Published March 31, 2021. Updated January 9, 2024. Open access. | Purchase book ❯ |
Mottled Dwarf-Gecko (Lepidoblepharis festae)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Sauria | Sphaerodactylidae | Lepidoblepharis festae
English common names: Mottled Dwarf-Gecko, Brown Dwarf-Gecko, Festa’s Leaf-litter Gecko, Amazonian Scaly-eyed Gecko.
Spanish common names: Hojarito jaspeado, salamanquesa pestañuda oriental, geco oriental de pestañas.
Recognition: ♂♂ 8.7 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=4.2 cm. ♀♀ 8.2 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=3.9 cm.. Dwarf geckos differ from other lizards based on their small size, lack of movable eyelids, presence of a scaly supraciliary flap, and their leaf-litter-dwelling habits.1,2 The Mottled Dwarf-Gecko (Lepidoblepharis festae) is the only member of its genus known to occur along the amazonian slopes of the Andes in Ecuador. It has a brownish dorsum with light orangish dorsolateral stripes on the anterior portion of the tail.3 This species is often confused with Pseudogonatodes guianensis, a smaller gecko that occurs on lower elevations and has white “teardrop” marks on the face.4 Males of L. festae differ from females by being more brightly colored, having a reddish-orange throat (white in females), and a silver escutcheon, a characteristic concentration of holocrine secretory glands, on the belly.
Figure 1: Individuals of Lepidoblepharis festae from Ecuador: Sumaco Volcano, Napo province (); San Pedro, Tungurahua province (). sa=subadult, j=juvenile.
Natural history: Lepidoblepharis festae is a cryptozoic (preferring moist, shaded microhabitats), terrestrial, and diurnal lizard that inhabits old-growth to moderately disturbed cloud forests as well as pastures and plantations adjacent to these forests.5 Mottled Dwarf-Geckos spend most of their lives under dense layers of moss, thick accumulations of leaf-litter, or among roots and rock piles.5 Individuals are usually found at ground level, hiding under rotten logs, rocks, surfaces debris, or piles of leaves, but some have been taken from under moss of trees up to 1.5 m above the ground. There are records of snakes (Bothrocophias microphthalmus) preying upon geckos of this species.6 In the presence of a disturbance, individuals of L. festae will quickly flee under leaf-litter.5 If captured, they can readily shed the tail as well as portions of their skin. Mottled Dwarf-Geckos are susceptible to high temperatures, dying if exposed to the sun or even if handled for longer than just a few seconds. Females of L. festae lay eggs under moss, damp leaf-litter, and in crevices in dirt walls.5
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..7,8 Lepidoblepharis festae is listed in this category because the species occurs in all major protected areas in the Amazonian slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes (Antisana Ecological Reserve, Cayambe Coca National Park, Llanganates National Park, Podocarpus National Park, Sangay National Park, and Sumaco National Park) and it is distributed over a comparatively wide (~19,617 km2) area that retains the majority (~81%)9 of its forest cover. Therefore, the species is considered to be facing no major immediate extinction threats.
Distribution: Lepidoblepharis festae is endemic to an area of approximately 19,617 km2 along the Amazonian slopes of the Andes in Ecuador (Fig. 2).
Figure 2: Distribution of Lepidoblepharis festae in Ecuador. The star corresponds to the type locality: San José de Cuchipamba, Morona Santiago province. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The generic name Lepidoblepharis comes from the Greek words lepidos (=scale) and blepharis (=eyelash),10 and refers to the scaly supraciliary flaps that are characteristic to this group of geckos.3 The specific epithet festae honors Dr. Enrico Festa (1868–1939), an Italian zoologist who collected the holotype of the species.3
See it in the wild: Mottled Dwarf-Geckos are secretive lizards that are recorded rarely unless they are actively searched for by raking leaf-litter or by turning over rocks and rotten logs in humid, shaded microhabitats. Prime locations for this species include Narupa Reserve, Río Zuñac Reserve, and Maycu Reserve.
Acknowledgments: This account was published with the support of Secretaría Nacional de Educación Superior Ciencia y Tecnología (programa INEDITA; project: Respuestas a la crisis de biodiversidad: la descripción de especies como herramienta de conservación; No 00110378), Programa de las Naciones Unidas (PNUD), and Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ).
Special thanks to David Brouwer for symbolically adopting the Mottled Dwarf-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 VieiraaAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,bAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Arteaga A (2024) Mottled Dwarf-Gecko (Lepidoblepharis festae). 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/MTHJ9841
Literature cited:
- 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.
- Batista A, Ponce M, Vesely M, Mebert K, Hertz A, Köhler G, Carrizo A, Lotzkat S (2015) Revision of the genus Lepidoblepharis (Reptilia: Squamata: Sphaerodactylidae) in Central America, with the description of three new species. Zootaxa 3994: 187–221. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3994.2.2
- 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
- Avila-Pires TCS (1995) Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoologische Verhandelingen 299: 1–706.
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Dueñas MR, Valencia JH (2018) Bothrocophias microphthalmus (Small-eyed Toad-headed Pitviper). Habitat use and diet. Herpetological Review 49: 542.
- Almendáriz A, Cisneros-Heredia DF (2019) Lepidoblepharis festae. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T44579349A44579356.en
- Reyes-Puig C (2015) Un método integrativo para evaluar el estado de conservación de las especies y su aplicación a los reptiles del Ecuador. MSc thesis, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 73 pp.
- MAE (2012) Línea base de deforestación del Ecuador continental. Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador, Quito, 30 pp.
- Brown RW (1956) Composition of scientific words. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C., 882 pp.
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Lepidoblepharis festae in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used. Asterisk (*) indicates type locality.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Bosque Protector Abanico | Lozano & Medranda 2008 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Centro Shuar Kunkuk | Carvajal-Campos 2018 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Centro Shuar Yukutais | Photo by Alex Achig |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | El Rosario | Carvajal-Campos 2018 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Reserva Biológica El Quimi | Betancourt et al. 2018 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | San José de Cuchipamba* | Peracca 1897 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Santiago de Méndez | USNM 166142; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Sardinayacu | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Sevilla de Oro–Méndez | Miyata 1985 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Sucúa | USNM 166142; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Tambos Mirador–Copal | Miyata 1985 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Borja | Miyata 1985 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Cordillera del Dué | KU 121945; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Napo | Embalse Compensador | COCASINCLAIR 2013 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Hidroeléctrica Coca Codo Sinclair | COCASINCLAIR 2013 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Narupa | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Quebrada Pungarayacu | MZUTI 1674; examined |
| Ecuador | Napo | Río Azuela | KU 158529; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Napo | Sarayacu, Guacamayos | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Sumaco Camp 1 | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Wildsumaco Wildlife Sactuary | Camper et al.2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Cascada de San Rafael | Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Río Bigal Biological Reserve | Photo by Thierry García |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Bosque Protector Pablo López de Oglán Alto | Tobar Quiña 2022 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Reserva Privada Ankaku | Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Anzu Reserve | Reyes-Puig et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | El Reventador | MHNG 2356.058; collection database |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Cascada Machay | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Comuna Azuay | Reyes-Puig et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | La Candelaria Reserve | Reyes-Puig et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Río Verde | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Río Zuñac Reserve | Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | San Pedro | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Alto Machinaza | Almendáriz et al. 2014 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Alto Machinaza (1300 m) | Almendáriz et al. 2014 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Bombuscaro | Online multimedia |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | El Genairo | This work |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | La Zarza | Dueñas & Valencia 2018 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Reserva Forestal El Zarza | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Reserva Natural Maycu | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Reserva Numbami | Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Sendero Higuerones | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Perú | Amazonas | Quebrada Shinganatza | Almendáriz et al. 2014 |