Flat-tailed House Gecko

These geckos exhibit patagia in the trunk, tail, and femoral region that are employed in gliding. Similarly to gliding geckos of the genus Gekko (formerly Ptychozoon), these patagia are derived from expansion of fat in the sides.

Identification. Snout longer than the distance between the eye and the ear opening, one time and a half the diameter of the orbit; forehead concave; ear-opening small, oval, oblique. Rostral four-sided, not twice as broad as high, with median cleft above; nostril bordered by the rostral, the first labial and three nasals. Nine to eleven upper and seven or eight lower labials; mental large. triangular or pentagonal; two pair of chin-shields, the median pair large, in contact with each other, the posterior pair small, sometimes separated from the labials. Body depressed, covered above with uniform small granules, largest on the snout; a dermal expansion from axilla to groin and another along the posterior side of the hind limb. Ventral scales cycloid, imbricate. Male with an uninterrupted series of 34–36 femoral pores. Tail depressed, flat inferiorly, with sharp denticulated lateral edge, covered above with uniform small granules, below with a median series of transversely dilated plates. Limbs moderate, depressed; digits strongly dilated, about half-webbed, inner well developed; 3 to 6 lamellae under the inner, 7 to 9 under the median digits. …

It is found in Bangladesh, India (Darjeeling, Sikkim, Nicobar Islands), Nepal, Bhutan, China (Guangdong, southeastern Tibet), Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia (including Tioman), Burma, Vietnam, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Irian), and the Philippines (Palawan, Calamian Islands, Panay, Luzon). They are also introduced in Florida (Pinellas, Alachua, Lee, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties) in the USA.