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Comoran fish scale gecko

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Comoran fish scale gecko
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Geckolepis
Species:
G. humbloti
Binomial name
Geckolepis humbloti
Vaillant, 1887

Geckolepis humbloti, commonly known as the Comoran fish scale gecko, is a nocturnal species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It is endemic to Grande Comore in the Comoros and Madagascar.[1]

Originally described in 1887, this species was synonymized with Geckolepis maculata in 1942. It was later resurrected in 2015, following various subsequent scientific studies and expeditions.[2] Hawlitschek et al. (2015) resurrected G. humbloti when it was determined to be paraphyletic based on DNA data, separating the species from G. maculata once again.[3]

Like the rest of its genus, G. humbloti sheds its skin and scales as a defensive measure, just as many other geckos will shed their tails. These scales typically grow back over the course of several months.

References

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  1. ^ Geckolepis humbloti at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
  2. ^ Hawlitschek, O., Scherz, M.D., Straube, N. et al. Resurrection of the Comoran fish scale gecko Geckolepis humbloti Vaillant, 1887 reveals a disjunct distribution caused by natural overseas dispersal. Org Divers Evol 16, 289–298 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-015-0255-1
  3. ^ Geckolepis humbloti at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database