Family : GEKKONIDAE
Species :  Cyrtodactylus sp.
Size (snout to vent) : Approx 8 cm
Size (total length) : Approx 18 cm

The gecko featured here is a species of Cyrtodactylus from the island of Bali, Indonesia.  A few examples were found near the Petanu River, which passes through a deep gorge after draining southwards off the volcanic peak of Mount Batur.

The species inhabits wet, rocky outcrops adjacent to the river, as well as dry man-made tunnels some metres above the river.

The largest specimens encountered measured around 8 cm snout-to-vent, and around 18 cm when tail length is included.

It is likely that this species has yet to be formally described in scientific literature. It is assigned as a Cyrtodactylus sp. on the basis of its slender, bent digits and large eyes with vertical pupils.

In recent years the remarkable diversity of species in the genus Cyrtodactylus has started to be recognised : Grismer et al (2012) count 152 species to date.

Fig 1 : Complete specimen of Cyrtodactylus (with original tail) clinging to a wet, rocky outcrop a few metres from the fast-flowing river.

Fig 2 : The Petanu River, Bali.

Fig 3 : Another specimen (with regrown tail), lurks in a man-made tunnel.

Fig 4 : Tunnel entrance, which opens onto a terrace around 20 metres above the Petanu River.


References :

Grismer, L. et al, 2012.  Cyrtodactylus majulah, a new species of bent-toed gecko (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Singapore and the Riau Archipelago. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 60(2) : 487-499.