paroedura manongavato is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It was described as a distinct species in 2023, and while specimens have been known for years prior, they were formerly assigned to Paroedura bastardi. It is a microendemic species found only in two locations in Madagascar.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Raxworthy, C.J.; Ratsoavina, F.; Rabibisoa, N.; Rakotondrazafy, N.A.; Bora, P. (2011). "Paroedura maingoka". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2011: e.T172988A6953689. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T172988A6953689.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nussbaum, R. A.; Raxworthy, C. J. (2000). "Systematic revision of the genus Paroedura Günther (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the description of five new species". Miscellaneous Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan. 189: 1−26. hdl: 2027.42/56432 . S2CID   83107193.
  3. ↑ Raselimanana, A.P., Raherilalao, M.J., Soarimalala, V. and Ralison, J. 2005. Faune de vertebres des zones forestieres des regions du sudouest et du sud de Madagascar : Diversité, distribution, menaces et conservation.
  4. 1 2 Nopper, Joachim; Lauströer, Balten; Rödel, Mark‐Oliver; Ganzhorn, Jörg U. (2017-08-17). Bellard, Céline (ed.). "A structurally enriched agricultural landscape maintains high reptile diversity in sub‐arid south‐western Madagascar". Journal of Applied Ecology. 54 (2): 480–488. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12752 . ISSN   0021-8901.
  5. ↑ Autumn, Kellar; Han, Batur (April 1989). "Mimicry of scorpions by juvenile lizards, Teratoscincus roborowskii (Gekkonidae)". Chinese Herpetological Research. 2 (2): 60–64.
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