NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Saba Least Gecko
Sphaerodactylus sabanus Cochran, 1938
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Saba least gecko (Sphaerodactylus sabanus), also known as the Saba dwarf gecko, is a species of gecko endemic to the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. The Saba least gecko is a medium-sized least gecko, reaching a snout–vent length of 28 mm in females and 30 mm in males. The dorsum has a background color of light to dark brown. Some individuals are covered with patterns; in this case, they have dull orange heads, while unpatterned individuals are uniform brown. The throat is yellow-tinted white, yellow, or pale orange in color. The underside of the body is pale brown, light yellow, gray, or white. A unique color morph found on Sint Eustatius has an off-white head with a dark brown vermiculated pattern, alongside a dull yellow dorsum and white venter. The Saba least gecko is found across the islands of Saba, Sint Eustatius, Saint Kitts, and Nevis. It is most abundant on Sint Eustatius and to a lesser degree on Saba.
Wikipedia contributors, Saba least gecko; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T08:07:54.418912+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Sphaerodactylus sabanus Cochran, 1938
- Name authority
- Cochran, 1938
- Common name
- Saba Least Gecko
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Sphaerodactylidae
- Genus
- Sphaerodactylus
- 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.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderGekkota
- familySphaerodactylidae
- genusSphaerodactylus
- speciesSphaerodactylus sabanus Cochran, 1938
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Sphaerodactylus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Ocellated GeckoSphaerodactylus argus Gosse, 1850 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Dwarf geckoSphaerodactylus ariasae Hedges & Thomas, 2001 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Guantanamo Coastal GeckoletSphaerodactylus armasi Schwartz & Garrido, 1974 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Beck's Least GeckoSphaerodactylus becki Schmidt, 1919 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Baracoan Eyespot GeckoletSphaerodactylus celicara Garrido & Schwartz, 1982 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Orange-spotted GeckoletSphaerodactylus clenchi Shreve, 1968 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Cochran's Least GeckoSphaerodactylus cochranae Ruibal, 1946 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Upper Central American GeckoletSphaerodactylus continentalis Werner, 1896 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Cope's Least GeckoSphaerodactylus copei Steindachner, 1867 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Central Bahamas GeckoletSphaerodactylus corticola Garman, 1888 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Bakoruco Least GeckoSphaerodactylus cryphius Thomas & Schwartz, 1977 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Darlington's Least GeckoSphaerodactylus darlingtoni Shreve, 1968 | SphaerodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
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.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Sphaerodactylus&species=sabanus 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:6Z8DX. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.