Name: Blandford’s Semaphore Gecko
Scientific name: Pristurus rupestris
Synonym: Pristurus flavipunctatus
Type: Diurnal lizards
Family: Sphaerodactylidae
Habitat:
This is the smallest lizards in Qatar, having a total length smaller than 7 cm. It is a diurnal species that occurs in rocky areas, walls of small villages and in abandoned villages. They live in the mainland and also on Halul island. They eat insects and other small invertebrates. Females lay eggs. They are named semaphore geckos because they use their tails to signal to each other and communicate using a variety of tail movements and body postures
World Distribution:
The species is distributed in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Iran
Conservation status:
It is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List
Scientific publications:
We have found 31 scientific publications about the species in international databases. Most studies are general about their geographic distribution and the description of new records. Other studies focus on ecology, physiology, anatomy, behaviour and parasites. No information about the ecology of the species exists for Qatar
Similar species:
None in Qatar
Description:
Blanford, 1874
