Hispaniolan Giant Gecko
Aristelliger lar
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilySphaerodactylidae (Sphaeros and Allies)
- GenusAristelliger (Croaking Geckos)
- SpeciesAristelliger lar (Hispaniolan Giant Gecko)
About the Hispaniolan Giant Gecko
Aristelliger lar, also known commonly as the Hispaniolan giant gecko and the spotted Caribbean gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to the island of Hispaniola. The specific name, lar, refers to a Lar, an ancient Roman household god.
A. lar is found in disjunct populations on Hispaniola, in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The preferred natural habitat of A. lar is forest, but is also found in man-made structures in or near forest, such as houses and hotels.
A. lar attains a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about 13 cm (5.1 in). A. lar is oviparous. Bauer AM, Russell AP (1993). "Aristelliger lar ". Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (570): 1–3. Cope ED (1862). "On the Genera Panolopus, Centropyx, Aristelliger and Sphærodactylus ". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 13: 494–500. (Aristelliger lar, new species, p. 497).
Hecht MK (1951). "Fossil Lizards of the West Indian Genus Aristelliger (Gekkonidae)". American Museum Novitates (1538): 1–33. (Aristelliger titan, new... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Hispaniolan Giant Gecko in Los Haitises National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Los Haitises National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Haitises National Park | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | |
| 2 | Jaragua National Park | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic |