Scientists Discover the Cát Tiên Flat Gecko, a Unique Species with Dark Brown and White Spots, Greyish Tail.
A new species of flat gecko scientifically named Hemiphyllodactylus cattien, belonging to the Gekkonidae family (geckos), was first described in 2023 by researchers from the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, including Dr. Lê Xuân Đắc, Nikolay A. Poyarkov, Platon Yushchenko, and their collaborators. The study was published in the Zootaxa journal at the end of June.
The Cát Tiên flat gecko discovered by scientists. (Photo: Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center).
According to information from the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, the Cát Tiên flat gecko was recorded on a tree trunk 1.5 meters above the ground in the primary lowland forest along the trail to Bàu Sấu Lake. This is the eighth species of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus described in Vietnam. Unlike most species of Hemiphyllodactylus that are endemic and inhabit high-altitude regions, this new species lives in lowland areas.
The Cát Tiên flat gecko is a small species, with females having a maximum head-body length of 35.1 mm; the head is triangular at the back. Analysis of the ND2 mtDNA gene sequence shows that the Cát Tiên flat gecko is genetically closely related to the species H. indosobrinus from Laos and H. flaviventris from Thailand.
Photo of the new species sample analysis. (Photo: Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center).
In a statement to the Miami Herald, Dr. Nikolay A. Poyarkov, the lead author of the study, mentioned that the discovery of this new species was quite surprising. Since 2021, Dr. Poyarkov’s research team has been surveying reptiles and amphibians in Cát Tiên National Park. During a field survey, they accidentally discovered a strange creature with a triangular head falling from a tree. DNA analyses revealed about a 20% to 24% genetic difference compared to previously recognized gecko species. This allowed scientists to classify it as a distinct species.
The Cát Tiên flat gecko is described as “a species still full of mysteries and very hard to encounter.” Researchers are making significant efforts to collect more specimens of this species through extensive surveys along the trail to Bàu Sấu Lake, but have only managed to collect a single specimen so far.
| Cát Tiên National Park, located nearly 150 km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, is a humid lowland rainforest with a rich biodiversity. Covering nearly 72,000 hectares, Cát Tiên National Park is currently one of nine UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves in Vietnam. |
