Spiky island creature — with ‘large’ eyes — turns out to be new species in Indonesia

Aspen Pflughoeft
·2 min read

Perched on a leaf by a waterfall on an Indonesian island, the “large” eyes of a small creature peered into the darkness. Perhaps noticing a glint from its eyes or perhaps drawn to its contrasting color, scientists spotted the animal — and discovered a new species.

Researchers ventured into Lembah Anai Nature Reserve on Sumatra island in 2020, according to a study published July 4 in the journal ZooKeys. They were searching for a widely distributed lizard species that had been reported to live on Sumatra but whose local population had never been studied.

Searching the forest near waterfalls and villages at night, researchers found 18 lizards perched on twigs and leaves, the study said.

Taking a closer look at the lizards, researchers realized they had captured an entirely new species: Cyrtodactylus awalriyantoi, or Awal Riyanto’s bent-toed gecko.

Awal Riyanto’s bent-toed geckos can reach about 4.3 inches in size and are the “smallest” bent-toed gecko species found on Sumatra island, researchers said. It has a “triangular” head and “large” eyes.

An Awal Riyanto’s bent-toed gecko sitting on a leaf.
An Awal Riyanto’s bent-toed gecko sitting on a leaf.

The gecko ranges from “dark gray to brown” with “irregular” darker colored spots along its body, the study said. It has spiky bumps running down its back.

Photos show two Awal Riyanto’s bent-toed geckos perched on a plant. The lizard’s dark body and striped, blueish-purple tail stand out against the green leaves.

Another Awal Riyanto’s bent-toed gecko stretched across two leaves.
Another Awal Riyanto’s bent-toed gecko stretched across two leaves.

The new species was recognized as distinct based on its size, scale pattern, coloring and spikes, the study said. DNA analysis confirmed the new species had between 20% and about 24% genetic divergence from other gecko species.

Awal Riyanto’s bent-toed gecko was named after an Indonesian herpetologist who studied bent-toed geckos. Awal Riyanto’s “contribution to the study of amphibians and other reptiles is significant for Indonesian herpetological knowledge and conservation,” researchers said.

The discovery of a new, previously mistaken, species “underscores the importance of clarifying widely distributed species,” the study said.

The research team included Yuni Ahda, Fitra Arya Dwi Nugraha, Djong Hon Tjong, Nia Kurniawan, Yunico Amardi, Muhammad Alif Fauzi and Si-Min Lin.

Many of these researchers were also involved in the discovery of a new species of gecko in Sumatra’s lowland forests.

Lembah Anai Nature Reserve is on the western side of Sumatra island and about 780 miles northwest of the capital city of Jakarta on the island of Java.

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