New Gecko Species Discovered in Madagascar
Posted on November 11, 2014
A new species of gecko has been discovered in Madagascar. The new gecko species, Paroedura hordiesi, was found at night climbing on rocks and the ruins of an old fort. A juvenile and subadult of the new species are pictured above.
The gecko inhabits the the karstic limestone massifs in the region of northern Madagascar. The scientists believe other undescribed reptile species inhabit this region. The new species is described as a medium-sized gecko. It has a snout-vent length (SVL) of up to 58 mm and a tail length of up to 53 mm. It has "squarish terminal adhesive pads" on its little toes.
The researchers have proposed that the new species be listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Dr. Frank Glaw, the lead author of the study from the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (ZSM), says in a statement, "The new Paroedura species from Montagne des Français described in our paper is just one new contribution to the taxonomic inventory of this massif, which is believed to hold yet undiscovered diversity. This discovery also highlights the threats affecting this microendemic species and other biota in the region."
A research paper on the new gecko was published here in the journal, Zoosystematics and Evolution .
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