We’ve had a lot of hoohaw in these pages about amber Anolis, but anoles are not the only lizards represented in the Dominican amber fauna. In particular, a number of fine specimens of amber geckos are known from the D.R., as well as from amber deposits elsewhere. One such species is Sphaerodactylus dommeli. Embarrassing as it is to anole aficionados, this specimen has at times been suggested to be an anole, hard as it may seem to confuse such a lowly gecko with something as magnificent as an anole. In any case, Daza et al. have just published a magnificent analysis demonstrating that the specimen is, indeed, a gecko, and providing tips on how to avoid such unwholesome confusion in the future. Moreover, confirmation of the specimens identity will allow it to be used as a calibration point in future molecular studies of Sphaerodactylus phylogeny.

Jonathan Losos
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