Sphaerodactylus richardi
# Sphaerodactylus richardi

Sphaerodactylus richardi, also known commonly as Richard's banded sphaero or the Zapata big-scaled sphaero, is a small species of gecko, a lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to Cuba.

## Etymology

The specific name, richardi, is in honor of American herpetologist Richard Thomas.

## Taxonomy

Sphaerodactylus richardi belongs to the scaber group. Other species in the group are S. oliveri, S. scaber, and S. storeyae.

## Description

Sphaerodactylus richardi may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 31.1 mm (1.22 in). It has large non-overlapping dorsal scales, except for a zone of mid-dorsal granular scales which is three scales wide. Adults have a dorsal color pattern of 5-6 bold dark crossbands on the body.

## Habitat

The preferred habitats of S. richardi are forest, shrubland, and marine intertidal.

## Reproduction

Sphaerodactylus richardi is oviparous.

