Geckos

News: Researchers have discovered a new bent-toed gecko species, Cyrtodactylus jayadityai, in the lowland forests of North Tripura.

About Geckos

• Geckos are reptiles belonging to the suborder Gekkota, which includes over 1,000 species of lizards.
• Family: They are spread across six families: Carphodactylidae, Diplodactylidae, Eublepharidae, Gekkonidae, Phyllodactylidae, and Sphaerodactylidae. 
• Scientific Name: Their scientific name is Palmatogecko rangei.
• Habitat: They live in many habitats, such as rainforests, deserts, and mountains.
• Distribution: They are found in different parts of the world except Antarctica. 
• Characteristics: 
  • Appearance: They are small reptiles with soft skin, known for their bright colours and unique patterns.
  • They also possess a short, stout body, a large head, and typically well-developed limbs. 
  • The ends of each limb are often equipped with digits possessing adhesive pads.
  • Length: Most of the species are 3 to 15 cm long, including tail length.
  • Their tails help in balance while climbing, for camouflaging and also to store fat (energy reserve).
  • They can shed their tails to escape predators, after which their tails regrow.
  • Most geckos do not have movable eyelids. They have a transparent eyelid. They lick their eyes to keep them clean.
  • Diet: They eat insects, fruits, and nectar.
  • Behaviour: Most geckos are nocturnal. Some species (day geckos) are active during the day.
    • They make sounds like chirping, barking, and clicking to defend territory and attract mates. 
    • Female geckos lay eggs in leaves or bark.
    • In defence of predators, they emit a foul-smelling discharge and faeces on predators.
• Conservation: There are many species of geckos. Their conservation status varies from least concern to critically endangered.

About Cyrtodactylus jayadityai Gecko

• A new species of bent-toed gecko has been found in Tripura.
• Scientific name: It has been named as Cyrtodactylus jayadityai sp. nov., in honour of Dr Jayaditya Purkayastha, a noted Indian herpetologist, recognising his immense contributions to reptile research and conservation in the region.
• Habitat: Its habitat is the lowland forests of North Tripura.
• Characteristic:
  • It is a distinct species from its closest relative, Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis, with a genetic divergence of 4.7-5.2 per cent in the mitochondrial ND2 gene.
  • It is nocturnal, forages at night and retreats into burrows during the day.
  • It is currently proposed to be categorised as Data Deficient (DD) under the IUCN Red List.
• With this discovery, the number of Cyrtodactylus species in Northeast India rises to 31.