Sphaerodactylus richardsonii

Sphaerodactylus richardsonii, also known commonly as Richardson's least gecko or the northern Jamaica banded sphaero, is a small species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to Jamaica.^[2]

Sphaerodactylus richardsonii
S. richardsonii, drawing by E.N. Fischer, from Barbour, 1921
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Infraorder:	Gekkota
Family:	Sphaerodactylidae
Genus:	Sphaerodactylus
Species:	S. richardsonii
Binomial name
Sphaerodactylus richardsonii Gray, 1845

Etymology

The specific name, richardsonii, is in honor of Scottish naturalist John Richardson.^[3]

The subspecific name, gossei, is in honor of English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse.^[4]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.^[2]

• Sphaerodactylus richardsonii gossei Grant, 1939
• Sphaerodactylus richardsonii richardsonii Gray, 1845

Habitat

The preferred habitats of S. richardsonii are forest and shrubland.^[1]

Description

For its genus, S. richardson is stockily-built and long. Adults may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 4 cm (1.6 in) and a tail length of 3.5 cm (1.4 in). All the dorsal scales are large, keeled, and imbricate (overlapping). There is no middorsal granular row.^[5]

Reproduction

S. richardsonii is oviparous.^[2]