Added 3 January 2003. Last updated 20 January 2013: updated introduction and Bibliography.
A genus of four species from the Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The common name derives from their strikingly thin long limbs. All are inhabitants of desert areas. Little is known of their ecology or reproductive habits, and I have so far found no books giving details of their captive care.
Boulenger gives the following characteristics for the genus: digits slender, clawed, cylindrical at the base; distal phalanges compressed, forming an angle with the basal portion of the digits; the claw between two enlarged scales; digits inferiorly with a row of plates; body covered with small granules intermixed with enlarged tubercles; tail very slender, not fragile; pupil vertical; preanal pores present or absent in males.
Recently, some authorities have placed A. femoralis and A. missonnei into a new genus, Rhinogecko, and reassigned A. gastropholis to Cyrtopodion. These changes have not been accepted by all authorities.
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A. femoralis, Kharan Spider Gecko |
A. gastropholis, Farsian Spider Gecko |
A. misonnei, Misonne's Spider Gecko |
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A. persica, Persian Spider Gecko |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Kharan Spider Gecko |
Iran, Pakistan |
?" |
According to Szcerbak and Golubev, S Minton reported that these geckos were found inhabiting rocky outcroppings among dunes. Scalation: 12 supralabials; 11 infralabials; pair of postmentals followed by much smaller pair of scales. 17-21 ventral rows: nasals bulbous: row of 9-12 enlarged scales on lower surfaces of thighs: 5-6 well-developed preanal pores. Several scales along the lower surface of the tail (in 2 each of 3 longitudinal rows) are enlarged. Coloration: 5 dark brown transverse bands on the body and 8-10 on the tail. Ventrally white. |
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Farsian Spider Gecko |
Iran (Fars Province) |
6-10" |
Scalation: 12-14 supralabials; 9-10 infralabials; mental scale pentagonal or triangular, followed by 3 pairs of postmentals. 14-18 ventral rows: nasals somewhat bulbous, 1st nasals separated from each other by 3 scales:: row of 18-20 enlarged scales across the top of the head: 4 well-developed preanal pores. Scales homogenous on lower surfaces of thighs. Subdigital lamellae 22-24. Coloration: 5-7 dark transverse bands each on body and tail, with indistinct dark stripes on limbs. Ventrally whitish. |
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Misonne's Spider Gecko |
Iran, Pakistan |
?" |
Scalation: 9-12 supralabials; 8-11 infralabials; mental pentagonal, followed by single pair of large postmentals. 26-28 ventral rows: nasals very bulbous and extended into "tubes": 16 scales across head; 4-8 poorly-developed preanal pores. Longitudinal row of 3 larger scales on the underside of a single segment near the base of the tail; large quadrangular plates further down tail, 2 per segment. Coloration: dorsally coffee-grey; 5 wide transverse bands on body, 7 on tail. Limbs have small dark bands. Dark brown spots on lips and rostral scale. Ventrally whitish. |
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Persian Spider Gecko |
Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan |
?" |
Scalation: nasal scales slightly bulbous. 9-12 supralabials, 12-16 infralabials, 2-4 lightly defined preanal pores, 30-50 ventral scale rows. Subdigital lamellae 16-24. If postmentals absent, then mental scale is bordered by 3-6 gular scales. First nasal scales separated by 2-5 scales. 21-27 scales across head. Coloration: ochrish, with indistinct pattern on head and 5-7 dark M-shaped transverse bands, on body, of which first two are most distinct. Ventrally light [NB Szczerbak and Golubev note that these specimens were fixed in alcohol, hence living specimens may appear somewhat different in colour]. |
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