In a recent study, Nazarov et al. (2018) described a new species from Iran and proposed the validity of the genus Trigonodactylus Haas, 1957. However, since Stenodactylus is a monophyletic genus of similar age to the other geckos and the study by Nazarov et al. (2018) does not include S. pulcher, we consider that the new genus is not justified and therefore we use the taxonomy proposed by Metallinou et al. (2012) and Metallinou and Carranza (2013).

Badiane et al. (2014) found the taxon Pristurus rupestris to contain two genetically well-differentiated species: an eastern clade (=Pristurus rupestris rupestris) that occurs in coastal Iran and the Hajar Mountain range in northern Oman and the eastern UAE, and a western clade distributed from coastal central Oman, through Yemen, Saudi Arabia and up to southern Jordan, with two possible names available: Pristurus guweirensis Haas, 1943 (=P. r. guweirensis elevated to species) or Pristurus migiurtinicus Scortecci, 1933 (synonymized with P. rupestris by Loveridge (1947). Further comparison of material from the type localities of Pristurus guweirensis and Pristurus migiurtinicus is required to confirm which is the applicable name for the western clade taxon, and Badiane et al. (2014) refer to the western clade as Pristurus sp. 1.The resulting P. rupestris concept includes two nominal subspecies, P. r. rupestris (endemic to the Hajar Mountains) and P. r. iranicus (endemic to coastal Iran). P. r. iranicus is, however, morphologically identical to P. r. rupestris and recognizing it has been found to render P. r. rupestris paraphyletic, and it is possible that work in the near future may synonymize it within P. r. rupestris (S. Carranza pers. comm. 2018).Within the Hajar Mountains, populations are a species complex that requires further study, and the taxonomic identity of subpopulations are likely to change (Garcia-Porta et al. 2017, Carranza et al. 2018).

This species is genetically highly variable and may represent a species complex (De Pous et al. 2015).

Following Crochet et al. (2008), the distinct forms Telescopus dhara obtusus and T. d. somalicus, sometimes treated as full species, are provisionally retained as subspecies of T. dhara pending systematic treatment to clarify their appropriate status.

Trape and Mané (2006) treat the West African form of this species as a full species, Spalerosophis cliffordi, however Schätti et al. (2009) note that no rationale was presented to justify this treatment. These authors adopt the traditional concept of this form as a subspecies of S. diadema, and this scheme is followed here.