Madagascar Dwarf Gecko

Open encyclopedia reference

The Madagascar dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus madagascariensis) is a species of gecko endemic to Madagascar.

Madagascar and its surrounding islands are home to five known species of dwarf geckos belonging to the Lygodactylus madagascariensis species group. They inhabit a range of ecosystems, including rain forests, dry forests, coastal areas, and even human-altered habitats like gardens and plantations. These geckos have evolved several adaptations to thrive in their environments. Their small size, agile bodies, and specialized toe pads enable them to climb trees and shrubs with ease. Their coloration and patterns help them blend into their surroundings, providing camouflage and protection from predators. Unlike other species of geckos, the Madagascar dwarf gecko is known to not reproduce in dry seasons of the rain forest. Their population of females decreases as seasons get dryer which leads to fewer eggs being laid. The conservation status of the Madagascar dwarf geckos is listed as Vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

Wikipedia contributors, Madagascar dwarf gecko; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T10:08:52.366642+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Lygodactylus madagascariensis (Boettger, 1881)

Name authority

(Boettger, 1881)

Common name

Madagascar Dwarf Gecko

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Reptilia

Order

Squamata

Family

Gekkonidae

Genus

Lygodactylus

Extinction status

Not supplied by this source

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
2. kingdomAnimalia
3. phylumChordata
4. subphylumVertebrata
5. infraphylumGnathostomata
6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
7. megaclassTetrapoda
8. classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
9. orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
10. suborderGekkota
11. familyGekkonidae
12. genusLygodactylus
13. speciesLygodactylus madagascariensis (Boettger, 1881)

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Lygodactylus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

Browse 1,242 records assigned to Gekkonidae.

Names & synonyms

Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.

Documented distribution

Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

1. https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Lygodactylus&species=madagascariensis Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:3WQ4C. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.