Helena's microgecko

Naming

The species was named after Helena Nikolsky.

Subspecies
Microgecko helenae fasciatus (SCHMIDTLER & SCHMIDTLER 1972)
Microgecko helenae helenae (NIKOLSKY 1907)

Synonyms
Tropiocolotes helenae (MERTENS 1956)

Distribution

ssp. helenae: Iran; Type locality: Aguljasdiker, Alchorschir und Bidczar (alle „Arabistan" = Khuzestan), sowie Isfagan ( = Isfahan?) in „Kuchcstan". Restricted to (hoc loco): Bidezar = Bid Zard. “Alchorschir; Aguljaschker; Isfagan; Bidezar, Khuzestan Province, Iran” fide ANDERSON 1999 [restricted to Bidezar [=Bid Zard] by J J Schmidtler and J F Schmidtler 1972:60; Alchorschir by designation of lectotype by SZCZERBAK & GOLUBEV 1986:111, 113]

ssp. fasciatus: Iran (Kermanshahan, Lorestan Provinces, western Zagros Mountains), Type locality: Sorkh-e Dize, 125 km west of Kermanshahan, on road to Baghdad, Kermanshahan Prov., Iran [close to Iraqi border at 1000-1500 m. elevation]. Holotype: ZSM 501/68.

Habitat

It has been recorded from both rolling foothills with a sparse vegetation of grasses, thorny shrubs, euphorbias and scattered pistachios and oaks (T. h. helenae); and from cooler and wetter open oak forest with willows and poplars (T. h. fasciatus) (Anderson 1999). Animals have been captured under flat stones close to, or within stream beds, and have been taken from cracks in loess brick walls (Szczerbak and Golubev 1996, Anderson 1999).