Tobago least gecko

Tobago least gecko
	Sphaerodactylus molei, ; drawing by E.N. Fischer from Barbour, 1921
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Gekkota
Family:	Sphaerodactylidae
Genus:	Sphaerodactylus
Species:	S. molei
Binomial name
	Sphaerodactylus molei; Boettger, 1894
Synonyms
	Sphaerodactylus molei; Boettger, 1894; Sphaerodactylus buergeri; F. Werner, 1900; Sphaerodactylus venezuelanus; Roux, 1927; Sphaerodactylus molei; — King, 1962;

Last updated November 10, 2025

The Tobago least gecko (Sphaerodactylus molei), also known commonly as Mole's gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is native to the Caribbean and northern South America.

Etymology

The specific name, molei is in honor of British naturalist Richard Richardson Mole (1860–1926) of Port of Spain, Trinidad.^[3]

Geographic distribution

Sphaerodactylus molei is found in the Antilles, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela including Margarita Island.^[2]

Habitat

The preferred habitat of Sphaerodactylus molei is forest at altitudes of 0–500 m (0–1,640 ft).^[1]

Description

Adults of Sphaerodacrtlus molei have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about 25 mm (0.98 in).^[4]

Reproduction

Sphaerodactylus molei is oviparous.^[2] The adult female usually lays one egg, rarely two, in a rotten stump.^[5] Average egg size is 7 mm (0.28 in) by 5.0–5.5 mm (0.20–0.22 in).^[5]

References

1 2 Hoogmoed, M.; Ouboter, P.; Schargel, W.; Rivas, G.; Murphy, J. (2016). "Sphaerodactylus molei ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016 e.T66080240A66080245. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T66080240A66080245.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
1 2 3 Sphaerodactylus molei at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 24 February 2019.
↑ 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. (Sphaerodactylus molei, p. 181).
↑ Barbour (1921).
1 2 King (1962).

Barbour T (1921). "Sphaerodactylus ". Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College47 (3): 215–283. (Sphaerodactylus molei, pp. 237–238 + Plate 1, figure 4; Plate 13, figures 5–8).
Boettger O (1894). "Sphærodactylus molei, Bttgr., n. sp.". p. 80. In: Mole RR, Urich FW (1894). "A Preliminary List of the Reptiles and Batrachians of the Island of Trinidad. With Descriptions of Two New Species by Professor Dr. O. Boettger". Journal of the Field Naturalists' Club, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad2: 77–90. (Sphaerodactylus molei, new species, p. 80). (in English and Latin).
King W (1962). "Systematics of Lesser Antillean lizards of the genus Sphaerodactylus ". Bulletin of the Florida State Museum7 (1): 1–52. (Sphaerodactylus molei, pp. 35–38, Figures 13A–13E).

This article about a Sphaerodactylus 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_18_November_2021-1] 1 2 Hoogmoed, M.; Ouboter, P.; Schargel, W.; Rivas, G.; Murphy, J. (2016). "Sphaerodactylus molei ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016 e.T66080240A66080245. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T66080240A66080245.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.

[RDB-2] 1 2 3 Sphaerodactylus molei at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 24 February 2019.

[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. (Sphaerodactylus molei, p. 181).

[4] Barbour (1921).

[King-5] 1 2 King (1962).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]