Home - Taxonomy - Geography - Biodiversity - Literature - Purchase RepFocus Recent updates
Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: April 1st, 2024.


Taxonomy of the family Phyllodactylidae
Bibliography of the genus Tarentola
Biodiversity of the family Phyllodactylidae








Genus
Tarentola

Wall Geckos

Mauergeckos, Breitzehengeckos

Murgekkoer

1825 Tarentola Gray (type species: Lacerta mauretanica Linnaeus 1758)
1895 Geckonia Mocquard (type species: Geckonia chazaliae Mocquard 1895; syn. Carranza, Arnold, Mateo & Geniez 2002)
1984 Makariogecko Joger (type species: not designated; syn. Joger 1984)
1984 Neotarentola Joger (type species: Platydactylus americanus Gray 1831; syn. Joger 1984)
1984 Saharogecko Joger (type species: Tarentola neglecta Strauch 1887; syn. Joger 1984)
1984 Sahelogecko Joger (type species: Gecko annularis Geoffroy 1823; syn. Joger 1984)
Contents: 34 species, of which 19 (55.9%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Distribution: West Indies, E. Atlantic Ocean, S. Europe, N. and Equatorial Africa.
Reported from: Algeria, Bahamas, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde (incl. Boa Vista, Fogo, Santo Antao, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente), Central African Republic, Chad, Croatia, Cuba (incl. Isla de la Juventud), Djibouti, Egypt (incl. Sinai), Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, France (incl. Corsica), Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece (incl. Crete), Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy (incl. Aeolian Islands, Capri, Elba, Montecristo, Pantelleria, Pelagie Islands [Lampedusa, Linosa Islands], Sicily), Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Libya, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Portugal (incl. Selvagens Islands), San Marino, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Somalia, South Sudan, Spain (incl. Canary Islands [Fuerteventura, Gomera, Gran Canaria, Hierro, Lanzarote, Palma, Tenerife]), Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Western Sahara.

Tarentola albertschwartzi

Jamaican Giant Gecko

Jamaika-Riesengecko

Jamaicansk Kæmpegekko

1998 Tarentola albertschwartzi Sprackland & Swinney

Remarks: Known from only the type specimen. No extant population is known (Powell & Henderson (eds.) 2012).
Extinct in: Jamaica.


Tarentola americana

Cuban Giant Gecko

Kubanischer Riesengecko

Cubansk Kæmpegekko

1831 Platydactylus americanus Gray
Tarentola americana Boulenger 1885
1836 Platydactylus milbertii Duméril & Bibron [substitute name for Platydactylus americanus Gray 1831] (Joger 1984)
1864 Platydactylus americanus var. cubana Gundlach & Peters (Joger 1984)
Tarentola cubana Boulenger 1885
1968 Tarentola americana warreni Schwartz

Distribution: Bahamas, Cuba (incl. Isla de la Juventud).


Tarentola angustimentalis

East Canarian Wall Gecko, East Canary Gecko

Kanarischer Mauergecko

Østkanarisk Murgekko

1891 Tarentola mauritanica var. angustimentalis Steindachner
Tarentola angustimentalis Joger 1984
2023 Tarentola angustimentalis unamunoi Mateo, Geniez, Veiret & López-Jurado

Distribution: Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Lanzarote).


Tarentola annularis

Egyptian White-spotted Gecko, White-spotted Wall Gecko, Egyptian Gecko, Ringed Wall Gecko, (White-spotted Gecko)

Ringgecko

Hvidplettet Murgekko

1823 Gecko annularis Geoffroy
Tarentola annularis Boulenger 1885
1827 Gecko savignyi Audouin (Joger 1984)
1829 Gecko aegyptiacus Cuvier (Joger 1984)
1885 Tarentola senegalensis Boulenger (Joger 1984)
1905 Tarentola annularis quadricauda Tornier (Joger 1984)
1984 Tarentola annularis relicta Joger

Remarks: Records from Sinai (e.g., Joger 1984) are erroneous (Baha el Din 2006). Records from Saudi Arabia (e.g., Farag & Banaja 1980) undoubtedly refer to Hemidactylus flaviviridis (Schätti & Gasperetti 1994). Although reported from Uganda (Jirku, Mihalca, Necas & Modry 2010), the species was not included for the country by Spawls, Howell, Hinkel & Menegon (2018).
Introduced to: USA (California, Florida).
Distribution: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Western Sahara.


Tarentola annularis
© Rune Midtgaard

Tarentola bischoffi

Selvagens Gecko

Selvagensgecko

Selvagens-murgekko

1984 Tarentola boettgeri bischoffi Joger
Tarentola bischoffi Geniez in Pleguezuelos (ed.) 1997

Introduced to: Portugal (Madeira).
Distribution: Portugal (Selvagens Islands).


Tarentola boavistensis

Boavista Wall Gecko

Boavista-Mauergecko

Boavista-murgekko

1993 Tarentola rudis boavistensis Joger
Tarentola maioensis boavistensis López-Jurado, Mateo & Fazeres 2005
Tarentola boavistensis Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza 2012

Distribution: Cape Verde (Boa Vista, incl. Sal Rei Islet).


Tarentola bocagei

Eastern São Nicolau Wall Gecko

Östlicher São-Nicolau-Mauergecko

Østlig São Nicolau-murgekko

2012 Tarentola bocagei Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza

Distribution: Cape Verde (Sao Nicolau).


Tarentola boehmei

Moroccan Wall Gecko, (Böhme's Wall Gecko)

Marokkanischer Mauergecko

Marokkansk Murgekko

1984 Tarentola boehmei Joger

Remarks: Records from Western Sahara (e.g., Geniez & Geniez 1993; Geniez, Geniez, Boissinot, Beaubrun & Bons 1991) refer to T. mauritanica juliae (Geniez, Escatllar, Crochet, Mateo & Bons 1999). Not mentioned for Algeria by Beddek (2017) or by Rouag & Ziane (2023).
Distribution: Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara.


Tarentola boehmei
© Henrik Bringsøe

Tarentola boettgeri

Gran Canaria Wall Gecko, Gran Canaria Gecko

Gestreifter Kanarengecko

Gran Canaria-murgekko

1891 Tarentola delalandii var. Boettgeri Steindachner
Tarentola boettgeri Joger & Bischoff 1983
1983 Tarentola boettgeri hierrensis Joger & Bischoff (Böhme (ed.) 1981)

Remarks: Previously included bischoffi.
Distribution: Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Hierro).


Tarentola caboverdiana

Santo Antão Wall Gecko

Santo-Antão-Mauergecko

Santo Antão-murgekko

1984 Tarentola caboverdianus caboverdianus Schleich

Remarks: Previously included nicolauensis, raziana, and substituta.
Distribution: Cape Verde (Santo Antao).


Tarentola chazaliae

Helmeted Gecko, Helmet-headed Gecko, (Helmeted Wall Gecko)

Helmgecko, Helmkopfgecko

Hjelmgekko

1895 Geckonia chazaliae Mocquard
Tarentola chazaliae Carranza, Arnold, Mateo & Geniez 2002

Distribution: Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, Western Sahara.


Tarentola chazaliae
© Rune Midtgaard

Tarentola crombiei

Cuban Agave Gecko

Kubanischer Agavengecko

Cubansk Agavegekko

2008 Tarentola crombiei Díaz & Hedges

Distribution: Cuba.


Tarentola darwini

Santiago Lesser Wall Gecko

Kleiner Santiago-Mauergecko

Lille Santiago-murgekko

1984 Tarentola darwini Joger

Distribution: Cape Verde (Santiago).


Tarentola delalandii

Tenerife Wall Gecko, Macaronesian Wall Gecko, (Delalande's Gecko)

Tenerife-Mauergecko

Tenerife-murgekko

1836 Platydactylus delalandii Dumeril & Bibron
Tarentola delalandii Gray 1845

Remarks: A record from Mauritania (Chabanaud 1917) may have been based on an accidental introduction, and current presence of this species in the country needs confirmation (Padial 2006).
Introduced to: Spain (mainland).
Distribution: Spain (Canary Islands [Hierro, Palma, Tenerife]).


Tarentola deserti

Moorish Desert Gecko, Desert Wall Gecko

Wüsten-Mauergecko

Ørkenmurgekko

1891 Tarentola mauritanica var. deserti Boulenger
Tarentola deserti Joger 1984

Remarks: Schleich, Kästle & Kabisch (1996) regarded Tarentola mauritanica var. saharae Doumergue 1899 as a synonym of deserti (see mauritanica).
Distribution: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia.


Tarentola ephippiata

African Wall Gecko, Fig Tree Gecko, (Desert Gecko)

Sattelgecko

Afrikansk Murgekko

1875 Tarentola ephippiata O'Shaughnessy
Tarentola annularis ephippiata Loveridge 1947
1984 Tarentola ephippiata nikolausi Joger

Remarks: Revalidated as a separate species by Grandison (1961). Previously included hoggarensis, panousei, and senegambiae. Records from Somalia (e.g., Boulenger 1895) refer to annularis (Joger 1984).
Distribution: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Togo.


Tarentola fascicularis

Libyan Wall Gecko, Eastern Moorish Gecko

Libyscher Mauergecko

Libysk Murgekko

1802 Gecko fascicularis Daudin
Ascalabotes fascicularis Sewertzoff 1900
Tarentola mauritanica fascicularis Joger 1984
Tarentola fascicularis Joger & Bshaenia 2010
2010 Tarentola fascicularis wolfgangi Joger & Bshaenia

Remarks: Revalidated as a separate species by Joger & Bshaenia (2010), but already Harris, Batista, Lymberakis & Carretero (2004) suggested that it deserved species rank. Greek populations (previously assigned to mauritanica) are apparently introduced (Valakos, Pafilis, Sotiropoulos, Lymberakis, Maragou & Foufopoulos 2008). These include the Ionian Islands Zakynthos and Strofades Islands, but also the populations in Cephalonia, Corfu, Ithaca, Peloponnese and Crete, currently assigned to mauritanica may represent fascicularis.
Introduced to: Greece (Ionian Islands [Strofades Islands, Zakynthos]).
Distribution: Egypt (incl. Sinai), Italy (incl. Pelagie Islands [Lampedusa, Linosa Islands]), Libya, Tunisia.


Tarentola fogoensis

Fogo Lesser Wall Gecko

Kleiner Fogo-Mauergecko

Lille Fogo-murgekko

2012 Tarentola fogoensis Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza

Distribution: Cape Verde (Fogo).


Tarentola gigas

Cape Verde Giant Wall Gecko

Kapverdischer Riesen-Mauergecko

Kapverdisk Kæmpe-murgekko

1845 Tarentola borneensis Gray (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1990): Opinion 1585; Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza 2012)
1875 Ascalabotes gigas Bocage
Tarentola gigas Boulenger 1885
Tarentola delalandii gigas Loveridge 1947
Tarentola borneensis gigas Joger 1984
1984 Tarentola gigas brancoensis Schleich

Distribution: Cape Verde (Branco, Razo).


Tarentola gomerensis

Gomera Wall Gecko

Gomera-Mauergecko

Gomera-murgekko

1983 Tarentola gomerensis Joger & Bischoff

Distribution: Canary Islands (Gomera).


Tarentola hoggarensis

Hoggar Wall Gecko

Hoggar-Mauergecko

Hoggar-murgekko

1937 Tarentola delalandii hoggarensis Werner
Tarentola hoggariensis [sic] Mertens 1955
Tarentola ephippiata hoggarensis Joger 1984
Tarentola hoggarensis Trape, Trape & Chirio 2012

Remarks: Böhme (2010) retained hoggarensis as a subspecies of ephippiata, however, Trape, Trape & Chirio (2012) regarded it as a valid species.
Distribution: Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara.


Tarentola maioensis

Maio Wall Gecko

Maio-Mauergecko

Maio-murgekko

1984 Tarentola rudis maioensis Schleich
Tarentola maioensis López-Jurado, Mateo & Fazeres 2005

Remarks: Validity as separate species confirmed by Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza (2012).
Introduced to: Cape Verde (Sao Nicolau).
Distribution: Cape Verde (Maio).


Tarentola mauritanica

Moorish Wall Gecko, Mediterranean Wall Gecko, (Moorish Gecko, Common Gecko)

Mittelmeer-Mauergecko

Mediterran Murgekko

1758 Lacerta mauritanica Linnaeus
Tarentola mauritanica Gray 1845
Platydactylus mauritanicus Boettger 1873
1768 Gecko muricatus Laurenti (Joger 1984)
1820 Gecko stellio Merrem [substitute name for Lacerta mauritanica Linnaeus 1758] (Joger 1984)
1836 Platydactylus muralis Duméril & Bibron [substitute name for Lacerta mauritanica Linnaeus 1758] (Joger 1984)
1862 Platydactylus facetanus Strauch (Joger 1984)
1899 ? Tarentola mauritanica var. lissoide Doumergue (Joger 1984)
1899 Tarentola mauretanica saharae Doumergue (Joger 1984)
1899 Tarentola mauritanica subvar. atlantica Doumergue (Joger 1984)
1899 Tarentola mauritanica subvar. gracilis Doumergue (Joger 1984)
1905 Tarentola tuberculata Rosén (Joger 1984)
1984 Tarentola mauritanica juliae Joger
1999 Tarentola mauritanica pallida Geniez, Escatllar, Crochet, Mateo & Bons

Remarks: Previously included fascicularis. Greek populations are apparently introduced (Valakos, Pafilis, Sotiropoulos, Lymberakis, Maragou & Foufopoulos 2008). Records from the Pelagie Islands, Italy, and from the Ionian Islands (Zakynthos, Strofades Islands), Greece, traditionally regarded as populations of mauritanica, represent fascicularis. It is unclear whether this is also the case with the populations in Cephalonia, Corfu, Ithaki, Peloponnese, and Crete. Schleich, Kästle & Kabisch (1996) regarded Tarentola mauritanica saharae Doumergue 1899 as a synonym of deserti. Although recorded from Albania (possibly based on introduction), there are no recent records from the country (Mizsei, Jablonski, Vegvari, Lengyel & Szabolcs 2017). Records from Saudi Arabia (e.g., Anderson 1896?; Farag & Banaja 1980) undoubtedly refer to Hemidactylus flaviviridis (Schätti & Gasperetti 1994). Listed for Mauritania by Trape, Trape & Chirio (2012), but presumably in error.
Introduced to: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Greece (Crete, Ionian Islands [Cephalonia, Corfu, Ithaki, Strofades Islands, Zakynthos], Peloponnese), Italy (Sardinia), New Zealand, Portugal (Azores, Madeira), Spain (Balearic Islands [Cabrera, Mallorca, Minorca, Pityusic Islands, (Formentera, Ibiza)], Canary Islands [Tenerife]), Turkey, Uruguay, USA (California, Colorado, Florida, New Jersey).
Distribution: Algeria, Croatia, France (incl. Corsica, Iles d'Hyeres), Gibraltar, Italy (incl. Aeolian Islands, Capri, Elba, Montecristo, Pantelleria, Sicily), Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Western Sahara.


Tarentola mauritanica
© Rune Midtgaard

Tarentola mindiae

Quattara Gecko

Quattara-Mauergecko

Quattara-murgekko

1997 Tarentola mindiae Baha el Din

Distribution: Egypt, Libya.


Tarentola mindiae
© Rune Midtgaard

Tarentola neglecta

Algerian Wall Gecko, Neglected Gecko

Algerischer Mauergecko

Algiersk Murgekko

1887 Tarentola neglecta Strauch
1887 Tarentola angusticeps Strauch (Joger 1984)
1984 Tarentola neglecta geyri Joger
2013 Tarentola neglecta lanzai Bshaena & Joger

Remarks: Records from Chad (e.g., Wake & Kluge 1961) refer to ephippiata (Joger 1984).
Distribution: Algeria, Libya, Tunisia.


Tarentola nicolauensis

Western São Nicolau Wall Gecko

Westlicher São-Nicolau-Mauergecko

Vestlig São Nicolau-murgekko

1984 Tarentola caboverdianus nicolauensis Schleich
Tarentola nicolauensis Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza 2012

Distribution: Cape Verde (Sao Nicolau).


Tarentola panousei

Dra Wall Gecko

Dra-Mauergecko

Dra-murgekko

1959 Tarentola panousei Pasteur
Tarentola hoggarensis panousei Pasteur & Bons 1960

Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of ephippiata (e.g., Joger 1984). Revalidated as a separate species by Koppetsch & Böhme (2022).
Distribution: Mauritania, Morocco, Western Sahara.





Tarentola parvicarinata

Small-keeled Gecko, Senegalese Gecko, (White-spotted Wall Gecko)

Feingekielter Mauergecko

Finkølet Murgekko

1980 Tarentola parvicarinata Joger

Distribution: Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Western Sahara.


Tarentola pastoria

Guinean Wall Gecko, Pastoria Wall Gecko

Guinea-Mauergecko

Guinea-murgekko

2012 Tarentola pastoria Trape, Baldé & Ineich in Trape, Trape & Chirio

Distribution: Guinea, Sierra Leone.


Tarentola protogigas

Fogo Greater Wall Gecko

Grosser Fogo-Mauergecko

Stor Fogo-murgekko

1984 Tarentola borneensis protogigas Joger
Tarentola rudis protogigas Schleich 1987
Tarentola protogigas Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza 2012
1993 Tarentola rudis hartogi Joger
Tarentola protogigas hartogi Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza 2012

Distribution: Cape Verde (Brava, Fogo, Rombos Islets).


Tarentola raziana

Raso Wall Gecko

Raso-Mauergecko

Raso-murgekko

1984 Tarentola caboverdianus razianus Schleich
Tarentola raziana Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza 2012

Distribution: Cape Verde (Branco, Razo, Santa Luzia).


Tarentola rudis

Santiago Greater Wall Gecko

Grosser Santiago-Mauergecko

Stor Santiago-murgekko

1906 Tarentola delalandii var. rudis Boulenger
Tarentola borneensis rudis Joger 1984
Tarentola rudis Schleich 1987

Remarks: Previously included boavistensis, maioensis, and protogigas (incl. hartogi).
Distribution: Cape Verde (Santiago, incl. Santa Maria Islet).


Tarentola senegambiae

Senegambian Wall Gecko

Westafrikanischer Mauergecko

Vestafrikansk Murgekko

1984 Tarentola ephippiata senegambiae Joger
Tarentola senegambiae Trape, Trape & Chirio 2012

Distribution: Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal.


Tarentola substituta

São Vicente Wall Gecko

São Vicente-Mauergecko

São Vicente-murgekko

1984 Tarentola caboverdiana substituta Joger
Tarentola substituta Vasconcelos, Perera, Geniez, Harris & Carranza 2012

Introduced to: Azores.
Distribution: Cape Verde (Sao Vicente).