
Ankarana Fish-scale Gecko
Geckolepis megalepis
Geckolepis megalepis is a species of gecko found in the limestone karst formations of northern Madagascar. It is the first addition to the Geckolepis genus since 1942. This species of gecko has the largest scales of any known gecko and can detach them as a defence mechanism when a predator attacks, leaving the predator with a mouthful of scales rather than itself; a character it shares with all other members of the genus Geckolepis. Its scales were reported to come away with greater ease than its congeners.
From the article Geckolepis megalepis on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Range & habitat
Geckolepis megalepis was described from Ankarana National Park. It is thought to be restricted to the tsingy karst formations of this park. It was proposed to be Near Threatened in its original description, due to ongoing anthropogenic degradation of its habitat, but probable resilience to these changes.
Wikipedia: “Distribution and conservation status”
What it does
Little to nothing is known of the ecology of Geckolepis megalepis, except that it is nocturnal, arboreal, and insectivorous.
== References ==
Wikipedia: “Ecology”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
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In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Geckolepis megalepis in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 554848.