Гекконы рода Hemidactylus: разнообразие и распространение

Genus of common geckos
NOTOC
<noinclude>Automatic taxobox
| image = Mediterranean house gecko. JPG
| image caption = Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)
| taxon = Hemidactylus
| authority = Oken, 1817
| type species = Gecko tuberculosus
| type species authority = Raddi, 1823
| diversity link = #Species
| diversity = 190 species, see text
| synonyms =
In alphabetical order:
Aliurus E. R. Dunn & M. T. Dunn, 1940
Boltalia Gray, 1842
Bunocnemis Günther, 1894
Cosymbotus Fitzinger
Doryura Gray, 1845
Emydactylus Bocourt, 1870
Eurhous Fitzinger, 1861
Hoplopodion Fitzinger, 1843
Leiurus Gray, 1845 (non Ehrenberg, [1828]: preoccupied)
Liurus Cope, 1862 (non Ehrenberg, 1831: preoccupied)
Lophopholis M. A. Smith & Deraniyagala, 1934
Microdactylus Fitzinger, 1843 (non É. Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, 1809: preoccupied)
Nubilia Gray, 1845
Onychopus Fitzinger, 1843
Pnoepus Fitzinger, 1843
Tachybates Fitzinger, 1843
Velernesia Gray, 1845
It has 195 described species, newfound ones being described every few years. These geckos are found in all the tropical regions of the world, extending into the subtropical parts of Africa and Europe. They excel in colonizing oceanic islands by rafting on flotsam, and are for example found across most of Polynesia. In some archipelagoes, cryptic species complexes are found. Geckos like to live in and out of houses. They have been introduced to Australia. This species is closely related to the genus Gehyra, which belongs to the same family in Gekkonidae. The species are typically known as house geckos, due to their readiness to adapt to and coexist with humans, and can be easily encountered in human habitations.

This genus was originally established by Lorenz Oken in 1817 for the species at that time known as Hemidactylus tuberculosus, and now described as the tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia).

The origin of the genus Hemidactylus is still unclear as the higher level phylogeny is not well resolved. Moreover, much of the diversity in this group still remains to be discovered.

A house gecko will usually confine its excretions to one area of a house. This is sometimes considered a nuisance by home owners, and may stain certain surfaces. The feces are approximately five (5) millimeters in length, two (2) millimeters wide, and dark brown (almost black) in color.

The dorsal lepidosis is either uniform or heterogeneous. The pupil of the eye is vertical. Males have pre anal or femoral pores. Each finger or toe has a slender distal clawed joint, angularly bent and rising from within the extremity of the dilated portion. The fingers and toes are free, or more or less webbed, and dilated; underneath they bear two rows of lamellae in a pattern resembling a paripinnate compound leaf.

Like many other gecko species, species in the genus Hemidactylus are able to communicate with distinct vocalizations. Depending on the species, their vocalizations range from quiet clicks to short squeaks and chirps. For example, the Asian common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is notable for its distinctive chirping.

The following phylogeny is from Pyron, et al. (2013), and includes 47 Hemidactylus species. Hemidactylus is a sister group of Cyrtodactylus.