DAS ZWERGGECKO-FORUM

Dear all,

I am new to this forum and would appreciate your help with the identification of the dwarf gecko in the attached photo. Image was taken in 'the wild' in Cotonou, Benin, where the species is believed to be adventive/invasive, having increased in numbers at the site markedly over the past 20 years.

I have spent a good few hours trawling websites for a close match and, thanks to this website, have a "best bet" of Lygodactylus grotei. The species is apparently native/endemic to Tanzania, which would help explain the invasive nature of population growth.

I have additional images of this presumed adult and of a presumed subadult if they would help.

Many thanks,

Guy

Hello Guy!
The Lygodactylus on your picture should be a Lygodactylus grotei. It is very interesting that they occur in Benin, too. You have a big harbour in Cotonou - perhaps they came in with a boat from Tanzania.

Greetings
Dennis

Thank you, Dennis.

We are quite a long way from the port and this is the only place I have seen them. From my web research, they seem also to be in Kenya now!

My friend here claims he has a smaller species in and around his office and his home (the latter being much closer to the port, though probably over 1 km). I am hoping he can provide photos soon.

Thanks again.

Guy

Just in case anyone is interested, here are a couple of images of (a) presumed subadult(s).

In all, I saw the species three times during my stay. Adult only once, both adult and presumed subadult, and today just the presumed subadult. The presumed subadult was quite sensitive to disturbance and hid in the gap around a window frame.

Guy

Hello Guy,

Thanks for sharing these nice pictures with us! Your informations concerning the distribution of this species are very interesting.

Greetings
Dennis

Having drafted a paper on the first record of L. grotei in West Africa, I had the opportunity to review the relevant pages of the IRD guide to lizards in the region* and subsequently to correspond with the senior author.

It appears that L. conraui is highly variable in its native West Africa and is best distinguished from its cogener L. fischeri on the basis of the number of rows of subcaudal scales (one in L. conraui, two in L. fischeri). On the basis of the images presented in the book, I was inclined towards the possibility that the animals seen could even have been L. fischeri. However, J-F. Trape has indicated that the animals photographed seem to be within the range of variation known for L. conraui.

So, no L. grotei in Benin after all.

I wonder what the implications of natural variability of Lygodactylus in the wild are for the pet trade. As a sometime birder and lepidopterist, I find it very frustrating when animals cannot be identified on sight and need to be in the hand for positive identification!

Thank you for your interest and help!

Guy

*Trape, J.-F., Trape, S. & Chirio, L. (2012) Lézards, Crocodiles et Tortues d’Afrique Occidentale et du Sahara. IRD Éditions, Montpellier, France.