Abstract
The gecko fauna of Bénin is extremely poorly known, with only two species having previously been mentioned in the literature on the basis of voucher specimens. We provide evidence for the occurrence of seven additional species, bringing the national total to nine confirmed species. Another five species are known from localities to both the east and west of Bénin and almost certainly are part of the national fauna. One of the species confirmed for Bénin is a new species of Hemidactylus. This new form is distinguished by its 14–16 dorsal tubercle rows, enlarged median subcaudal scales, atuberculate tail dorsum, 38 precloacal-femoral pores, and 6–7 (usually 7) divided scansors beneath digit four of both the manus and pes. We also provide the first record of Lygodactylus conraui for Togo.References
Baha El Din, S. (1999) On the specific status of Ptyodactylus ragazzii Anderson, 1898 and its occurrence in Egypt (Squamata: Sauria: Gekkonidae). Herpetozoa, 12, 39–43.
Baha El Din, S. (2003) A new species of Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Egypt. African Journal of Herpetology, 52, 39–47.
Baha El Din, S. (2005) An overview of Egyptian species of Hemidactylus (Gekkonidae), with the description of a new species from the high mountains of South Sinai. Zoology in the Middle East, 34, 11–26.
Bauer, A.M. (1993) African-South American relationships: a perspective from the Reptilia. In: Goldblatt, P. (Ed.), Biological Relationships Between Africa and South America. Yale University Press, New Haven, 245–288.
Bauer, A.M., LeBreton, M., Chirio, L., Ineich, I. & Talla Kouete, M. (In press) New species of Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Cameroon. African Journal of Herpetology.
Bauer, A.M. & Pauwels, O.S.G. (2002) A new forest-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Gabon, West Africa. African Journal of Herpetology, 51, 1–8.
Bauer, A.M., Russell, A.P. & Shadwick, R.E. (1989) Mechanical properties and morphological correlates of fragile skin in gekkonid lizards. Journal of Experimental Biology, 145, 79–102.
Bauer, A.M., Russell, A.P. & Shadwick, R.E. (1993) Skin mechanics and morphology of two species of Pachydactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae). South African Journal of Zoology, 28, 192–197.
Blackwell, K. (1967) A preliminary survey of the reptiles of the Ibadan area. British Journal of Herpetology, 3, 307–310.
Böhme, W. (1975) Zur Herpetofaunistik Kameruns, mit Beschreibung eines neuen Scinciden. Bonner zoologische Beiträge, 26, 2–48.
Booth, A.H. (1956) An annotated list of the Gold Coast geckos with key. Journal of the West African Science Association, 2, 134–136.
Broadley, D.G. (1977) A review of the Hemidactylus mabouia complex in southeastern Africa (Sauria: Gekkonidae). Arnoldia (Rhodesia), 19, 1–15.
Burger, M., Branch, W.R. & Channing, A. (2004) Amphibians and reptiles of Monts Doudou, Gabon: species turnover along an elevational gradient. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences, 28, 145–186.
Butler, J.A. (1986) Notes on collections and observations of lizards in Nigeria. The Nigerian Field, 51, 85–94.
Carranza, S. & Arnold, E.N. (2006) Systematics, biogeography, and evolution of Hemidactylus geckos (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) elucidated using mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 38, 531–545.
Chabanaud, P. (1917) Énumération des reptiles non encore étudiés de l’Afrique occidentale, appartenant aux collections du Muséum, avec la description des espèces nouvelles. Bulletin du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 23, 83–105.
Dunger, G.T. (1968) The lizards and snakes of Nigeria. Part 4. Geckos of Nigeria. The Nigerian Field, 33, 18–47.
Gramentz, D. (2000) Zur Biologie von Hemidactylus brookii angulatus in Ghana sowie H. mabouia und H. muriceus in Gabun. Salamandra, 36, 185–198.
Gramentz, D. (2003) Zur stimme und rufperiodik von Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès, 1818). Sauria, 25(2), 23–28.
Grandison, A.G.C. (1956) On a collection of lizards from West Africa. Bulletin de l’Institut français d’Afrique noire, sér. A, 18, 224–245, folding map.
Grandison, A.G.C. (1961) Preliminary notes on the taxonomy of Tarentola annularis and T. ephippiata (Sauria: Gekkonidae). Zoologische Mededelingen, 38, 1–14, pls. I–III.
Grandison, A.G.C. (1962) British Museum (Natural History) expedition to northern Nigeria. Unpublished Report. 12 pp.
Hagedoorn, F.H.J. (1985) Herpetologische waarnemingen in Togo. Lacerta, 43, 114–117.
Heimes, P. (1987) Beitrag zur Systematik der Fächerfinger (Sauria: Gekkonidae: Ptyodactylus). Salamandra, 23, 212–235.
Henle, K. & Böhme, W. (2003) A new species of Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from West Africa, and comments on species hitherto confused with H. muriceus. African Journal of Herpetology, 52, 23–38.
Hughes, B. (1988) Herpetology in Ghana (West Africa). British Herpetological Society Bulletin, 25, 29–38.
Joger, U. (1981) Zur Herpetofaunistik Westafrikas. Bonner zoologische Beiträge, 32, 297–340.
Joger, U. (1982) Zur Herpetofaunistik Kameruns (II). Bonner zoologische Beiträge, 33, 313–339.
Joger, U. (1984) Taxonomische Revision der Gattung Tarentola (Reptilia: Gekkonidae). Bonner zoologische Beiträge, 35, 129–174.
Kluge, A.G. (1969) The evolution and geographical origin of the New World Hemidactylus mabouia-brookii complex (Gekkonidae, Sauria). Miscellaneous Publications of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 138, 1–78.
Kluge, A.G. (2001) Gekkotan lizard taxonomy. Hamadryad, 26, 1–209.
Lanza, B. (1983) A list of the Somali amphibians and reptiles. Monitore Zoologico Italiano, nuova serie, supplemento 17, 193–247.
Lawson, D.P. (1993) The reptiles and amphibians of the Korup National Park Project, Cameroon. Herpetological Natural History, 1 (2), 27–90.
LeBreton, M. (1999) A Working Checklist of the Herpetofauna of Cameroon, with Localities for Species Occurring in Southern Cameroon and a List of Herpetofauna for the Dja Faunal Reserve. Netherlands Committee for IUCN, Amsterdam, 139 pp.
Loveridge, A. (1947) Revision of the African lizards of the family Gekkonidae. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 98, 1–469, pls. 1–7.
Loverigde, A. (1952) Mission A. Villiers au Togo et au Dahomey (1950). Bulletin de l’Institut français d’Afrique noire, 14, 229–242.
Matschie, P. (1893a) Einige anscheinend neue Reptilien und Amphibien aus West-Afrika. Sitzungsberichte der naturforschenden Freunde zu Berlin, 1893, 170–178.
Matschie, P. (1893b) Die Reptilien und Amphibien des Togogebietes. Mittheilungen von Forschungsreisenden und Gelehrten aus den deutschen Schutzgebieten, mit Benutzung amtlicher Quellen, 6, 207–215.
Ota, H., Hikida, T. & Barcelo, J. (1987) On a small collection of lizards and snakes from Cameroon, West Africa. African Studies Monographs, 8, 111–123.
Papenfuss, T.J. (1969) Preliminary analysis of the reptiles of arid central West Africa. Wasmann Journal of Biology, 27, 249–325.
Pasteur, G. (1965) Recherches sur l’évolution des lygodactyles, lézards afro-malgaches actuels. Travaux de l’Institut Scientifique Chérifien, série Zoologie, 29, 1–132, 1 folding map, pls. I–XII.
Pauwels, O.S.G., Branch, W.R. & Burger, M. (2004) Reptiles of Loango National Park, Ogooué-Maritime Province, south-western Gabon. Hamadryad, 29, 115–127.
Perret, J.-L. (1963) Les Gekkonidae du Cameroun, avec la description de deux sous-espèces nouvelles. Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 70, 47–60.
Perret, J.-L. (1975) Révision critique de quelques types de reptiles et batraciens africains. Revue Suisse de Zoolgie, 82, 185–192, pl. I.
Perret, J.-L. (1985) Observations sur les espèces africaines du genre Cnemaspis Strauch (Lacertilia, Gekkonidae). Bulletin de la Société Neuchâteloise des Sciences Naturelles, 108, 29–42.
Perret, J.-L. (1986) Révision des espèces africaines du genre Cnemaspis Strauch, sous-genre Ancylodactylus Müller (Lacertilia, Gekkonidae), avec la description de quatre espèces nouvelles. Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 93, 457–505.
Romer, J.D. (1953) Reptiles and amphibians collected in the Port Harcourt area. Copeia, 1953, 121–123.
Schleich, H.-H., Kästle, W. & Kabisch, K. (1996) Amphibians and Reptiles of North Africa. Koeltz Scientific, Koenigstein, 627 pp.
Schmidt, K.P. (1919) Contributions to the herpetology of the Belgian Congo based on the collection of the American Museum Congo Expedition 1909–1915. Part I. Turtles, crocodiles, lizards and chameleons. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 39, 385–624, pls. vii–xxxii.
Sura, P. (1986). Płazy I gady Nigerii. Przeglad Zoologiczny, 30, 95–108.
Tornier, G. (1901) Die Crocodile, Schildkröten und Eidechsen in Togo. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 1901 Beiheft, 65–88.
Van Eijsden, E.H.T. (1978) Gecko’s verzameld in River State, Nigeria, door M. Th. Ammer. Lacerta, 36, 107–118.
Werner, F. (1899) Ueber Reptilien und Batrachier aus Togoland, Kamerun und Deutsch-Neu-Guinea. Verhandlungen der kaiserlich-königlichen Zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 49, 132–157.
World Resources Institute. 2003. Biodiversity and protected areas — Benin. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC, 7 pp. Available from: earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/bio_cou_204.pdf (accessed 22 May 2006)