Sphaerodactylus pics

[Reptiluvr]

I just got back from spending 3 days in paradise. The Florida Keys. What a beautiful place even for a South Floridian. The few animals there are really amazing.

Sphaerodactylus elegans

Sphaerodactylus elegans

Sphaerodactylus elegans (larger) and Sphaerodactylus notatus

Sphaerodactylus notatus

Sphaerodactylus notatus

Sphaerodactylus sp.? Could use help identifying this one

Sphaerodactylus sp.? Could use help identifying this same one.

Sphaerodactylus sp.? Could use help identifying this same one.

 

[Reptiluvr]

Oh yea, here's a tally of species seen:
S. notatus
S. elegans
S. sp?
Hemidactylus mabouia
Cnediophorus sexlineatus - 6-lined Racerunner aka Whiptail Lizard (easily heard foraging over dry leaves)
Anolis sagrei
Anolis carolinensis
Caretta caretta - Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Limnaoedus ocularis - Little Grass Frog found everywhere under rocks/logs

Even was approached by a male Key Deer (endangered sp.) while searching for Sphaeros.

 

[the moof]

beauitful photography! those geckos are absolutely stunning! great to see pics of them, you don't see them often.

 

[bugman426]

Looking good. How many of each Sphaero did you being back?

 

[Starrynightexotics]

Im 99% sure youre unidentified animal is a notatus, looks just like mine do.

http://www.freewebs.com/starrynightexotics/- New Folder/Sphaerodactylus_notatus_Male.JPG

 

[Palex134]

thats awesome, did you collect them yourself? Ive wanted to go to FL and collect a pair or two of Sphaeros and Gonatodes. Very nice!

 

[Reptiluvr]

Yes, I collected these myself in the Florida Keys. I caught 2.2 S. notatus and a single female S. elegans, but one of the male notatus escaped when I checked on them. I didn't see any Gonatodes sp. or the Phelsuma madagascariensis that I had hoped for. I hope to go again in the summer.

 

[nycherper]

Good luck finding gonatodes, i think the last known voucher specimen was collected in 1989... Im going to the keys in April, hopefully i get some nice fun, clean herping done

 

[Reptiluvr]

Clean? What do you mean by that?
I think there is one species of Gonatodes that is still supposed to exist, but another hasn't been seen in many years. I think...

 

[nycherper]

Just hoping i dont run into anything and my plans don't cancel. Hopefully i will run into some argus while down there...

 

[Starrynightexotics]

G. albogularis is unfortunately of unknown status in Florida at this point. It is presumed to be extinct within its former range in both the Keys and Florida. The last animal collected was in 1989 or thereabouts. There is some anecdotal evidence pointing to them still being around, nothing concrete though.

 

[yuri]

Just to adda bit to what Tom said - I was down there last spring, looking specifically for geckos - we found all three species of Sphaerodactylus! I was fortunate enough to be travelling with the fellow who last caught these (Gonatodes) and talked to one of the last to see them (post last collection date), but we did not see any evidence of them in the Keys. The species is Gonatodes albogularis fuscus.

There is a population of Gonatodes albogularis notatus (at least that is the sub species I remember) on mainland Florida, but it is on private property -- and I don't want you guys trampling all my plants looking for them. I am kidding about it being on my property, but there is supposed to be a colony of these on provate property. I have talked to someone who has seen them and I think photographed them.

G. albogularis is unfortunately of unknown status in Florida at this point. It is presumed to be extinct within its former range in both the Keys and Florida. The last animal collected was in 1989 or thereabouts. There is some anecdotal evidence pointing to them still being around, nothing concrete though.

 

[yuri]

The unknown and notatus are the same. I saw this difference when we brought some back last spring. From observation, it appears that they will change from one "state" into the other. Initially we had these separated out, but soon found that the darker ones would lighten up and reveal the "new" pattern and the lighter ones would darken up. The lighter, more patterned condition was observed to be displayed in individuals who were in the dark (hiding under lots of bark) or in a dark room.

Check out the scales, the are quite strongly keeled. Compare them to each other and then to the S. elegans.

Have a look here for close ups of the scales for S. notatus (use the pull down menus to get to the scale section)
http://www.geckoweb.org/profile/sphaerodactylus-notatus-notatus

Have a look here for close ups of the scales for S. elegans
http://www.geckoweb.org/profile/sphaerodactylus-elegans-elegans

For fun look here for close ups of the third species, S. argus
http://www.geckoweb.org/profile/sphaerodactylus-argus-argus

Im 99% sure youre unidentified animal is a notatus, looks just like mine do.