Brazilian pygmy gecko

Brazilian pygmy gecko
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Sphaerodactylidae
Genus: Chatogekko
Gamble, Daza, Colli, Vitt & Bauer, 2011
Species:
C. amazonicus
Binomial name
Chatogekko amazonicus
(Andersson, 1918)
Synonyms[1]
  • Sphaerodactylus amazonicus
    Andersson, 1918
  • Coleodactylus zernyi
    Wettstein, 1928
  • Coleodactylus amazonicus
    — Vanzolini, 1957
  • Coleodactylus guimaraesi
    Vanzolini, 1957
  • Coleodactylus amazonicus
    — Rösler, 1995
  • Chattogekko amazonicus
    — Gamble et al., 2011

The Brazilian pygmy gecko (Chatogekko amazonicus) is a species of South American lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is monotypic in the genus Chatogekko.[2] It grows to a maximum total length (including tail) of only 24 millimetres (0.94 in). It is found in leaf litter on the forest floor, and preys on springtails and mites.[3][4] The species is oviparous.[1]

The gecko's skin is highly hydrophobic, to the degree that Chatogekko amazonicus is able to avoid drowning in rainstorms despite its small size, and even float on water.[5]

The following cladogram presented by Gamble et al. in 2011 represents phylogenetic relationships among the genera of sphaerodactyl geckos which were recognized as being valid at that time.[2]

  1. ^ a b Uetz, Peter; Hallermann, Jakob; Hosek, Jiri. "Coleodactylus amazonicus (ANDERSSON, 1918)". Reptile Database.
  2. ^ a b Gamble, Tony; Daza, Juan D.; Colli, Guarino R.; Vitt, Laurie J.; Bauer, Aaron M. [in French] (2011). "A new genus of miniaturized and pug-nosed gecko from South America (Sphaerodactylidae: Gekkota)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 163 (4): 1244–1266. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00741.x. PMC 3223738. PMID 22125341. (Chatogekko, new genus).
  3. ^ Pianka, Eric R.; Vitt, Laurie J. (2006). Lizards: Windows to the Evolution of Diversity. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-520-24847-2.
  4. ^ Zug, George R. [in German]; Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (2001). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, Second Edition. San Diego, California: Academic Press. p. 480. ISBN 978-0-12-782622-6.
  5. ^ "BBC One - Life, Reptiles and Amphibians, Floating lizard". BBC. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 2022-06-05.