Parsigecko
Parsigecko | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Gekkonidae |
Genus: | Parsigecko Safaei-Mahroo, Ghaffari, & Anderson, 2016 |
Species: | P. ziaiei
|
Binomial name | |
Parsigecko ziaiei Safaei-Mahroo, Ghaffari, & Anderson, 2016
|
Parsigecko is a
Description
The adult,
The iris of P. ziaiei is yellow and grey with the pupillary slit outlined in yellow. The top of the head is cream with many small, dark brown spots forming blotches. The sides of the head have a chocolate-brown stripe from below the eye stretching to the side, connecting at the back of the head. The body is flecked with brown, the top yellowish-cream in color with 7–8 irregular brown crossbars and the sides light pinkish tan without patterning. The limbs are also pinkish tan with irregular brown flecking and cream speckling. The tail is yellowish with 6 distinct, brown, semicircle bands with the spaces between broader than the banding. Regenerated tail parts are brown with cream blotches. The ventral surface of the gecko is light pink to white.[3]
The genus Parsigecko is distinguished from other genera in Gekkonidae by a combination of the following: dorsal scales that are smooth, granular, subequal in size, not tuberculate and not imbricated, and two strongly keeled scales on the sides of each annulus of the tail. It is distinguished from other bent-toed geckos by its lack of dorsal tubercles, and from Microgecko species by its enlarged lateral caudal scales and single row of enlarged subcaudal scales.[3]
Taxonomy
The genus and species were first described in 2016 based on two gravid females collected in 2015.
The genus name derives from the word "Pars" which is an old name for Iran and seat of the
Distribution and habitat
Parsigecko ziaiei is only known from the type locality, north of Zahin, Iran.[3] It is a ground-dwelling gecko. The holotype and paratype were collected on steep hillsides in Zagros Mountains forest steppe and in Nubo-Sindian desert and semi-desert habitats. Associated plant species were Prunus scoparia (mountain almond shrubs), Pistacia atlantica (wild pistachio trees), Dodonaea viscosa (clammy hop seed bush), and Astragalus fasciculifolius (a milk vetch).[3]
Biology
Each gravid female contained a single large egg, 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) in diameter. Oviposition was estimated as occurring in late spring.[3]
P. ziaiei co-occurs with several other gecko species: Eublepharis angramainyu, Cyrtopodion kirmanense, Hemidactylus persicus, and Microgecko persicus.[3]
References
- ^ Parsigecko at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 5 December 2016.
- ^ a b c Parsigecko ziaiei at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2018-10-29.
- ^ PMID 27394876.