Added June 16 2001. Last updated 12 April 2008: updated E. inguinuis and Bibliography.

A look at the

Subfamily GEKKONINAE - "True" Geckos

Family GEKKONIDAE

Genus EBENAVIA - Leaf-Toed Geckos

A small genus (two species). Although both are associated with Madagascar, Ebenavia inunguis has a slightly wider distribution. Neither species is seen much in captivity.

Scientific Name Common Name Distribution Size Notes

Ebenavia

E. inunguis Malagasy Leaf-Toed Gecko Madagascar (Ile aux Prunes Mayotte, Nossi Be; St. Marie, Nossi Mangabe, Comoros); Pemba Island, Tanzania; Mascarenes (Mauritius)(introduced) TL 8cm A small, variably coloured arboreal gecko found in the eastern rainforests, where it reportedly hides between leaves of Pandanus screw palms and Ravenala palms and under tree bark, although at least one visitor reports finding one instead in the ground litter. It is found on tree trunks 1-3m above ground as well as in areas of cleared forest, and may also be found on rocks or in rocky crevices [SHDA]. Lerner & Krause note that unlike some geckos, this one has not learnt to penetrate human habitations. They also note that as the Ebenavia are nocturnal, there is no conflict with the diurnal Phelsuma geckos in the same territory. In appearance these lizards are somewhat reminiscent of the pointed forms of certain small skinks, although there are granular scales on the back. According to Henkel & Schmidt, the small geckos are fairly tolerant of one another and thus can be kept in small groups in a terrarium. They recommend a rainforest-type vivarium with a sand/moss or earth substrate. These would seem to be fairly easy geckos to maintain in captivity, but owing to their limited availability and the threat of deforestation in most of their home territory, breeding would appear to be a priority. Scalation details: row of raised scales on tail. Other: head narrow; snout pointed; pupil vertical; claws absent; fingers and toes end in pair of rounded adhesive lamellae. Coloration: overall shade varying between brown and olive green or even beige, but mostly brownish; dark lateral stripe always present; pale, white cream line runs from tip of snout across eye to junction of body and forelimb; tail varies in colouring and pattern as much as the rest of the body; some photos show a black and white banding, giving a "racoon tail" effect, while others have orange bands; however, usual tail pattern is alternating dark and light bands; some pale blotches and bands on digits. There are often one or two elongated dark patches on the dorsal tail base thinly outlined in a lighter shade of brown. Click here for a photograph. Reproduction: mating and breeding takes place between April and September, during which time the females lay up to four clutches of one egg each: gestation takes about 5 weeks, hatching 65 days (Henkel & Schmidt).

E. maintimainty ? Madagascar This species is endemic to Madagascar. It was only described in 1998 by Nussbaum & Raxworthy: see the TIGR Reptile Database entry for details. No other data so far available.

Bibliography

Geckos, Henkel & Schmidt, Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1991.

Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar and the Mascarene, Seychelles and Comoro Islands, Friedrich-Wilhelm Henkel and Wolfgang Schmidt, Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida 2000.

A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa, Stephen Spawls, Kim Howell, Robert Drewes, James Ashe, Academic Press 2002.

Scientific Name	Common Name	Distribution	Size	Notes
Ebenavia
E. inunguis	Malagasy Leaf-Toed Gecko	Madagascar (Ile aux Prunes Mayotte, Nossi Be; St. Marie, Nossi Mangabe, Comoros); Pemba Island, Tanzania; Mascarenes (Mauritius)(introduced)	TL 8cm	A small, variably coloured arboreal gecko found in the eastern rainforests, where it reportedly hides between leaves of Pandanus screw palms and Ravenala palms and under tree bark, although at least one visitor reports finding one instead in the ground litter. It is found on tree trunks 1-3m above ground as well as in areas of cleared forest, and may also be found on rocks or in rocky crevices [SHDA]. Lerner & Krause note that unlike some geckos, this one has not learnt to penetrate human habitations. They also note that as the Ebenavia are nocturnal, there is no conflict with the diurnal Phelsuma geckos in the same territory. In appearance these lizards are somewhat reminiscent of the pointed forms of certain small skinks, although there are granular scales on the back. According to Henkel & Schmidt, the small geckos are fairly tolerant of one another and thus can be kept in small groups in a terrarium. They recommend a rainforest-type vivarium with a sand/moss or earth substrate. These would seem to be fairly easy geckos to maintain in captivity, but owing to their limited availability and the threat of deforestation in most of their home territory, breeding would appear to be a priority. Scalation details: row of raised scales on tail. Other: head narrow; snout pointed; pupil vertical; claws absent; fingers and toes end in pair of rounded adhesive lamellae. Coloration: overall shade varying between brown and olive green or even beige, but mostly brownish; dark lateral stripe always present; pale, white cream line runs from tip of snout across eye to junction of body and forelimb; tail varies in colouring and pattern as much as the rest of the body; some photos show a black and white banding, giving a "racoon tail" effect, while others have orange bands; however, usual tail pattern is alternating dark and light bands; some pale blotches and bands on digits. There are often one or two elongated dark patches on the dorsal tail base thinly outlined in a lighter shade of brown. Click here for a photograph. Reproduction: mating and breeding takes place between April and September, during which time the females lay up to four clutches of one egg each: gestation takes about 5 weeks, hatching 65 days (Henkel & Schmidt).
E. maintimainty	?	Madagascar		This species is endemic to Madagascar. It was only described in 1998 by Nussbaum & Raxworthy: see the TIGR Reptile Database entry for details. No other data so far available.