[JMHuffines]

Greetings,
I recently ordered a Giant Madagascar Velvet Gecko from ****** Reptiles. When I opened the package it contained a Sakalava's Velvet Gecko. When I e-mailed the company, their representative told me that Homopholis sakalava's trade name is also "Giant Madagascar Velvet Gecko". The ad (which he changed after I e-mailed him) is here kingsnake.com Classifieds: GIANT MADAGASCAR VELVET GECKOS!.

How many species go by the trade name "Giant Madagascar Velvet Gecko?"

I've never had any issues like this and need some advice on how to handle it. Sorry if this is posted in the wrong area. I'm still learning!

Thanks,
Joshua

[Palor]

I thought they were the same gecko?

[Geitje]

Unfortunately, people who use the habit of identifying geckos by "common names" are highly prone to being 'technically' incorrect for obvious reasons. There are currently 4 species of Blaesodactylus, all of which can be fairly and correctly called "Giant Madagascar Velvet Geckos":
1. B. boivini
2. B. antogillensis
3. B. sakalava
4. B. ambonihizo (described last year)

The bottom line here is that the habit of using common names with geckos is about as effective as walking into a packed Walmart at Christmas time and calling for "Mike" over the intercom system. Using a scientific name for a gecko would be the same as calling for Mike over the Walmart intercom with his own personal DNA quoted, proven and published.

All Blaesodactylus are large "velvet geckos". Just as an F-150, F-250, F-350, Focus, Mustang, etc. are all Ford Automobiles.

You got some cool geckos regardless of which Blaesodactylus you got.

Jon

[Geitje]

For the sake of clarification: ALL Madagascar "Homopholis" are now classified as Blaesodactylus species. ALL mainland African "Homopholis" are still classified as Homopholis species (ex. walbergii, fasciata, mulleri).

Jon

[JMHuffines]

Hey Jon, Can you give me another example of mulitple gecko species who go by the same common name? I have been doing a lot of research and still can't find an example of this.
Thanks again,
Joshua

[Sporonicle]

Leaf tailed geckos. Look completely different and come from Madagascar and Australia.

[JMHuffines]

There are Giant Leaf Tailed Gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus), Fringed or Henkel's Leaf Tailed Gecko(U. henkeli), Mossy Leaf Tailed Gecko (U. sikorae), Lined or Lineated Leaf Tailed Gecko (U. lineatus),Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko (U. phantasticus) and Spear Point or Eban's Leaf Tailed Gecko (U. ebanaui). Each species has a common name.

[Geitje]

1. "Australian velvet geckos" - 16 species of Oedura from Australia.
2. "Yellow-headed Day geckos" - various species from different genera! Phelsuma klemmeri, Gonatodes albogularis, Lygodactylus (kimhowelli, etc.)
3. "New Caledonian velvet geckos" - 12 species of Bavayia from New Caledonia + several other that await description and assignment to the genus.
4. "Turnip-tailed geckos" - various geckos from Underwoodisaurus, Thecadactylus sp's, etc.
5. "African flat geckos" - 15 + species of Afroedura from southern Africa.
6. "Barking geckos" - all Ptenopus species, plus any other species capable of uttering sharp piercing sounds and semi-regular frequencies.
7. "Australian leaf-tailed geckos" - two different genera of about 15-20 species (Phyllurus species, Saltuarius species).
8. "Australian knob-tailed geckos" - between 9-13 different species of Nephrurus/Underwoodisaurus from Australia.
9. "Parthenogenic gecko" (= all female species, no males!) - various genera that now include: Heteronotia binoei (although a NON-PARTHENOGENIC FORM EXISTS!!!!!), Hemidactylus garnoti, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Nactus, and now a parthenogenic population of Ptenopus exists in captivity!
10. "Madagascar Day gecko" - includes some 35 species/sub-species of Phelsuma from Madagascar.

I could carry on, but you get the point. I could make the "Madagascar Day gecko" a "GIANT Madagascar Day gecko" and help narrow it down a bit for everyone. But, then again, I would feasibly need to include Phelsuma - grandis, kochi, madagascariensis, boehmei and standingii.

Common names are rubbish and highly prone to inaccuracies.

Jon

[Geitje]

Originally Posted by JMHuffines

There are Giant Leaf Tailed Gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus), Fringed or Henkel's Leaf Tailed Gecko(U. henkeli), Mossy Leaf Tailed Gecko (U. sikorae), Lined or Lineated Leaf Tailed Gecko (U. lineatus),Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko (U. phantasticus) and Spear Point or Eban's Leaf Tailed Gecko (U. ebanaui). Each species has a common name.

Indeed, with more descriptive adjectives added into the common name equation a person is better equipped to identify. But, all Blaesodactylus are giant Madagascan wall or velvet geckos. If they were to sell them to you as "Boivini's giant Madagascan velvet gecko" and sent you "Sakalava's giant Madagascan velvet geckos" then you would have a discrepency. But, then again, they're hinting at the species name in the common name (Blaesodactylus boivini or Blaesodactylus sakalava

Jon

[Riverside Reptiles]

One of the most common is "Fat tailed gecko". To some that means Hemitheconyx caudicinctus to others it means Eublepharis macularius andit probably applies to others as well. Bottom line is, like Jon said, it's best to always use proper names (especially when making a purchase). We encourage members here on GU to do that as much as possible to avoid mistakes. Live an learn though.

PS, I'm going to edit the names of the company out of your original post as we don't allow good/bad seller posts here and that's coming rather close to that sort of thing.