Hemitheconyx
| Hemitheconyx | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Hemitheconyx caudicinctus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Lacertilia |
| Family: | Eublepharidae |
| Genus: | Hemitheconyx (Duméril, 1851)[1] |
Hemitheconyx is a genus of gecko.
Classification of genus Hemitheconyx
- African fat-tailed gecko, Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
- Taylor's Fat-tailed Gecko, Hemitheconyx taylori
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus or the African Fat-tailed Gecko, occurs in the West African countries of Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Mali, and Ivory Coast. It is primarily a scrub to desert inhabitant, and has become one of the most popular lizards in the pet trade (where this specimen originated) due to its striking appearance, velvety skin, and docile nature.
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus is a Eublepharid gecko (family Eublepharidae see also Coleonyx variegatus, the Western Banded Gecko). Eublepharids have a worldwide distribution including North and Central America, Asia (including Japan), and Africa. This clade, also known as the 'eyelid geckos', is characterized in part by the presence of eyelids, a supratemporal bone, and an angular bone, all features that can be seen in the animations above. Their combination of features indicate that Eublepharids are the most basal lineage of gekkos.