A review of the gekkotan lizards of Bénin, with the description of a new species of Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) Author Bauer, Aaron M. Author Tchibozo, Sévérin Author Pauwels, Olivier S. G. Author Lenglet, Georges text Zootaxa 2006 1242 1 20 journal article 50634 10.5281/zenodo.273464 3301c485-76c8-496d-93fd-a360f691a89b 1175­5326 273464 Hemidactylus angulatus Hallowell, 1852 This species was only recently elevated to specific rank, having been elevated from a subspecies of the Asian H. brookii , to which it is very distantly related ( Carranza and Arnold 2006 ). It is widespread in tropical Africa. Loveridge (1947) recorded localities from Sudan to Angola and in neighboring Nigeria . Dunger (1968) considered it the most common and widespread of all Nigerian gecko species, occupying a diversity of natural and edificarian habitats. This is certainly also the most commonly encountered gecko in Bénin . It is highly variable in color pattern ( Loveridge 1947 ; Dunger 1968 ) and may sometimes be confused for the broadly sympatric H. mabouia . The biology of this species was recently considered by Gramentz (2000) . Hemidactylus angulatus is the only gecko species in Bénin to have been reported from multiple localities by multiple earlier authors ( Chabanaud 1917 ; Loveridge 1947 , 1952). Chabanaud (1917) recorded specimens from Agougon (=Agouagon) as both H. brookii and H. stellatus Boulenger. Most of the new material was collected from edificarian habitats, but specimens from Niaouli were found in semi­deciduous forest. The largest Bénin specimen (IRSNB 17168­3) measured 66.2 mm SVL. Localities Ajuda (Ouidah), Département de l’Atlantique: Loveridge (1947) ; Zomai (Ouidah), Département de l’Atlantique: Loveridge (1947) ; Godomey (=Godomé), Département de l’Atlantique: Loveridge (1947) ; Attogon, Département de l’Atlantique ( 06°43’N , 02°09’E ): IRSNB 17168­1, 17168­2, 17168­3, 17168­4; Niaouli, Département de l’Atlantique ( 06°44’N , 02°08’E ): IRSNB 17173­2; Amou Oblo, Togo , IRSNB 17166­1, 17166­2; Grand Popo, Département du Mono: Loveridge (1947) ; Abomey, Département du Zou: Loveridge (1952); Porto Novo, Département de l’Ouémé: Loveridge (1947) ; Agougon (=Agouagon), Département des Collines: Chabanaud (1917) ; Collines de Dassa­Zoumè, Département des Collines ( 07°45’N , 02°10’E ): IRSNB 17150­1; Bassila, Département de la Donga: Loveridge (1952); Manigri, Département de la Donga: IRSNB 17245­1–17245­ 9; Koussokoinga (=Koussoukoingou), Département de l’Atacora: Loveridge (1952), MCZ R 51759­60; Parc National de la Pendjari, Département de l’Atacora ( 11°23’N , 01°31’E ); IRSNB 17170­3; without specific locality: IRSNB 17171­2, 17171­3; MCZ R 159974; YPM 8133 ( 39 specimens ), 8422 ( 3 specimens ).