Geiseleptes is a genus of extinct sphaerodactylid geckos that lived in the Eocene (Middle Paleogene, 47 Ma) of Germany. The genus is made up of one species, Geiseleptes delfinoi. The genus is named after the site of discovery, the Geiseltal coal mine, while the specific name honors paleoherpetologist Massimo Delfino.[1]
| Geiseleptes Temporal range: Eocene
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Sphaerodactylidae |
| Genus: | †Geiseleptes Villa, Wings & Rabi, 2022 |
| Species: | †G. delfinoi
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| Binomial name | |
| †Geiseleptes delfinoi Villa, Wings & Rabi, 2022
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The species is based on a single fossil, an incomplete skull designated GMH Ce IV-4057-1933, which is split into two parts (dubbed parts a and b).[2] This skull was discovered in 1933 and described in 2022 by a research team led by Dr. Andrea Villa (ICP-UAB), Dr. Oliver Wings (MLU), and Dr. Marton Rabi (MLU).[3] It is the oldest and most complete gecko skull found. G. delfinoi is a close relative to the European leaf-toed gecko (Euleptes europaea) and represents the oldest known representative of its lineage.[4][1]
47 million years ago, central Germany would have been subtropical forests. Geiseleptes implies that European sphaerodactylids (the newly named subfamily Euleptinae) have persisted as a long-lasting and stable lineage.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c Villa, Andrea; Wings, Oliver; Rabi, Márton (2022). Angielczyk, Kenneth (ed.). "A new gecko (Squamata, Gekkota) from the Eocene of Geiseltal (Germany) implies long‐term persistence of European Sphaerodactylidae". Papers in Palaeontology. 8 (3). doi:10.1002/spp2.1434. ISSN 2056-2799. S2CID 249358350.
- ^ "Geckos Lived in Europe as Early as 47 Million Years Ago | Sci-News.com". Breaking Science News | Sci-News.com. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
- ^ "University of Tübingen: European geckos have a long history". India Education | Latest Education News | Global Educational News | Recent Educational News. 2022-06-09. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
- ^ Tübingen, Universitaet. "A long history of European geckos". phys.org. Retrieved 2022-07-07.