these are such cool little geckos. I actually thought they were from Madagascar (they look Madagascan to me!) but they're from Tanzania. The Wikipedia article about them isn't much fun to read (the bit under "Threats").
these are such cool little geckos. I actually thought they were from Madagascar (they look Madagascan to me!) but they're from Tanzania. The Wikipedia article about them isn't much fun to read (the bit under "Threats").
I was very unlucky to be someone who has seen a shipment come in… Very sad indeed. These are probably one of the most personable animals I have ever kept but unfortunately they seemed to have disappeared from American collections. Germany is doing amazing with them of course.
There are literally no conservation actions taken to protect this gecko so private breeding is the only thing that will save this species.
That Wikipedia page has an error - the lizard was not named after American herpetologist Ernest Edward Williams, but East African ornithologist John Williams.
That Wikipedia page has an error - the lizard was not named after American herpetologist Ernest Edward Williams, but East African ornithologist John Williams.
Where did you get the etymology from? I couldn't find the original paper by Loveridge online, and everything I did find just copies Wikipedia. The reference for what Wikipedia gives, incidentally, is the Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles which was co-authored by MikeG from Zoochat.
Loveridge's original paper where it was described as Lygodactylus picturatus williamsi doesn't explicitly mention the etymology of the name, but twice and in some detail notes that the type specimen was collection by J.G. Williams. It therefore seems reasonable to assume that the name was in his honor. It also seems reasonably to assume that J.G. Williams is John (George) Williams, the famous ornithologist and naturalist who lived and worked in East Africa in the period where the specimen was collected.
Spawls, Howell, Drewes and Ashe, 2002 (A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa) leave even less room for doubts, stating on page 112 that the "name refers to the late John Williams, famous East African ornithologist and collector".
The Eastern Arc Forests have received more attention from conservationists in the last two decades, but much remains to be done. Considering the breeding levels in captive colonies especially in Germany, I really can't say I'm all that worried about this gecko, though it easily could end up as extinct in the wild. This would be sad, but not quite as sad as the large number of other Eastern Arc endemics that are heading for complete extinction.
I liked the bit in the opening paragraph of the paper which says "While [at Kimboza] his attention was attracted to a small gecko by its brilliant coloration. Having shot it without damage, and believing it to be new...."
