Saw this guy at a pet store, what is he?

[badkelpie]

The tank said crested gecko, but he doesn't look like any crestie I've ever seen.

He looks like a house gecko with spines.

This is from the pet store's facebook

The Pet Shop's Photos - Critters at the Shop | Facebook

 

[thehotchik1000]

Well it's DEFINATLY not a crested. That's for sure. Hmm looks like a house geckos. Or a marbled gecko.

 

[badkelpie]

I think he could be a crocodile gecko, does that sound right?

 

[Graham_s]

Pachydactylus bibroni

 

[cookie]

Yup its a Bibron gecko, Mines a yellow-ish color.

 

[badkelpie]

Do the colors vary alot? All the pics show more black, this one is the color of a house gecko.

 

[danscantle]

Actually, the animal in the photograph is a Tarentola mauritanica.

 

[PassPort]

Thanks, Dan. Definitely a Tarentola.

Graham, if it was the gecko you were thinking of the correct species name would be Chondrodactylus turneri.

 

[Graham_s]

Oops!:blushing:
Always get mixed up between T. mauritanica and P. bibroni. Also, I wasn't aware that they are now Chondrodactylus turneri! Feel a bit silly now! :biggrin:

 

[PassPort]

Pachydactylus bibroni became Chondrodactylus bibroni some years ago, but are only found in certain areas of Namibia (I believe) and are VERY rare in captivity.

Chondrodactylus turneri, on the other hand, look similar to bibroni and are commonly imported from Tanzania and are called "Pachy bibroni" by the exporters/importers. They don't care about the animals they ship, so why would they care about the proper ID on a $5 gecko?

 

[Graham_s]

Ah I see. I guess it is a bit like Gehyra marginata nearly always being sold as Gehyra vorax then?
I think I need to catch up on the recent taxonomy changes.
Thanks for clearing that up for me

 

[Chris3004]

Pachydactylus bibroni became Chondrodactylus bibroni some years ago, but are only found in certain areas of Namibia (I believe)

Mainly Cape Provinces and Free State (both RSA), but they occur in a small belt in southern Namibia as well.

Graham, drop me an PM if you want the paper.

Christian

 

[badkelpie]

Ok, now this is funny. I went to the pet store today and the gecko was gone. Later on, my mom calls me from work, asks me what a crested gecko looks like. I couldn't really explain, I mean, how do you describe that? So she asks if they are spiny. I thought I knew where she was going with this so I just asked why. Well, coworker bought a crested gecko at this same pet store and it doesn't look like the pictures of them online . So I told her what it was, and she was able to relay the info.