New Species Gonjong Bent-Toed Gecko Ignored in Indonesia for Being Common

Scientists were unaware that the common animal they saw every day in Indonesia belonged to a new species that is now known as the Gonjong bent-toed gecko.

Ignored New Species

In a town in Indonesia, a spiky creature was clinging to a cement wall in the shadows.

Before scientists noticed the animal and realized it was a new species, it was mostly ignored.

In Sumatra Barat, researchers spent two years conducting a wildlife census. While perusing the towns and lowland forests, they came across a "common but ignored" lizard.

According to the investigation, at night they discovered 16 of these lizards adhered to a village wall, a sheet of metal, tree trunks, and branches.

When they looked more closely, scientists realized they had found a brand-new species, the Gonjong bent-toed gecko, or Cyrtodactylus gonjong.

Gonjong Bent-Toed Gecko

The Gonjong bent-toed gecko, which is around 5.6 inches long, has a "slender" body and a "ringed" tail, according to researchers. A "triangular shape" may be seen on its head, and spiky ridges cover much of its back.

According to the study and photographs, the gecko has a range of colors from "beige to weak yellow" to brown. Along its back and limbs, it bears darker brown patches that resemble stripes.

Researchers claimed that the Gonjong bent-toed geckos got their name from the Minang people of Sumatra Barat, who invented the characteristic house's roof design.

The horn of the buffalo, the most revered animal in Minang ethnology, served as the model for this distinctive form of roof design, known as "gonjong."

According to the study, the new species was identified as unique based on its size, scale pattern, and body coloration.

The new species exhibited more than 17% genetic diversity from other gecko species, according to DNA analyses. According to the researchers, past studies on biodiversity have paid little attention to Sumatra Barat's lowlands.

A province called Sumatra Barat is located on the western side of Sumatra island, 730 miles northwest of Jakarta, the Javan island's capital.

Researchers claim edthat the true variety of Cyrtodactylus (geckos) is greatly underestimated as a result of the paucity of studies that specifically target this area.

Gonjong

According to the study, gonjong roofs have come to represent the Minang people's ethnic identity. The Minang people assisted the research team during their study, so the researchers named the new species in their honor, Miami Herald reported.

The study, which was done by Nugraha and his team, was recently published in the journal ZooKeys.

Also Read: Rare Copperbelly Water Snake Extinct in 20 Years as Only 40 Remains, Scientists Warn 

Geckos in Indonesia

There are nine types of geckos in Indonesia, according to Animal Of Things.

Sulawesi Island is home to the Giant Gecko. Southeast Asia is home to a particular kind of gecko known as the tokay gecko. The Indonesian islands are home to several different species of geckos, including the wall gecko. Living in rocky terrain and arid woodlands, crevice geckos. The house gecko is a species of gecko that frequents buildings in urban settings.

Most commonly seen in Sumatra, Bali, Java, and Lombo are Gekko geckos. Southeast Asia is home to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, where the crested gecko is endemic. The eighth and ninth species are found all around Indonesia: the leopard gecko and the Madagascar big-eyed gecko.

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