Published September 23, 2023. Updated January 10, 2024. Open access. | Gallery ❯ |
Amazon Pygmy Gecko (Pseudogonatodes guianensis)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Sauria | Sphaerodactylidae | Pseudogonatodes guianensis
English common names: Amazon Pygmy Gecko, Pygmy Forest-Gecko.
Spanish common names: Hojarito enano amazónico.
Recognition: ♂♂ 5.2 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=2.8 cm. ♀♀ 5.6 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=3.0 cm..1 Dwarf geckos differ from other lizards based on their small size, lack of moveable eyelids, presence of a scaly supraciliary flap, and their leaf-litter-dwelling habits.2,3 Unlike day geckos of the genus Gonatodes, the claws on the fingers and toes of Pseudogonatodes are capable of being retracted into a sheath.4 The Pygmy Forest-Gecko (Pseudogonatodes guianensis) stands as the sole representative of its genus in the Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador. It boasts a brownish dorsal coloration adorned with a black-bordered orangish dorsolateral stripe at the sacral region (Fig. 1).3,5 This species is frequently mistaken for Lepidoblepharis festae, a larger gecko that inhabits higher elevations but lacks the distinctive white “teardrop” mark on the face.6 Males of P. guianensis can be distinguished from females by their smaller size, more vibrant coloration, and the presence of a pale transverse nape band.1,7
Figure 1: Individuals of Pseudogonatodes guianensis from Huella Verde Lodge, Pastaza province, Ecuador.
Natural history: Pseudogonatodes guianensis is a miniaturized gecko adapted to living in the leaf-litter of the Amazon rainforest.3,4 Despite having high population densities, these tiny creatures often escape notice due to their camouflage and diminutive size. During the day, Amazon Pygmy Geckos are typically active amid the shaded leaf-litter on the forest floor, where surface temperatures range from 23.5 to 29.1 °C.1–8 At night, they seek refuge under decaying logs, rocks, fallen palm leaves, or leaf piles, although some have been observed sleeping on leaves as high as 60 cm above the ground.1,9 Their diet comprises roaches, spiders, sow bugs, springtails, beetle larvae, termites, and small orthopterans.3–10 In the presence of a disturbance, Pygmy Forest-Geckos will jump from leaf to leaf, ultimately seeking refuge under leaf-litter.8,9 If captured, they can readily shed the tail as well as portions of their skin.4 Females lay clutches of a single egg at regular intervals throughout the year.1,11
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..12 Pseudogonatodes guianensis is included in this category because it is a common and widely distributed species believed to have large and stable populations facing no major immediate extinction threats.12 Additionally, P. guianensis is found in dozens of national parks and reserves and occurs over areas that have not been heavily affected by deforestation. It is estimated that a substantial portion, approximately 61%, of the species’ potential distribution in Brazil is protected.13
Distribution: Pseudogonatodes guianensis is native to the Amazon basin of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador (Fig. 2), French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Peru, and Venezuela.
Figure 2: Distribution of Pseudogonatodes guianensis in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The generic name Pseudogonatodes comes from the Greek words pseudo (=false), gonatos (=node), and odes (=resembling).14 It probably refers to the fact that these geckos are similar to those of the genus Gonatodes.15 The specific epithet guianensis refers to the type locality: Guyana.
See it in the wild: Amazon Pygmy Geckos are virtually guaranteed sightings within their distribution range in Ecuador, especially in the terra-firme forests of Yasuní National Park, Cuyabeno Reserve, and Jatun Sacha Biological Reserve. These elusive lizards can be readily observed by carefully scanning shaded leaf-litter along forest trails on sunny days.
Special thanks to John Sullivan for symbolically adopting the Amazon Pygmy Gecko and helping bring the Reptiles of Ecuador book project to life.
Click here to adopt a species.
Author: Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
Photographer: Jose VieirabAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,cAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Arteaga A (2024) Amazon Pygmy Gecko (Pseudogonatodes guianensis). In: Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Vieira J (Eds) Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Available from: www.reptilesofecuador.com. DOI: 10.47051/MFCS3083
Literature cited:
- Avila-Pires TCS (1995) Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoologische Verhandelingen 299: 1–706.
- Peters JA, Donoso-Barros R (1970) Catalogue of the Neotropical Squamata: part II, lizards and amphisbaenians. Bulletin of the United States National Museum, Washington, D.C., 293 pp.
- Duellman WE (1978) The biology of an equatorial herpetofauna in Amazonian Ecuador. Publications of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas 65: 1–352.
- Hoogmoed MS (1973) Notes on the herpetofauna of Surinam. IV. The lizards and amphisbaenians of Surinam. Biogeographica 4: 1–419.
- Duellman WE (2005) Cusco amazónico: the lives of amphibians and reptiles in an Amazonian rainforest. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 433 pp.
- Peracca MG (1897) Viaggio del Dr. Enrico Festa nell'Ecuador e regioni vicine. Bolletino dei Musei di Zoologia ed Anatomia Comparata della Università di Torino 12: 1–20. DOI: 10.5962/bhl.part.4563
- Dixon JR, Soini P (1986) The reptiles of the upper Amazon Basin, Iquitos region, Peru. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, 154 pp.
- Vitt LJ, De la Torre S (1996) A research guide to the lizards of Cuyabeno. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, 165 pp.
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Vitt LJ, Sartorius SS, Ávila-Pires TCS, Zani PA, Espósito MC (2005) Small in a big world: Ecology of leaf-litter geckos in new world tropical forests. Herpetological Monographs 19: 137–152. DOI: 10.1655/0733-1347(2005)019[0137:SIABWE]2.0.CO;2
- Meiri S, Avila L, Bauer AM, Chapple DG, Das I, Doan TM, Doughty P, Ellis R, Grismer L, Kraus F, Morando M, Oliver P, Pincheira-Donoso D, Ribeiro-Junior MA, Shea G, Torres-Carvajal O, Slavenko A, Roll U (2020) The global diversity and distribution of lizard clutch sizes. Global Ecology and Biogeography 29: 1515–1530. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13124
- Calderón M, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Avila-Pires TCS, Perez P (2019) Pseudogonatodes guianensis. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T44579491A44579494.en
- Ribeiro-Júnior MA, Amaral S (2016) Diversity, distribution, and conservation of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) in the Brazilian Amazonia. Neotropical Biodiversity 2: 195–421. DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2016.1236769
- Brown RW (1956) Composition of scientific words. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C., 882 pp.
- Ruthven AG (1915) Description of a new genus and species of lizard of the family Gekkonidae. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 19: 1–3.
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Pseudogonatodes guianensis in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Playa Nueva | IaVH & Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos 2022 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Vereda Islas de Cartagena | Borja-Acosta & Ocampo 2021 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Río Cusuime | Avila-Pires 1995 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Villa Ashuara | Avila-Pires 1995 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Yaupi | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Chontapunta | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Napo | Gareno Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Hacienda George Kiederle | Avila-Pires 1995 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Huaorani Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Huella Verde Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Jatun Sacha Biological Station | Hernández-Sánchez 2013 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Narupa | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Pitalala, meseta | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Reserva Río Bigai | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Río Misahuallí | Avila-Pires 1995 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Suchipakari Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Wild Sumaco | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Yachana Reserve | Beirne et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Campo Obe | Carvajal-Campos 2018 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Isla de los Monos | Avila-Pires 1995 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | San José de Payamino | Maynard et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Tambococha | Carvajal-Campos 2018 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Tiputini Biodiversity Station | Cisneros-Heredia 2003 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Yasuní Scientific Station | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Finca Heimatlos | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Juyuintza | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Kurintza | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Montalvo | Avila-Pires 1995 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Moretecocha | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Piatúa | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pozo Danta | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | UNOCAL Base Camp | Ribeiro-Júnior & Amaral 2016 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Añangu, Puesto de Control (MAE) | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Blanca | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Bloque 27 | DHMECN 8340; examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Borboroé | DHMECN 4083; examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Estación PUCE Cuyabeno | Vitt & de la Torre 1996 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Güeppicillo | Yánez-Muñoz & Venegas 2008 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Limococha | Avila-Pires & Hoogmoed 2000 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Lumbaqui, 5 km E of | Dueñas and Báez 2021 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Puerto Libre | Avila-Pires & Hoogmoed 2000 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Río Chamanga | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Río Napo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Sani Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Santa Cecilia | Avila-Pires & Hoogmoed 2000 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Santa Elena | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Territorio Cofán Dureno | Yánez-Muñoz & Chimbo 2007 |
| Peru | Amazonas | Caterpiza | Avila-Pires & Hoogmoed 2000 |
| Peru | Amazonas | Huampami | Avila-Pires & Hoogmoed 2000 |
| Peru | Amazonas | San Antonio, Río Cenepa | Avila-Pires & Hoogmoed 2000 |
| Peru | Amazonas | Shiringa | Avila-Pires & Hoogmoed 2000 |