Hemidactylus giganteus

Hemidactylus giganteus, also known as the giant leaf-toed gecko, the giant southern tree gecko, or the giant gecko, is a species of gecko endemic to India.[1][2]

Hemidactylus giganteus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Hemidactylus
Species:
H. giganteus
Binomial name
Hemidactylus giganteus
Stoliczka, 1871

Description

Snout longer than the distance between the eye and the ear-opening, 1.5 times the diameter of the orbit; forehead concave; ear-opening rather large, suboval, vertical. Body and limbs stout. Digits free, inner well developed, strongly dilated; with straight transverse lamella beneath; 11 or 12 under the inner digits, 13 to 15 under the median. Upper surfaces covered with uniform small granular scales, somewhat larger on the snout, smallest on the hinder part of the head. Rostral quadrangular, not quite twice as broad as deep; nostril pierced between the rostral and three nasals;12 to 15 upper and 11 to 13 lower labials; mental large, pentagonal; two pairs of chin-shields, the inner the larger. Abdominal scales rather small, cycloid, imbricate. Male with a series of femoral pores interrupted mesially; 19 to 22 pores on each side. Tail without large tubercles. Olive-grey above, with irregular dark, pale-edged marks in imperfect circles, tending to form, or forming, 4 or 5 transverse undulating bands on the body; below uniform white. From snout to vent 4.8 inches.

Distribution

Godavari Valley and Malabar. Found on trees, mainly near water sources. found in northern Andhra pradesh, India. Type locality: near Badhrachalam, Godavari Valley

References
  1. Srinivasulu, C. & Srinivasulu, B. 2013. Hemidactylus giganteus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T172701A1369660. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T172701A1369660.en. Downloaded on 09 June 2018.
  2. Hemidactylus giganteus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
  • Boulenger, G.A. 1885 Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) I. Geckonidae, Eublepharidae, Uroplatidae, Pygopodidae, Agamidae. London: 450 pp.
  • Giri, V., Bauer, A.M., and Chaturvedi, N. 2003 Notes on the distribution, natural history, and variation of Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka. Hamadryad 27: 217–221.
  • Stoliczka, F. 1871 Notes on new or little-known Indian lizards. Proc. asiat. Soc. Bengal (Calcutta) 1871: 192-195


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