Added 23 September 2001. Last updated 18 February 2026: added common names for some species, added entries for P. fuscofortunatus, P. gasconi, P. manessi and P. quihai, and updated Introduction, P. furvus and Bibliography.
The genus Pseudogonatodes comprises a small number of species distributed throughout the north of South America, from Peru to Brazil. There is little information readily available in print or on the Internet on this genus, and this page is included mainly for completeness. The Reptile Database contains bibliographic references for anyone interested in pursuing the study of these somewhat neglected geckos.
Ruthven gives the characteristic of the genus as follows: digits rather short, slender, slightly depressed at base, the ventral surface with transverse lamellae, the last two to four of which are divided, the distal joints a little compressed and forming an angle with the basal portion, provided with claws retractile in a compressed sheath formed by five scales: two large petaloid laterals, two narrower laterals which meet above except at their distal extremities, and a narrow dorsal scale on the distal curve of the sheath. Body a little depressed, covered above with fine tubercular scales, below with smooth, slightly imbricate scales. Tail long, cylindrical, covered with imbricate scales, the dorsals regularly a little elongate and obtusely pointed, the ventrals larger, irregular in shape, being rounded or sharply or obtusely pointed. Pupil round. Males without femoral pores.
The only care details I have found so far for this genus are included in the section on Sphaerodactylinae in “Geckos” by Henkel/Schmidt, and even then the details are restricted to the basic lifestyle of the genus and the corresponding terrarium required (here, A and III/IV, which in the book’s schema means that the geckos are terrestrial and need a planted rainforest setup).
QUICK INDEX |
||
P. barbouri, Barbour’s Clawed Gecko |
P. furvus, Colombian Clawed Gecko |
|
P. guinanensis, Amazon Pygmy Gecko |
P. lunulatus, Venezuela Clawed Gecko |
|
P. peruvianus, Peru Clawed Gecko |
||
Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
Pseudogonatodes |
||||
Barbour’s Clawed Gecko |
Peru |
?" |
Scalation details: dorsal scales imbricate. |
|
Colombian Clawed Gecko |
Columbia |
SVL 4.5 cm, TL approx >9 cm. |
Description: head long and narrow; length of head contained 4½ times in SVL; snout pointed, snout pointed, its length a little more than twice the diameter of the orbit; diameter of orbit one-half of the distance between the eye and ear; ear opening very small, oval. Body elongate, a little depressed, with two erect longitudinal vertebral folds. Scalation details: dorsal scales granular; rostral large, cleft above, bounding the nostril anteriorly, bordered by 3 scales; 5 supralabials; 4-5 sublabials, the first very long, reaching nearly to the vertical of the anterior margin of the orbit; posterior margin of 1st sublabial below loreal; Several small scales behind the mental; gular scales very small and somewhat tubercular; abdominal scales large, flat, imbricate. Dorsal caudal scales a little elongate and bluntly pointed, ventrals variable in form, being rounded or obtusely or acutely pointed; >41 longitudinal rows of scales on belly; >26 rows across belly at midbody. Coloration: bone brown above, mixed with buffy brown on the muzzle. Laterally, small inconspicuous round grey spots mostly in 2 rows from head to groin; faint light streak from eye to occipital region; 2 on the nape; 2 rows of pale spots on the back, distinct in the lumbar region, barely discernible anteriorly, represented on the tail by two broken, wavy dark olive lines. Lateral series of grey spots on tail. Labials with pale pinkish buff markings; oblique line of the same colour edged with dark brown from below the orbit to the anterior region of the throat. Gular region, throat and axillary region cartridge buff to pinkish buff with irregular blackish brown markings. Ground colour of belly olive buff, of pelvic region army brown, most obscured by irregular markings of very dark greyish-brown. Tail beneath dark greyish-brown black with small grey spots. [SOURCE: Peters et al, Ruthven] |
|
|
Venezuela |
|
Described in 2024: see Reptile Database entry. |
|
? |
Brazil |
Max SVL approx 2.5 cm |
A relatively small species of Pseudogonatodes with tall, conical to flat conical dorsals; 37 ventrals (in the only specimen known) between the anterior level of fore limbs and that of hind limbs; rostral without posterior medial cleft and bordered by 5 postrostrals; seven loreals in a straight line between postnasals and orbit; six postmentals; lamellae under fourth finger seven, under fourth toe eight; third lamellae under fourth toe not distinctly enlarged. [SOURCE: |
|
Amazon Pygmy Gecko |
Brazil (Amazon), Guyana (Upper Cuyuni River), French Guiana, Suriname, Colombia, Venezuela, N Peru, Ecuador |
SVL < 3cm |
One subspecies, P. g. amazonicus. The following description is taken from the website Lizards of the Guianas: "A small (less than 30.0 mm SVL) sphaerodactyline gecko with small granular dorsal scales. The dorsum is brownish-gray with a light colored "U" or "W" shape on the posterior portion of the head. This species is quite similar in appearance to male specimens of Gonatodes humeralis but is smaller, has a noticeably enlarged rostral, and shorter digits. " Scalation details: dorsal scales granular; rostral bordered by 2 scales. Other: length of head contained 5 times in SVL. |
|
P. g. guinanensis |
|
|
|
|
P. g. amazonicus |
|
Brazil |
|
|
Venezuela Clawed Gecko |
Venezuela |
?" |
Scalation details: dorsal scales granular; rostral bordered by 3 scales; posterior margin of 1st infralabial below loreal; <41 longitudinal rows from level of arm insertion to vent; <25 rows across belly at midbody. Other: length of head contained 4½ times in SVL. |
|
|
Venezuela |
?" |
Description: a moderately large species, with granular dorsals; 31-35 ventrals in a longitudinal row between anterior level of fore limbs and that of hind limbs; rostral with a posterior medial cleft, bordered by three post-rostrals; 7-8 loreals in a straight line between postnasals and orbit; 6-9 postmentals, three of which form a straight or convex suture with the mental; lamellae under fourth finger 8-9, under fourth toe ten; third lamellae under fourth toe not distinctly enlarged. |
|
Peru Clawed Gecko |
Peru, Columbia |
Max SVL approx 3 cm |
Scalation details: 3-4 post-rostrals, |
|
|
Venezuela |
|
Described in 2024: see Reptile Database entry. |
|
“Some new lizards from western Peru,” G K Noble, Annals of New York Academy of Sciences 29, 1920. Gives details of P. barbouri (there described as a Lepidoblepharis species).
“On two new species of Pseudogonatodes Ruthven, 1915 (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae), with remarks on the distribution of some other sphaerodactyl lizards”, T.C.S. Avila-Pires & M.S. Hoogmoed, Zoologische Med. Leiden 73 (2000). Gives details of P. gasconi and P. manessi.
“Description of a new genus and species of the Family Gekkonidae”, Alexander G Ruthven, Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology Numher 19, University of Michigan, December 15 1915. Apart from defining the genus, gives details of P. furvus.
Back to "Ball-Toed" Geckos | Back to Geckos | Back to Lizards | Back to Reptiles | Back to Homepage