Stenodactylus petrii

Stenodactylus petrii
In Karamis, Egypt
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Gekkonidae
Genus:	Stenodactylus
Species:	S. petrii
Binomial name
Stenodactylus petrii J. Anderson, 1896

Stenodactylus petrii, known as the dune gecko, Anderson's short-fingered gecko, or Egyptian sand gecko, is a small, mostly nocturnal gecko of the genus Stenodactylus. It's not a frog-eyed gecko.

They are found across northern Africa and in Israel in arid regions. From head to base of tail, they are about 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) long, a very small dwarf gecko. The tails are quite long compared to their size, 1–2 inches (3–5 cm). If a tail is dropped, it will grow back, only shorter and stubbier. Unlike other geckos, dune geckos cannot climb up smooth surfaces. Instead, they prefer to dig. During the day, they usually hide in burrows or in caves, though often these are out and about in the day. They sometimes appear slow, but they can be extremely fast. Camouflage in the sand helps them remain inconspicuous, especially when hunting. They eat mainly crickets and mealworms. The dune gecko, if kept as a pet, should not be handled too often because it stresses them out and can cause severe health problems. Also they can be relatively social but are also known to live by themselves before mating.

References

3. Domer, A., Subach, A., Haimov, R., Dorfman, A., Samocha, Y. and Scharf, I. (2023), Activity and habitat use of a dune gecko and its spatial and temporal correlation with other animals on dunes. J Zool. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.13064