Editing Lygodactylus (section)

{{Short description|Genus of lizards}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = ''Lygodactylus''
| image = Dwarf Yellow-headed gecko edit.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Lygodactylus luteopicturatus]]''
| taxon = Lygodactylus
| authority = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1864<ref>"''Lygodactylus'' ". ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.</ref><ref name="RDB" />
| diversity_link = #Species
| diversity = 82 spp.
}}

'''''Lygodactylus''''' is a [[genus]] of [[Diurnality|diurnal]] [[gecko]]s with 82 [[species]]. They are commonly referred to as '''dwarf geckos'''. They are mainly found in [[Africa]] and [[Madagascar]] although two species are found in [[South America]]. ''Lygodactylus picturatus'', the best known species, is found in [[Kenya]] and commonly known as the white-headed dwarf gecko.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wildherps.com/species/L.picturatus.html |title=''Lygodactylus picturatus'' White-headed Dwarf Gecko |publisher=Wildherps.com |access-date=2007-04-05}}</ref>  Recently, illegal importation from [[Tanzania]] of brightly colored (and [[Lygodactylus williamsi|critically-endangered]]), ''[[Lygodactylus williamsi]],'' known as electric blue geckos, has been gaining attention for ''Lygodactylus'' geckos in the reptile trade.

Since all trade in wild-caught ''Lygodactylus williamsi'' is illegal, shipments of these geckos are often intentionally mislabelled as ''Lygodactylus'' spp. or as ''[[Lygodactylus capensis]]''.<ref name=CITES>[https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/17/prop/060216/E-CoP17-Prop-30.pdf CITES Proposal for inclusion]</ref> As some customs officials have difficulty identifying members of this genus,<ref name="CITES"/> a [https://cites.unia.es/cites/file.php/1/files/how_to_identify_lygodactylus.pdf ''Lygodactylus'' spp. identification guide] has been published online by [[CITES]].<ref>[https://cites.unia.es/cites/file.php/1/files/how_to_identify_lygodactylus.pdf TRAFFIC (2011). How to identify ''Lygodactylus williamsi'':  A photographic guide to the turquoise dwarf gecko]. 
In: Wildlife Trade Handbook. TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa and the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 11–17.</ref>