The Indian golden gecko or Beddome's golden gecko[2] (Calodactylodes aureus ) is a species of geckoendemic to the Eastern Ghats of India.[3] It was rediscovered from the hills near present-day Tirupati.[4] The rediscovery was after over 100 years since its description.[5]
Indian golden gecko
Calodactylodes aureus from Gingee, Tamil Nadu, India
Illustration of the feet that give the genus the name Calodactylus, meaning "beautiful fingers".
Its digits are slender at the base, free, with squarish scales beneath, and large trapezoidal penultimate and distal expansions, the lower surface of each of which is covered by two large plates separated by a longitudinal groove; all the digits are clawed, the claw retractile is between the distal plates; in the inner digit, the penultimate expansion is absent. Its body covered above with small, granular scales, intermixed with larger tubercles; the abdominal scales are juxtaposed. the pupils are vertical. No preanal or femoral pores are present.
Dorsal views of hand and foot.Ventral views of hand and foot.
Its head is large, oviform, and very distinct from the neck; a strong, rounded supraorbital and canthal ridge is present; it has five deep concavities, a frontal, two postnasals, and two loreals; the snout is longer than the distance between the eye and the ear opening, 1.3 times the diameter of the orbit; the ear opening is vertical, measuring half the diameter of the eye. Its body is not much depressed. The limbs are long and slender. The width of the digital expansion measures about half the diameter of the eye. Its head is covered with very small granules, largest on the canthal ridges; the rostral is four-sided, twice as broad as high, and its posterior border is concave; its nostrils are pierced between the rostral, the first labial, and three nasals; the anterior is large and in contact with its fellow; 12 or 13 upper and as many lower labials occur; the mental is as large as the adjacent labials, or smaller than them; no regular chin-shields are found, but small, polygonal scales pass gradually into the granules which cover the gular region. Its upper surface is covered with minute granules; back with scattered, scarcely prominent, smooth, round, larger tubercles, hardly as large as the ventral scales; the latter flat, smooth, squarish, juxtaposed scales, arranged like the bricks of a wall. The tail is long, cylindrical, remarkably slender, and covered with squarish scales which are much larger beneath. In color, it is brownish-white above (golden during life), dotted or vermiculated with brown; the lower surfaces are whitish.[6][7][8]
From snout to vent, its length is 3.5 in (8.9 cm); the tail is 3.2 in (8.1 cm).
Geographic rangeedit
This species is found in India, where it is restricted to the rocky areas of the Eastern Ghats.
Habitatedit
It is found among rocks in dark, shady ravines in the Tirupati Hills (fide M.A. Smith 1935).
Reproductionedit
Mature females deposit over 300 eggs in a community nest near water or moist areas.[3]
^Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5. (Calodactylodes aureus, p. 21).
^ abSreekar R, Srinivasulu C, Seetharamaraju M, Srinivasulu CA. 2010. Selection of egg attachment sites by the Indian Golden Gecko Calodactylodes aureus (Beddome, 1870) (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in Andhra Pradesh, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa2 (11): 1268-1272.
^Daniel JC, Bhushan B, Sekar AG. 1986. Rediscovery of the Golden gecko Calodactylodes aureus (Beddome) in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society83: 15–16.
^Beddome RH. 1870. Descriptions of some new Lizards from the Madras Presidency. Madras Monthly J. Med. Sci.1: 30–35.
^Boulenger GA. 1890. The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (Calodactylus aureus, pp. 80–81).
^Bauer AM, Das I. 2000. A review of the gekkonid genus Calodactylodes (Reptilia: Squamata) from India and Sri Lanka. J. South Asian Nat. Hist., Colombo5 (1): 25–35.
^Bauer AM, Günther R. 1991. An annotated type catalogue of the geckos (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in the Zoological Museum, Berlin. Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin67: 279–310.
Further readingedit
Das I. 2002. A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of India. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp. ISBN0-88359-056-5. (Calodactylodes aureus, p. 85).
Smith MA. 1935. The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.—Sauria. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp. + Plate I + 2 maps. (Calodactylodes aureus, pp. 78–79).
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Calodactylodes aureus.
Calodactylodes aureus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
January 01, 1970
indian, golden, gecko, beddome, golden, gecko, calodactylodes, aureus, species, gecko, endemic, eastern, ghats, india, rediscovered, from, hills, near, present, tirupati, rediscovery, after, over, years, since, description, calodactylodes, aureus, from, gingee. The Indian golden gecko or Beddome s golden gecko 2 Calodactylodes aureus is a species of gecko endemic to the Eastern Ghats of India 3 It was rediscovered from the hills near present day Tirupati 4 The rediscovery was after over 100 years since its description 5 Indian golden gecko Calodactylodes aureus from Gingee Tamil Nadu India Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Squamata Family Gekkonidae Genus Calodactylodes Species C aureus Binomial name Calodactylodes aureus Beddome 1870 Synonyms Calodactylus aureus Beddome 1870 Calodactylodes aureus Strand 1928 1 Contents 1 Description 2 Geographic range 3 Habitat 4 Reproduction 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksDescription edit nbsp Illustration of the feet that give the genus the name Calodactylus meaning beautiful fingers Its digits are slender at the base free with squarish scales beneath and large trapezoidal penultimate and distal expansions the lower surface of each of which is covered by two large plates separated by a longitudinal groove all the digits are clawed the claw retractile is between the distal plates in the inner digit the penultimate expansion is absent Its body covered above with small granular scales intermixed with larger tubercles the abdominal scales are juxtaposed the pupils are vertical No preanal or femoral pores are present nbsp Dorsal views of hand and foot nbsp Ventral views of hand and foot Its head is large oviform and very distinct from the neck a strong rounded supraorbital and canthal ridge is present it has five deep concavities a frontal two postnasals and two loreals the snout is longer than the distance between the eye and the ear opening 1 3 times the diameter of the orbit the ear opening is vertical measuring half the diameter of the eye Its body is not much depressed The limbs are long and slender The width of the digital expansion measures about half the diameter of the eye Its head is covered with very small granules largest on the canthal ridges the rostral is four sided twice as broad as high and its posterior border is concave its nostrils are pierced between the rostral the first labial and three nasals the anterior is large and in contact with its fellow 12 or 13 upper and as many lower labials occur the mental is as large as the adjacent labials or smaller than them no regular chin shields are found but small polygonal scales pass gradually into the granules which cover the gular region Its upper surface is covered with minute granules back with scattered scarcely prominent smooth round larger tubercles hardly as large as the ventral scales the latter flat smooth squarish juxtaposed scales arranged like the bricks of a wall The tail is long cylindrical remarkably slender and covered with squarish scales which are much larger beneath In color it is brownish white above golden during life dotted or vermiculated with brown the lower surfaces are whitish 6 7 8 From snout to vent its length is 3 5 in 8 9 cm the tail is 3 2 in 8 1 cm Geographic range editThis species is found in India where it is restricted to the rocky areas of the Eastern Ghats Habitat editIt is found among rocks in dark shady ravines in the Tirupati Hills fide M A Smith 1935 Reproduction editMature females deposit over 300 eggs in a community nest near water or moist areas 3 References edit The Reptile Database www reptile database org Beolens B Watkins M Grayson M 2011 The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press xiii 296 pp ISBN 978 1 4214 0135 5 Calodactylodes aureus p 21 a b Sreekar R Srinivasulu C Seetharamaraju M Srinivasulu CA 2010 Selection of egg attachment sites by the Indian Golden Gecko Calodactylodes aureus Beddome 1870 Reptilia Gekkonidae in Andhra Pradesh India Journal of Threatened Taxa 2 11 1268 1272 Daniel JC Bhushan B Sekar AG 1986 Rediscovery of the Golden gecko Calodactylodes aureus Beddome in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 83 15 16 Beddome RH 1870 Descriptions of some new Lizards from the Madras Presidency Madras Monthly J Med Sci 1 30 35 Boulenger GA 1890 The Fauna of British India Including Ceylon and Burma Reptilia and Batrachia London Secretary of State for India in Council Taylor and Francis printers xviii 541 pp Calodactylus aureus pp 80 81 Bauer AM Das I 2000 A review of the gekkonid genus Calodactylodes Reptilia Squamata from India and Sri Lanka J South Asian Nat Hist Colombo 5 1 25 35 Bauer AM Gunther R 1991 An annotated type catalogue of the geckos Reptilia Gekkonidae in the Zoological Museum Berlin Mitt Zool Mus Berlin 67 279 310 Further reading editDas I 2002 A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of India Sanibel Island Florida Ralph Curtis Books 144 pp ISBN 0 88359 056 5 Calodactylodes aureus p 85 Smith MA 1935 The Fauna of British India Including Ceylon and Burma Reptilia and Amphibia Vol II Sauria London Secretary of State for India in Council Taylor and Francis printers xiii 440 pp Plate I 2 maps Calodactylodes aureus pp 78 79 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Calodactylodes aureus Calodactylodes aureus at the Reptarium cz Reptile Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Indian golden gecko amp oldid 1179470361, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
