The comparative caudal osteology of some gekkonid lizards from israel

A comparative study of the caudal vertebrae in 7 Israeli gecko species (40 specimens) reveals many specific peculiarities, which are described, illustrated and tabulated. Notably, most postpygal vertebrae of Stenodactylus sthenodactylus and Ceramodactylus doriae lack autotomy splits, only the first few being autotomous. In Alsophylax blanfordii, all postpygals lack transverse processes. In Ptyodactylus hasselquistii and Ceramodactylus doriae there are special braces for the joint anterior to the first autotomy split. The functional and taxonomic significance of the various described structures and morphological differences, is mostly unknown.