Cat Tien Slender Gecko: Secretive New Species Unexpectedly Discovered in Vietnam National Park

Scientists accidentally found a secretive and elusive new species of gecko called the Cat Tien Slender Gecko when it fell off a tree in a national park in Vietnam.

Unexpected Discovery of a New Species

In Cat Tien National Park in 2021, Nikolay Poyarkov and his student Platon Yushchenko conducted a reptile and amphibian survey. The park is a well-known haven for wildlife and one of Vietnam's most extensively researched areas.

According to academics, there have been continuing study expeditions, surveys, and other animal monitoring activities at Cat Tien National Park for over 35 years. But on that particular day, Yushchenko saw some lizards that didn't appear typical, according to the study's principal author Poyarkov. On a tree trunk, they saw a strange creature with a "triangular", which was a new species.

According to the study, the lizards were situated next to each other around 5 feet up a tree trunk. The animals attempted to climb up the tree to flee as researchers approached. Yushchenko, a student of Poyarkov, accidentally caught one. Hemiphyllodactylus cattien, also known as the Cat Tien slender gecko, was identified in the study after researchers closely examined the lizard.

Secretive Cat Tien Slender Gecko

The Cat Tien slender gecko is a "secretive," arboreal species, according to researchers. Researchers looked for new specimens for two years without success.

As per Poyarkov, the gecko that Yushchenko grabbed most likely dropped from the higher canopy. It was a very unexpected discovery. According to the study, the new species' unique body structure and DNA allowed scientists to recognize it as a separate species. The new species showed around 20% to 24% genetic divergence from existing recognized geckos, according to DNA analyses.

According to the researchers, the Cat Tien slim gecko has an "unsheathed" set of claws and a "triangular" head. Its body has "dark-brown and white" speckles and is described as being "wheat-gray" in hue. The gecko is roughly 2 inches long, including its ashy gray regenerated tail.

The Cat Tien slender gecko, however, was found in the lowland portions of the national park, contrary to the majority of gecko species in Vietnam, which are found in higher mountainous regions. The new species most likely resides across the park and the lowlands nearby. The findings, according to the researchers, further underline the necessity of routine sampling in locations that are thought to have received sufficient prior sampling, Miami Herald reports.

Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam

Southern Vietnam's Cat Tien National Park is located around 90 miles northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It is one of Vietnam's nine UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Due to its richness, this park is one of Vietnam's biggest and most distinctive. The Cat Tien National Park struggled throughout the Vietnam War, but because of initiatives taken by organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, this national park is once again rich in numerous animal and plant species, according to Local Vietnam.

The research team that included Yushchenko, Poyarkov, and several others, published their study this month in the journal Zootaxa.