Bavayia
Bavayia, sometimes known as New Caledonian geckos or bavayias, are a genus of geckos from the remote New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands. These 12 species are moderately small to medium-sized geckos and are distinguished from other genera by their tail length and the shape of their digits.
Bavayia | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Diplodactylidae |
Genus: | Bavayia Roux, 1913[1] |
Etymology
The generic name, Bavayia, is in honor of Arthur Bavay, a French pharmacist and herpetologist.[2]
Description
All species of Bavayia have elongated digits, each claw on the edge of each seta. They are fairly drab in coloration.
Behavior
Bavayia are nocturnal, and spend the daylight hours hiding under bark or rocks, or in tree holes.
Species
The following 12 described species are recognized as being valid.[3][4]
- Bavayia crassicollis Roux, 1913 – strand bavayia
- Bavayia cyclura (Günther, 1872) – Günther's New Caledonian gecko
- Bavayia exsuccida Bauer, A. Whitaker & Sadlier, 1998 – Sclerophyll bavayia
- Bavayia geitaina J.L. Wright, Bauer & Sadlier, 2000 – gracile bavayia
- Bavayia goroensis Bauer, Jackman, Sadlier, Shea & A. Whitaker, 2008[5]
- Bavayia montana Roux, 1913 – mountain New Caledonian gecko
- Bavayia nubila Bauer, Sadlier, Jackman & Shea, 2012[6]
- Bavayia ornata Roux, 1913 – ornate bavayia
- Bavayia pulchella Bauer, A. Whitaker & Sadlier, 1998 – pretty bavayia
- Bavayia robusta J.L. Wright, Bauer & Sadlier, 2000 – robust forest bavayia
- Bavayia sauvagii (Boulenger, 1883) – Sauvage's New Caledonian gecko
- Bavayia septuiclavis Sadlier, 1989 – Sadlier's New Caledonian gecko
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Bavayia.
Taxonomy
The species formerly known as Bavayia madjo is now known as Paniegekko madjo.[7]
The species formerly known as Bavayia validiclavis is now known as Dierogekko validiclavis.[8]
References
- "Bavayia ". Dahms Tierleben. www.dahmstierleben.de.
- Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Genus Bavayia, p. 19).
- "Bavayia ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- "Bavayia ". ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
- Bauer AM, Jackman T, Sadlier RA, Shea G, Whitaker AH (2008). "A new small-bodied species of Bavayia (Reptilia: Squamata: Diplodactylidae) from southeastem New Caledonia". Pacific Science 62 (2): 247-256. doi:10.2984/1534-6188(2008)62[247:ANSSOB]2.0.CO;2
- Bauer AM, Sadlier RA, Jackman TR, Shea G (2012). "A new member of the Bavayia cyclura species group (Reptilia: Squamata: Diplodactylidae) from the southern ranges of New Caledonia". Pacific Science 66 (2): 239–247. doi:10.2984/66.2.10
- Bauer AM, Jackman TR, Sadlier RA, Whitaker AH (2012). "Revision of the giant geckos of New Caledonia (Reptilia: Diplodactylidae: Rhacodactylus)". Zootaxa 3404: 1-52. Preview
- Bauer AM, Jackman T, Sadlier RA, Whitaker AH (2006). "A revision of the Bavayia validiclavis group (Squamata: Gekkota: Diplodactylidae), a clade of New Caledonian geckos exhibiting microendemism". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Fourth Series 57 (18): 503-547. PDF Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
Further reading
- Roux J (1913). "Les Reptiles de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et des îles Loyalty." pp. 80–146. In: Sarasin F, Roux J (1913). Nova Caledonia: Forschungen in Neu-Caledonien und auf den Loyalty Inseln: Recherches scientifiques en Nouvelle Calédonie et aux Iles Loyalty. A. Zoologie. Vol. I., L. 2. Wiesbaden: C.W. Kreidels Verlag. 449 pp. (Bavayia, new genus, pp. 85–87). (in French).