Lepidodactylus listeri


Lepidodactylus listeri, also known commonly as Lister's gecko or the Christmas Island chained gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae.

Geographic range

L. listeri is endemic to Christmas Island.

Etymology

Both the specific name, listeri, and one of the common names, Lister's gecko, are in honour of British naturalist Joseph Jackson Lister.

Description

Lister's gecko is a brown lizard growing to a snout-vent length of. It has a broad, pale fawn/grey vertebral stripe which expands to cover the top of the head and matches the colour and pattern of the tail. It has a whitish belly. The body is covered with small, smooth scales.

Habitat

L. listeri is most abundant in primary rainforest on the plateau, but also occurs in disturbed secondary forest growth. It is absent from mined areas on the island.