Phyllodactylus xanti

Phyllodactylus xanti
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Phyllodactylidae
Genus:	Phyllodactylus
Species:	P. xanti
Binomial name
	Phyllodactylus xanti; Cope, 1863

Last updated August 01, 2022

Phyllodactylus xanti is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. It is endemic to northwestern Mexico.^[3] It is also known as the leaf-toed gecko (among many other species) 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.^[3]

Geographic range

P. xanti is found in the Baja California Peninsula and associated islands in Mexico.^[3] Records from southern California (USA) refer to Phyllodactylus nocticolus , first described as Phyllodactylus xanti nocticolus, now considered a distinct species.^[4]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of P. xanti are desert and shrubland.^[1]

Description

P. xanti has vertical pupils, immovable eyelids, and leaf-like toe pads. It has a brownish, grey, or pinkish dorsum, with a light venter. The granular dorsal scales are interspersed with tubercles.

It often squeaks when handled, and it has a very fragile tail which is readily lost.

This gecko is between 2.5 and 6.2 cm (1.5 and 2.5 inches) in snout-to-vent length (SVL).

Reproduction

P. xanti is oviparous.^[3]

Subspecies

Four subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.^[3]

Phyllodactylus xanti acorius Dixon, 1966
Phyllodactylus xanti sloani Bostic, 1971
Phyllodactylus xanti xanti Cope, 1863
Phyllodactylus xanti zweifeli Dixon, 1964

Etymology

The specific epithet, xanti, commemorate John Xantus,^[5] a nineteenth century naturalist active in the United States of America.^[6]

The subspecific names, sloani and zweifeli, are in honor of American herpetologists Allan John Sloan and Richard G. Zweifel, respectively.^[6]

Taxonomy

The accepted scientific name and original description were published in 1863 by Edward Drinker Cope.^[3]

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.

John Xantus de Vesey a.k.a. de Csíktaplócza was a Hungarian exile and zoologist. Xantus was born Xántus János, in Csokonya, Somogy, Hungary.

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.

Coastal leaf-toed gecko 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.

Isla Cayo, is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the La Paz Municipality.

Isla Danzante, is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Loreto Municipality.

Isla Coronados, is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula in Baja California Sur state, Mexico. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Loreto Municipality.

Isla El Coyote is an island in the Gulf of California, located within Bahía Concepción east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mulegé Municipality.

Isla Mosca, is an island in the Gulf of California, located within Bahía Concepción east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mulegé Municipality.

Isla San Ildefonso, is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mulegé Municipality.

Isla Pond, is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mexicali Municipality.

Isla La Ventana, or the Window, is an island in the Gulf of California, located within Bahía de los Ángeles east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Ensenada Municipality.

Isla Rasa is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mexicali Municipality. The 0.21 sq./mi island has three small ponds and has small shed located in the center of the island.

Isla Salsipuedes is an island in the Gulf of California off the coast of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mexicali Municipality.

Isla San Lorenzo Norte is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mexicali Municipality. The much larger Isla San Lorenzo Sur is located immediately southeast of Isla San Lorenzo Norte.

Isla San Lorenzo Sur, is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mexicali Municipality. Isla San Lorenzo Norte is located immediately northwest of Isla San Lorenzo Sur.

The Belize leaf-toed gecko is a species of gecko native to Belize. It is a small, pale, large headed gecko only found on small islands off Belize's coast and was first described by James R. Dixon in 1960. This species is currently classified as "vulnerable" by the IUCN Red List.

Goggia braacki, also known commonly as Braack's dwarf leaf-toed gecko, Braack's pygmy gecko, and the Karoo leaf-toed gecko, is a species of 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.

References

1 2 Hammerson, G.A. (2007). "Phyllodactylus xanti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2007: e.T64051A12740152. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64051A12740152.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
↑ "Phyllodactylus xanti Cope, 1863". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 31 May 2021.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Phyllodactylus xanti at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 31 May 2021..
↑ Phyllodactylus nocticolus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 31 May 2021.
↑ a.k.a. Louis deVesey (1825–1894).
1 2 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. (Phyllodactylus xanti, p. 291; P. x. sloani, p. 246; P. nocticolus zweifeli, p. 294).

Behler JL, King FW (1979). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. ISBN 0-394-50824-6. (Phyllodactylus xanti, p. 494 + Plate 391).
Bostic DL (1971). "Herpetofauna of the Pacific coast of north central Baja California, Mexico, with a description of a new subspecies of Phyllodactylus xanti ". Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History16: 237–263. (Phyllodactylus xanti sloani, new subspecies, pp. 252–254, Figures 7–8).
Cope ED (1863). "Descriptions of new American SQUAMATA, in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia15: 100–106. (Phyllodactylus xanti, new species, pp. 102–103).
Dixon, James R. (1964). "The systematics and distribution of lizards of the genus Phyllodactylus in North and Central America" (PDF). New Mexico State University Scientific Bulletin. 64 (1): 1–139. (Phyllodactylus xanti zweifeli, new subspecies, pp. 59–62).
Dixon JR (1966). "Speciation and systematics of the gekkonid lizard genus Phyllodactylus of the Islands of the Gulf of California". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Fourth Series33 (13): 415–452. (Phyllodactylus xanti acorius, new subspecies, pp. 442–443).
Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3. (Phyllodactylus xanti, pp. 70–71).
Stebbins RC (2003). A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, Third Edition. The Peterson Field Guide Series ®. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin. xiii + 533 pp. ISBN 978-0-395-98272-3. (Phyllodactylus xanti, p. 266 + Plate 24 + Map 73).

This article about a gecko is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[iucn_status_20_November_2021-1] 1 2 Hammerson, G.A. (2007). "Phyllodactylus xanti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2007: e.T64051A12740152. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64051A12740152.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.

[ITIS-2] "Phyllodactylus xanti Cope, 1863". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 31 May 2021.

[RDB-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Phyllodactylus xanti at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 31 May 2021..

[4] Phyllodactylus nocticolus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 31 May 2021.

[5] .k.a. Louis deVesey (1825–1894).

[EDR-6] 1 2 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. (Phyllodactylus xanti, p. 291; P. x. sloani, p. 246; P. nocticolus zweifeli, p. 294).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]