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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: May 12th, 2024.


Taxonomy of the family Sphaerodactylidae
Bibliography of the genus Pristurus
Biodiversity of the family Sphaerodactylidae








Genus
Pristurus

Semaphore Geckos

Semaphorgeckos

Semaforgekkoer

1835 Pristurus Rüppell (type species: Pristurus flavipunctatus Rüppell 1835)
1863 Spatalura Gray (type species: Spatalura carteri Gray 1863; syn. Kluge 1991)
1968 Geisopristurus Lanza & Sassi (type species: Geisopristurus simonettai Lanza & Sassi 1968; syn. Lanza 1990; Arnold 1993)
Contents: 27 species, of which 17 (63.0%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Distribution: Mauritania, NE. Africa, Middle East.
Reported from: Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Mauritania, Oman (incl. Masirah), Qatar, Saudi Arabia (incl. Farasan Islands), Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen (incl. Hanish al Kabir, Socotra Archipelago [Abd al Kuri, Darsa, Samha, Socotra]).

Pristurus abdelkuri

Abd al Kuri Semaphore Gecko

Abd-al-Kuri-Semaphorgecko

Abd al Kuri-semaforgekko

1986 Pristurus abdelkuri Arnold

Introduced to: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago: Socotra).
Distribution: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago: Abd al Kuri).


Pristurus adrarensis

Mauritanian Semaphore Gecko

Mauritanischer Semaphorgecko

Mauritansk Semaforgekko

2006 Pristurus adrarensis Geniez & Arnold

Distribution: Mauritania.


Pristurus carteri

Masirah Semaphore Gecko, (Carter's Semaphore Gecko)

Masirah-Semaphorgecko

Masirah-semaforgekko

1863 Spatalura carteri Gray
Pristurus carteri Boulenger 1885
1931 Pristurus carteri tuberculatus Parker (Arnold 1986)

Distribution: Oman (incl. Masirah), Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.


Pristurus celerrimus

Bar-tailed Semaphore Gecko

Schwanzbinden-Semaphorgecko

Båndhalet Semaforgekko

1977 Pristurus celerrimus Arnold

Distribution: Oman, United Arab Emirates.


Pristurus collaris

Collared Semaphore Gecko

Halsband-Semaphorgecko

Halsbånd-semaforgekko

1869 Spatalura collaris Steindachner
Pristurus collaris Boulenger 1885
Pristurus carteri collaris Parker 1931

Distribution: Yemen.


Pristurus crucifer

Cross-marked Semaphore Gecko, Cross-marked Sand Gecko

Kreuz-Semaphorgecko

Krucifiks-semaforgekko

1861 Gymnocephalus crucifer Valenciennes
Pristurus crucifer Boulenger 1885
1871 Pristurus longipes Peters (Wermuth 1965)
1927 Pristurus stefaninii Calabresi (Wermuth 1965)
1933 Pristurus crucifer laticephalus Scortecci (Wermuth 1965)

Remarks: The status of longipes is uncertain. Bowles (2012) treated it as a separate species, although noting the uncertain status of the taxon.
Distribution: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Yemen.


Pristurus flavipunctatus

Yellow-spotted Semaphore Gecko, Yellow-spotted Gecko, (Rüppell's Semaphore Gecko)

Gelbfleckiger Semaphorgecko

Gulplettet Semaforgekko

1835 Pristurus flavipunctatus Rüppell
1896 Pristurus percristatus Boulenger (Wermuth 1965)
1933 Pristurus percristatus pseudoflavipunctatus Scortecci (Wermuth 1965)
1986 Pristurus gasperetti gasperetti Arnold (Schätti & Gasperetti 1994)

Other common names:
gasperetti: Wadi Kharrar Semaphore Gecko, Wadi Kharrar Rock Gecko
Remarks: The records from the Jabal Akhdar massif of northern Oman (Arnold 1977; Arnold & Gallagher 1977) refer to gallagheri (Schätti & Gasperetti 1994).
Distribution: Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia (incl. Farasan Islands), Somalia, Sudan, Yemen.


Pristurus gallagheri

Oman Semaphore Gecko, (Gallagher's Semaphore Gecko)

Oman-Semaphorgecko

Omansk Semaforgekko

1986 Pristurus gasperetti gallagheri Arnold
Pristurus gallagheri Schätti & Gasperetti 1994

Remarks: Elevated to species status by Schätti & Gasperetti (1994), followed by most other authors (e.g., Sindaco & Jeremchenko 2008; Gardner 2009). However, gallagheri was still treated as a subspecies of gasperetti by Grossmann, Kowalski, Zwanzig & Zilger (2012), but without discussion.
Distribution: Oman.


Pristurus guichardi

Orange-spotted Semaphore Gecko

Orangefleckiger Semaphorgecko

Orangeplettet Semaforgekko

1986 Pristurus guichardi Arnold

Distribution: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago: Socotra).


Pristurus guweirensis

Guweira Semaphore Gecko

Guweira-Semaphorgecko

Guweira-semaforgekko

1951 Pristurus flavipunctatus guweirensis Haas
Pristurus rupestris guweirensis Hoofien 1960
Pristurus guweirensis Burriel-Carranza, Mazuch, Estarellas, Talavera, Riaño, Koppetsch, Tamar, Tejero-Cicuéndez, Al Saadi, Busais, Kratochvíl, Shobrak, Smid & Carranza 2023

Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of rupestris (e.g., Arnold 1986). Revalidated by Burriel-Carranza, Mazuch, Estarellas, Talavera, Riaño, Koppetsch, Tamar, Tejero-Cicuéndez, Al Saadi, Busais, Kratochvíl, Shobrak, Smíd & Carranza (2023).
Distribution: Jordan, Oman (incl. Masirah), Saudi Arabia (incl. Farasan Islands), Yemen (incl. Hanish Islands [Hanish al Kabir]).





Pristurus insignis

Socotra Crestless Semaphore Gecko

Kammloser Semaphorgecko

Kamløs Semaforgekko

1881 Pristurus insignis Blanford

Distribution: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago: Socotra).


Pristurus insignoides

Adho Dimellus Semaphore Gecko

Adho-Dimellus-Semaphorgecko

Adho Dimellus-semaforgekko

1986 Pristurus insignoides Arnold

Distribution: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago: Socotra).


Pristurus masirahensis

Masirah Semaphore Gecko

Masirah-Semaphorgecko

Masirah-semaforgekko

2019 Pristurus masirahensis Tamar, Mitsi, Simó-Riudalbas, Tejero-Cicuéndez, Al-Sariri & Carranza

Remarks: Previously regarded as a population of minimus (e.g., Meinig & Kessler 1998; Gardner 2013).
Distribution: Oman (Masirah).





Pristurus mazbah

Mazbah Semaphore Gecko

Mazbah-Semaphorgecko

Mazbah-semaforgekko

1989 Pristurus mazbah Al-Safadi

Remarks: Possibly a synonym of saada (Sindaco & Jeremchenko 2008). Not mentioned by Arnold (2009).
Distribution: Yemen.


Pristurus migiurtinicus

Bosaso Semaphore Gecko, Migiurtine Semaphore Gecko

Bosaso-Semaphorgecko

Bosaso-semaforgekko

1933 Pristurus migiurtinicus Scortecci

Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of rupestris (e.g., Wermuth 1965). Revalidated by Burriel-Carranza, Mazuch, Estarellas, Talavera, Riaño, Koppetsch, Tamar, Tejero-Cicuéndez, Al Saadi, Busais, Kratochvíl, Shobrak, Smíd & Carranza (2023).
Distribution: Djibouti, Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Somalia.





Pristurus minimus

Lesser Semaphore Gecko, Small Semaphore gecko, Least Semaphore Gecko

Kleiner Semaphorgecko

Lille Semaforgekko

1977 Pristurus minimus Arnold

Remarks: Records from Masirah refer to masirahensis (Tamar, Mitsi, Simó-Riudalbas, Tejero-Cicuéndez, Al-Sariri & Carranza 2019).
Distribution: Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.


Pristurus obsti

Orange-lined Semaphore Gecko

Orangestreifiger Semaphorgecko

Orangestribet Semaforgekko

1999 Pristurus obsti Rösler & Wranik

Distribution: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago: Socotra).


Pristurus ornithocephalus

Bird-headed Semaphore gecko

Vogelkopf-Semaphorgecko

Fuglehoved-semaforgekko

1986 Pristurus ornithocephalus Arnold

Distribution: Yemen.


Pristurus phillipsii

Somali Mountain Semaphore Gecko, (Lort Phillips's Semaphore Gecko)

Somalischer Gebirgs-Semaphorgecko

Somalisk Bjerg-semaforgekko

1895 Pristurus phillipsii Boulenger

Distribution: Somalia.


Pristurus popovi

Asir Semaphore Gecko

Asir-Semaphorgecko

Asir-semaforgekko

1982 Pristurus popovi Arnold

Distribution: Saudi Arabia, Yemen.


Pristurus rupestris

Rock Semaphore Gecko, Common Semaphore Gecko, Dwarf Rock Gecko, (Blanford's Semaphore Gecko)

Felsen-Semaphorgecko

Klippe-semaforgekko

1874 Pristurus rupestris Blanford
1952 Pristurus rupestris iranicus Schmidt (Arnold 1986)

Remarks: Previously included guweirensis and migiurtinicus. Although reported from Iraq (e.g., Khalaf 1959; Mohammed, Rhadi, Rastegar-Pouyani, Rastegar-Pouyani & Yousefkhani 2017) and Pakistan (e.g., Smith 1935, Wermuth 1965), presence in these countries needs confirmation (Leviton, Anderson, Adler & Minton 1992). Presence in Kuwait, although reported by Arnold (2009), is regarded as doubtful herein, following Amr, Alenezi, Al-Sayegh & Baker (2021), who did not include the species for the country. Records from Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia refer to migiurtinicus. Presence in Ethiopia needs confirmation.
Distribution: Bahrain, Iran, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates.


Pristurus saada

Yemen Semaphore Gecko

Jemenitischer Semaphorgecko

Yemenitisk Semaforgekko

1986 Pristurus saada Arnold

Distribution: Yemen.


Pristurus samhaensis

Samha Semaphore Gecko

Samha-Semaphorgecko

Samha-semaforgekko

1999 Pristurus samhaensis Rösler & Wranik

Distribution: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago [Darsa, Samha]).


Pristurus schneideri

Hanish al Kabir Island Semaphore Gecko

Hanish-al-Kabir-Semaphorgecko

Hanish al Kabir-semaforgekko

2008 Pristurus schneideri Rösler, Köhler & Böhme

Distribution: Yemen (Hanish Islands: Hanish al Kabir).


Pristurus simonettai

Kismayo Semaphore Gecko, (Simonetta's Semaphore Gecko)

Kismayo-Semaphorgecko

Kismayo-semaforgekko

1968 Geisopristurus simonettai Lanza & Romoli Sassi
Pristurus simonettai Lanza 1983

Distribution: Somalia.


Pristurus sokotranus

Socotra Throat-spotted Semaphore Gecko

Halsfleckiger Semaphorgecko

Halsplettet Semaforgekko

1938 Pristurus sokotranus Parker

Distribution: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago: Socotra).


Pristurus somalicus

Somali Coastal Semaphore Gecko, Somali Semaphore Gecko

Somalischer Küsten-Semaphorgecko

Somalisk Kyst-semaforgekko

1932 Pristurus somalicus Parker

Remarks: Regarded as a synonym of phillipsii by some authors (e.g., Parker 1942; Loveridge 1947; Wermuth 1965; Lanza 1983, 1990; Kluge 2001), but as a valid species by others (e.g., Arnold 1993; Largen & Spawls 2006).
Distribution: Ethiopia, Somalia.