Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 26, 2026

Ptyodactylus

Ptyodactylus is a genus of geckos, which are commonly known as fan-fingered geckos. The genus has 12 described species.

Last revised
Jul 26, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
364 w
Citations
3
Source
Ptyodactylus
Ptyodactylus puiseuxi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Gekkota
Family: Phyllodactylidae
Genus: Ptyodactylus
Goldfuss, 18201
Species

12, see text.

Ptyodactylus is a genus of geckos, which are commonly known as fan-fingered geckos. The genus has 12 described species.

Geographic range and habitat

The genus Ptyodactylus is distributed across dry areas of Africa and the Middle East.

Description

The common name, fan-fingered geckos, is derived from the pattern of the straight toes which are splayed out like the pattern of a snowflake. The pads on the ventral surface of the toes are adhesive, and each toe has a retractable claw.

Species and subspecies

The following species and subspecies are recognized as being valid.2

References

References

  1. Goldfuss GA (1820). "Reptilia". In: Schubert GH (editor) (1820). Handbuch der Naturgeschichte zum Gebrauch bei Vorlesungen, Handbuch der Zoologie, vol. 3. Nürnberg: J.L. Schrag. pp. 121–181.
  2. Genus Ptyodactylus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Simó-Riudalbas, M.; Metallinou, M.; de Pous, P.; Els, J.; Jayasinghe, S.; Péntek-Zakar, E.; Wilms, T. [in German]; Al-Saadi, S.; Carranza, S. (2017), "Cryptic diversity in Ptyodactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from the northern Hajar Mountains of Oman and the United Arab Emirates uncovered by an integrative taxonomic approach", PLOS ONE, 12 (8) e0180397, Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1280397S, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180397, PMC 5540286, PMID 28767644, e0180397
Further reading

Further reading

  • Oken L (1817). Isis oder Encyclopadische Zeitung von Oken. Erster Band [Volume One]. Jena: Expedition der Isis. 1,576 pp. + 12 plates. (Ptyodactylus, new genus, p. 1183). (in German).