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New species of bent-toed gecko found at Agasthyamalai

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Science & Technology
  • Published
    22nd Aug, 2022

Context:

Recently, a group of researchers has discovered a new species of bent-toed gecko from Agasthyamalai hills in the Western Ghats. 

  • The species has been given the common name Aravind’s ground gecko after noted malacologist N.A. Aravind.

About Geckos

  • Geckos are reptiles and are found on all the continents except Antarctica. 
  • These colourful lizards have adapted to habitats from rainforests, to deserts, to cold mountain slopes.
  • Over a long period of time, geckos have developed special physical features to help them survive and avoid predators.
  • Gecko tails serve many purposes. They help balance their weight as they climb branches; they act as fuel tanks to store fat, and as camouflage to help them disappear into their environment. 
    • Geckos are also able to shed their tails if a predator grabs them.
  • Most geckos are nocturnal, which means they are active at night, but day geckos are active during the day and depend on insects, fruits, and flower nectar.
  • Geckos are spread across six families-
    • Carphodactylidae 
    • Diplodactylidae 
    • Eublepharidae 
    • Gekkonidae
    • Phyllodactylidae
    • Sphaerodactylidae
  • There are many species of geckos. Depending on the species, their endangered status can range from least concern to critically endangered.

About bent-toed gecko

  • Bent-toe geckos are scientifically known as
  • It is a diverse genus of Asian geckos. 
  • This genus has about 300 described species as of 2020. 
    • Thus, it is the largest of all gecko genera.

 

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