برص منازل البحر المتوسط

Nocturnal. The species is very agile on overhanging and smooth surfaces. The depressed head and body might be an adaptation allowing the species to utilize narrow crevices and cracks, where potential predators or interspecific competitors would be excluded.

Least Concern

A medium-sized gecko with a notably depressed head. Maximum recorded SVL 55 mm ( female). A rather depressed lizard; head notably depressed; snout moderately long and notably depressed in profile. Rostral wider than long. Nostril bordered by rostral, first upper labial and 3 nasals, upper nasals separated by a large rectangular scale. There are 11-13 supralabials; 8-9 infralabials. Two pairs of postmentals present, the suture between the anterior pair is shorter than the mental. There are 40-45 uniform, smooth gulars. Back covered with fine, smooth, granular scales, intermixed with rather small, round, weakly keeled tubercles, regularly arranged in 14-16 longitudinal rows. Dorsal tubercles are widely spaced, separated from each other by 3-7 small scales. There are 40-50 ventrals across mid-abdomen. Limbs moderately long and slender. Digital pads rather moderately expanded, free distal phalanges of digits relatively long, extending well beyond the basal dilation. Lamellae under first toe 6-8, under fourth toe 10-11. Tail slender, cylindrical, with regular segments. Dorsal caudal tubercles are rather small, moderately keeled and widely separated by smaller scales, extending almost to the tail tip; transverse row of 6 tubercles reach the seventh segmwnt. Subcaudals are transversely expanded along the medial line. Postanal sacs present, fringed laterally by 3 large tubercles on each side. All males examined (n=5) had 6 preanal pores. Basic dorsal background coloration translucent grayish pink. Dorsal pattern composed of 4 broad cross-bands of dark brown tubercles (each assuming an indistinct" X" shape), interspresed by wider areas occupied by whitish tubercles. Tail with nine broad alternating dark, and light transverse bands, whose contrast increases posteriorly, those on the posterior half of the tail being black and white. All ventral sides white.

All known specimens come from the high mountain range of South Sinai, within a radius of 50 kms from the highest peak of Gebel Katrina (2641 m). In addition to the holotype and paratype collection localities mentioned above, animals belong­ing to this species were observed and photographed at Wadi Gebal and the "Blue Valley".

The species is hitherto known only from the high mountains of South Sinai.

Found in the rugged mountainous desert of South Sinai, largely in or near relatively mesic microhabitats. Elevation of collected and observed animals ranging between 600 m at Wadi Feiran and 2,000 m at Wadi Gebal. Animals were found in natural caves, inside abandoned and occupied traditional dwellings and on some modern buildings in the town of St. Katherine. In Wadi Gebal it was observed on the wadi bed. One specimen was found crossing the tarmac road traversing the palm groves of Wadi Feiran at night.

Appears to be rather rare, secre­tive, and localized. The fact that no Hemidactylus has been reported from the high mountains of South Sinai by the many workers inves­tigating the region attest to this. The only known Hemidactylus specimen claimed to be collected from "Mount Sinai" (holotype of H. sinaitus) is certainly in error (Arnold 1977).