Cope's least gecko

Cope's least gecko (Sphaerodactylus copei) is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to the West Indies.

Cope's least gecko
Sphaerodactylus copei,
drawing by E.N. Fischer from Barbour, 1921
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Sphaerodactylidae
Genus: Sphaerodactylus
Species:
S. copei
Binomial name
Sphaerodactylus copei
Synonyms[2]
  • Sphaerodactylus anthracinus
    Cope, 1862
  • Sphaerodactylus copei
    Steindachner, 1867
  • Sphaerodactylus copii [sic]
    — Boulenger, 1885
  • Sphaerodactylus asper
    Garman, 1888
  • Sphaerodactylus copei
    — Schwartz & Henderson, 1991

Etymology

The specific name, copei, is in honor of American herpetologist and paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope.[3]

Geographic range

S. copei is found in Haiti and the Bahamas.[2] Whether the Bahamian populations result from introductions or natural dispersal is debated.[1]

Habitat

The preferred habitat of S. copei is forest at altitudes of 0–900 m (0–2,953 ft).[1]

Reproduction

S. copei is oviparous.[2]

Subspecies

Nine subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies[2]

  • Sphaerodactylus copei astreptus Schwartz, 1975
  • Sphaerodactylus copei cataplexis Schwartz & Thomas, 1965
  • Sphaerodactylus copei copei Steindachner, 1867
  • Sphaerodactylus copei deuterus Schwartz, 1975
  • Sphaerodactylus copei enochrus Schwartz & Thomas, 1965
  • Sphaerodactylus copei pelates Schwartz, 1975
  • Sphaerodactylus copei picturatus Garman, 1887
  • Sphaerodactylus copei polyommatus Thomas, 1968
  • Sphaerodactylus copei websteri Schwartz, 1975

References
  1. Hedges B (2016). "Sphaerodactylus copei (errata version published in 2017)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T75605377A115486715. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T75605377A75607694.en. Downloaded on 27 February 2019.
  2. Sphaerodactylus copei 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 copei, p. 59).

Further reading
  • Barbour T (1921). "Sphaerodactylus ". Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College 47 (3): 215-282. (Sphaerodactylus copei, pp. 259–260 + Plate 7, figure 2; Plate 21, figures 5-8).
  • Garman S (1887). "On West Indian Geckonidæ and Anguidæ". Bulletin of the Essex Institute 19: 17-24. (Sphærodactylus picturatus, new species, pp. 19–20).
  • Rösler H (2000). "Kommentierte Liste der rezent, subrezent und fossil bekannten Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha) ". Gekkota 2: 28-153. (Sphaerodactylus copei, p. 111). (in German).
  • Schwartz A (1975). "New Subspecies of Sphaerodactylus copei Steindachner (Sauria, Gekkonidae) from Hispaniola". Herpetologica 31 (1): 1-18. (Sphaerodactylus copei astreptus, new subspecies; S. c. deuterus, new subspecies; S. c. pelates, new subspecies; S. c. websteri, new subspecies).
  • Schwartz A, Henderson RW (1991). Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press. 720 pp. ISBN 978-0813010496. (Sphaerodactylus copei, p. 480).
  • Schwartz A, Thomas R (1965). "Subspeciation in Sphaerodactylus copei ". Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 27 (4): 316-332. (Sphaerodactylus copei cataplexis, new subspecies, pp. 326–330; S. c. enochrus, new subspecies, pp. 322–324).
  • Schwartz A, Thomas R (1975). A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (Sphaerodactylus copei, pp. 146–148).
  • Steindachner F (1867). "Reptilien ". pp. 1–98. In: von Scherzer K (1867). Reise der Österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 [unter den Befehlen des Kommodore] B. von Wüllerstorf-Urbair. Zoologischer Theil. Erster Band. (Wirbelthiere). Vienna: Kaiserlich-Könlichen Hof- und Staatsdruckerei/ Karl Gerold's Sohn. (Sphaerodactylus copei, new species, pp. 18-19). (in German).
  • Thomas R (1968). "Notes on Antillean Geckos (Sphaerodactylus)". Herpetologica 24 (1): 46-60. (Sphaerodactylus copei polyommatus, new subspecies).



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