Southern Ghats slender gecko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southern Ghats slender gecko |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Gekkonidae |
| Genus: | Hemiphyllodactylus |
| Species: |
H. aurantiacus
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| Binomial name | |
| Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870)
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| Synonyms | |
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Hemiphyllodactylus typus ssp. aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870) |
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The Southern Ghats slender gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus) is a small type of gecko. It lives only in the hills of southern India. This gecko is quite rare and special to its home in the Western Ghats.
What Does It Look Like?
This gecko has a head that is longer than it is wide. Its snout is rounded. The gecko's body is long, especially in females. Its legs are short. The front legs are about half the length of the space between its armpit and groin.
Its toes are short and separate. Underneath its toes, it has special pads called lamellae. These help the gecko grip surfaces.
The gecko's head is covered with tiny bumps, like small grains. Its back also has very small, bumpy scales. The scales on its belly are a bit larger and flat. Male geckos have a line of 7 to 9 special pores near their tail.
The tail is round and gets thinner towards the end. It is covered with small, smooth scales. These scales are larger on the underside of the tail.
Colors and Patterns
The Southern Ghats slender gecko is usually grey-brown on top. It has dark-brown wavy lines along its head and back. These lines can sometimes break up into spots.
A dark brown stripe runs from the tip of its nose, through its eye, and towards its front leg. You might also see small whitish dots scattered on its head and back.
Its tail often has darker spots or rings. At the base of the tail, there are two large whitish spots with black edges. These spots often join together in the middle. The underside of the gecko is whitish, with some brownish speckles.
Size
From its snout to its vent (the opening at the base of its tail), this gecko measures about 1.4 inches (3.5 cm). Its tail is about 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) long.
Where Does It Live?
The Southern Ghats slender gecko lives in southern India. It has been found in areas like the Anaimalai Hills and the Western Ghats. It also lives near Bangalore and in the Kolli Hills.
This gecko was first discovered in the Shevaroy Hills. It was found under stones in places like Yercaud, at an elevation of about 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).
 | Georgia Louise Harris Brown |
 | Julian Abele |
 | Norma Merrick Sklarek |
 | William Sidney Pittman |
