NEW SPECIES DISCOVERY
Lygodactylus fritzi
WHAT IS IT?
One of eight new species of small gecko discovered in Madagascar, each no longer than an index finger. Described by an international team of scientists in a new paper, Lygodactylus fritzi belongs to the subgenus Domerguella. The individual pictured was believed to have been consuming honeydew excreted by the bug next to it, familiar gecko behaviour.
WHERE IS IT?
The species is known from new and historical specimens collected from two coastal lowland locations in the northern central east of Madagascar. The littoral forested areas in Madagascar are very biodiverse with a range of endemic plants, amphibians, reptiles and insects, and more than 150 new species of reptile have been described there in the last 30 years.
WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE SCIENTIFIC NAME?
‘Fritzi’ is named after Uwe Fritz, director of the Museum of Zoology in Dresden, for his work on reptile taxonomy.