Stenodactylus sthenodactylus


Stenodactylus sthenodactylus, also known as the Lichtenstein's short-fingered gecko or elegant gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is found in the Middle East, throughout North Africa, marginally in West Africa, and in northern East Africa. It is widespread and common but not abundant and is associated with semi-arid to hyperarid areas.

Taxonomy

It was first described by Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1823, with its original name being Ascalabotes sthenodactylus. This naming was established by Lichtenstein in the catalogue of duplicate specimens from the collections of the Zoological Museum of Berlin based on specimens collected by Friedrich Wilhelm Hemprich and Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in Egypt and Nubia.