Identification Characteristics:
Body Length: 53 – 57 mm; Tail Length: 43 – 59 mm. This gecko species is easily identifiable by a prominent skin fold along the sides of the body, extending from the armpits to the groin, forming a distinct fringe, with a maximum width of approximately 2 mm. Narrow skin folds are also present behind the thighs and on the shins. The body is flattened; the snout is slightly pointed. The head is longer than it is wide and somewhat distinct from the neck. Eyes are round, with vertically elliptical pupils. The rostral scale is wider than it is tall and is concave posteriorly in a “V” shape. Two supranasal scales are in contact with the rostral scale, separated by 1-2 small scales. The nostril is located between the rostral scale, the supranasal scales, the two postnasal scales, and the first supralabial scale. The mental scale is triangular, with equal length and width; there are two pairs of postmental scales, the first pair in contact, the second pair separated by 1-2 small scales. There are 10-11 supralabial scales and 8-9 infralabial scales on each side, continuing posteriorly with small scales that extend to the lip edge.
The head and body are covered with small, uniform granular scales arranged adjacent to each other, lacking tubercles. Scales on the head are slightly smaller than the scales on the body. There are 36-42 interorbital scales between the eyes at their narrowest point. The chin and throat are covered with granular scales, arranged adjacent to each other, which are larger than the scales on the head and body. There are 96-99 transverse rows of dorsal scales in the midbody region (including the scales on the lateral skin folds). The ventral scales are smooth, overlapping like roof tiles. There are 28-30 transverse rows of ventral scales in males and 36 in females.
The tail is distinctly flattened dorsoventrally, flat on the underside, with serrated edges on both sides. The subcaudal scales are more than twice as wide as they are long; the first one is divided. There are 39-40 subcaudal scales in males and 50 in females; there are 9-10 rows of scales from the cloaca to the first subcaudal scale. Males have 19 femoral-anal pores on each side. The limbs are flattened, with webbing between the digits ranging from 1/4 to 1/5 of the digit length; the tips of the digits have distinct claws. There are 4-6 lamellae under digit I; 7-9 lamellae under digit III and 7-9 lamellae under digit IV on the forelimbs. There are 5 lamellae under digit I; 8-9 lamellae under digit III; and 7-9 lamellae under digit IV on the hindlimbs.
Biology and Ecology:
- This species is nocturnal and forages around areas with large tree roots or large rocks in evergreen forests, as well as in residential areas and cities. Its diet consists of larvae that live in the same habitats.
Distribution:
- Vietnam: Thừa Thiên-Huế, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu, Bình Phước, Đắk Lắk, Đồng Nai, Tây Ninh, Hồ Chí Minh City, Kiên Giang.
- Global: This species has a wide distribution, from India, China, Southeast Asia, and islands in the Pacific Ocean.