[TOM_P]

Hi does anyone know what species of Hemidactylus this could be ?
It originates from Northern Somalia.

Thanks

[danscantle]

I'm leaning towards H. isolepis. Looks similar to this east African terrestrial clade which includes isolepis, squamulatus, tropidolepis, etc. But there are a few N Somlia endemics. I may be of more help when I return to NY and have access to all my material on the genus.

Definately a nice animal. Do you have any natural history data?

[Palex134]

gorgeous species!

[TOM_P]

Hi

Yes, I actually collected them myself and spent a few days there.
I think that this following picture is the same species but its from a locality 30km (20 miles) north of the last one. I think it just has a different colour pattern but I might be wrong too.

I only found them under very large Rocks and found lots of eggs aswell so it seems to have been their breeding season.

I dont think that is is Isolepis or any of the others mentioned as I have seen most of them in Northern kenya and they dont really resemble. Im sure its from the same "Group" but I think its nothing that ranges all the way to Kenya as they are from high elevation and the climate is far cooler than in Northern Kenya. I think its more likely an endemic. There are many species of endemic Northern Somali as you mentioned but i cant find a single picture or scale count online and therefore have no way to compare. If anyone has literature that can help it would be great. I have a group of 2.3 and am trying to breed them.

[TOM_P]

I also found another species, but once again fail to identify it.
I dont find it as pretty as the last, but certainly also something odd.
It is not H.brooki from what I can tell.

[TOM_P]

Thanks for the replies so far.

This is a picture of the locality of the first gecko.
Its at pretty high altitude around 3000 foot above sea level (1000 meters) with temperatures dropping surprisingly low at night towards 10 Celsuis.

[TOM_P]

Im starting to think I have more then one species here after all..
What are your opinions ?

[Reptiluvr]

Superfically the first and second look the same. The 3rd and 4th each look unique. This last picture is such a cool looking species.

[Badger]

It seems to me, the first and second geckoes differ not only details of coloration but also proportions of a head and a degree of ribbing of scales. But the second photo insufficiently close to judge with confidence. Of course, proportions may be determined by sex (the first gecko is a male and the second is a female - isn't it?), and scale's ribbing also can be different at different populations depending on humidity and density of a substratum.
The fourth gecko look exactly other sp than first two but from the same clade of genus (related to H.isolepis). All of them are ground-dwellers so have smaller size of scale and ear opening, elongated body etc.
I definitely saw recently a photo of similar Hemidactylus in one of papers I have. But as usually I have forgotten in what paper and under what name. . I will try to find it.

The third gecko may be H. robustus (closely related with H.turcicus) or other sp. from so called "Arid clade" of genus. There are at least 12 members of this clade known from Somalia (H.bavazzanoi, H.citernii, H.puccionii, H.arnoldi, H.barodanus,H.granchii, H.jubensis, H.macropholis, H.robustus, H.sinaitus, H.taylori, H.yerburii pauciporosus) and it is clear that the African Horn is the centre of origin of this clade. So each exemplar founded in Somalia with exact label may be important for scientific investigation of this group.

[TOM_P]

Thanks allot for the replies.
I will put up a few more pictures tonight.