Sphaerodactylus argus, also known
commonly as the ocellated gecko, the ocellated sphaero, and the stippled sphaero, is a
species of
lizard in the
familySphaerodactylidae native to the
Caribbean and surrounding regions. There are two recognized
subspecies.
Etymology
The
specific name, argus, refers to
Argus, the many-eyed giant in Greek mythology, an allusion to the ocelli (eye spots) of this species.[3]
The preferred natural
habitat of S. argus is
forest, at altitudes from sea level to 100 m (330 ft). A climbing species, it can also be seen on walls and in buildings.[1]
^Gosse PH (1850). "Description of a new genus and six new species of Saurian Reptiles". Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Second Series6: 344-348. ("Sphærodactylus Argus ", new species, p. 347).
^
abSchwartz A,
Thomas R (1975). A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (Sphaerodactylus argus, p. 144).
Dunn ER,
Saxe LH (1950). "Results of the Catherwood-Chaplin West Indies Expedition, 1948. Part 5. Amphibians and Reptiles of San Andrés and Providencia". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia102: 141–165. (Sphaerodactylus argus andresensis, new subspecies, p. 148).
Powell R,
Conant R,
Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 Plates, 207 Figures.
ISBN978-0-544-12997-9. (Sphaerodactylus argus, p. 269 + Plate 24).