| Striped Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Sauria |
| Family: | Gekkonidae |
| Subfamily: | Gekkoninae |
| Genus: | Goggia |
| Species: | G. lineata |
| Binomial name | |
| Goggia lineata (Smith, 1846) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Phyllodactylus lineatus |
|
The Striped Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko (Goggia lineata) is a minute and delicate species of Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko, that is indigenous to the western part of the Cape of South Africa.
With a length of about 4 cm, this tiny nocturnal gecko is (along with Peringuey's Gecko) the smallest lizard in southern Africa. It can be found sheltering under rubble and vegetation where it feeds on insects like ants and termites. Its natural range extends from the Cape Town (where it is sometimes still found in suburban gardens), eastwards through the Western Cape and then up along South Africa's west coast as far as Namibia.
This is a pale grey lizard of about 4 cm in length, usually with several dark stripes running down its back. They can often be seen sheltering alongside other species, being happy to share a refuge with other larger geckos such as the Marbled Leaf-toed Gecko. They can still be found in suburban gardens in Cape Town, where collectively they eat a great deal of small insects, helping to serve as a form of natural pest-control. However, domestic cats - as introduced predators - will usually kill large numbers of these little lizards, often exterminating them from the immediate area. This species of Dwarf Leaf-toed gecko lays 2 tiny eggs in a moist, warm spot in summer. [1] [2]