Hemidactylus dracaenacolus Rösler & Wranik, 1999

Razzetti, Edoardo, Sindaco, Roberto, Grieco, Cristina, Pella, Francesca, Ziliani, Ugo, Pupin, Fabio, Riservato, Elisa, Pellitteri-Rosa, Daniele, Butikofer, Luca, Suleiman, Ahmed Saeed & Al-Aseily, Badar Awadh, 2011, Annotated checklist and distribution of the Socotran Archipelago Herpetofauna (Reptilia), Zootaxa 2826, pp. 1-44 : 6

Hemidactylus dracaenacolus Rösler & Wranik, 1999

Hemidactylus dracaenacolus Rösler & Wranik, 1999: 252 —Locus typicus “Diksam, 695 m NN (Locus Typicus 12° 29.73N, 53°59.18’O), Sokotra ”.

Hemidactylus dracaenacolus . — Rösler & Wranik, 2004: 511, Pl. 11.

As indicated by the scientific name, Hemidactylus dracaenacolus is thought to be linked to the Dragon’s blood Tree ( Dracaena cynnabari ).

This recently described species was known from the two type specimens only, that have been both collected at Diksam at about 700 m a.s.l. ( Rösler & Wranik, 1999, 2004).

Habitat. We recorded many individuals in six localities of the Diksam plateau, the most distant locations are within 8.5 km from each other, the altitudes range between 762 and 1004 meters a.s.l. (Qaroni). The species was observed during the day under stones at the base of Dracaena trees, and at night active on the trunk, with only one specimen active on the ground.

Original data. Fig. 6. Dheroh, Diksam plateau, SW Diksam.

Bibliographic data. Rösler & Wranik (1999, 2003, 2004).

General distribution. Apparently endemic to the Diksam Plateau of Socotra Island.

Remarks. Up to now H. dracaenacolus was known only from the type locality. If further research will confirm that the distribution of this species is limited to a small area of the Diksam Plateau and to the Dracaena trees, Hemidactylus dracaenacolus should be considered as critically endangered due to the bad conservation status of the Dracaena trees on the island ( Adolt & Pavlis, 2004; Attorre et al., 2007).