White-headed dwarf gecko

The white-headed dwarf gecko or painted dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus picturatus) is a species of Lygodactylus gecko widely distributed in Africa.^[3]

White-headed dwarf gecko
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Gekkota
Family:	Gekkonidae
Genus:	Lygodactylus
Species:	L. picturatus
Binomial name
Lygodactylus picturatus (Peters, 1871)[2]
Synonyms
Hemidactylus picturatus Peters, 1871

One subspecies is recognized, in addition to the nominate one: Lygodactylus picturatus sudanensis Loveridge, 1935, the Sudani dwarf gecko. The species Lygodactylus luteopicturatus was synonymized with L. picturatus in 2004.^[3]

White-headed dwarf gecko in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The tail has been lost due to a self-defense mechanism known as autotomy.