Gekko kuhli

Gekko kuhli, commonly known as Kuhl's flying gecko or the common flying gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Asia.

Gekko kuhli
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Gekko
Species:
G. kuhli
Binomial name
Gekko kuhli
Stejneger, 1902
Synonyms[1]
  • Lacerta homalocephala
    Creveldt, 1809
    (preoccupied name)
  • Platydactylus homalocephalus
    — A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1836
  • Ptychozoon kuhli
    Stejneger, 1902
    (nomen novum)
  • Gekko (Ptychozzon) kuhli
    — Wood et al., 2019

Etymology

The specific name, kuhli, is in honor of German zoologist Heinrich Kuhl.[2]

Description
Dorsal view of Kuhl's flying gecko in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

G. kuhli has adaptations to its skin, including flaps on either side of its body, webbed feet, and a flattened tail to allow it to glide over short distances. This gecko has a remarkable camouflage. The flaps of skin along its sides help it blend with tree bark. Often, its eyes are the only way to distinguish it from its surroundings. This use of camouflage by G. kuhli has caused need for some other adaptions to protect it from the increased UV exposure. Despite being nocturnal, they are considered heliothermic because of the extended sun exposure they receive while resting during the day. This increased UV exposure has led to the adaption of pigmented internal organs to protect the lizards more important organs from UV damage.[3]

Kuhl's flying gecko, like many other gecko species, has evolved intricate toe pads with microscopic hairs that can adhere to nearly any surface, including glass.

The underside of Kuhl's flying gecko (Gekko kuhli). Note the gliding adaptations: flaps of skin on the legs, feet, sides of the body, and on the sides of the head.

Geographic range

G. kuhli is found in northeastern Cambodia (Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, Stung Treng), southern Thailand (Nakhon Si Thammarat, Satun, Pattani), Myanmar, northeastern India, the Malaysian Peninsula (including Pulau Tioman, Johor: Pulau Besar), the Nicobar Islands, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Simalur), and Singapore.

As a pet

The common flying gecko requires among other things a terrarium of 15–20 gallons (57–76 litres) and careful handling. It should be handled as little as possible, due to possible damage to its skin.[4] The common flying gecko is insectivorous. In captivity, it feeds on crickets, mealworms, superworms, and waxworms.

References
  1. Species Gekko kuhli at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  2. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Ptychozoon kuhli, p. 147).
  3. Griffing, A. H., Gamble, T., & Bauer, A. M. (2020). Distinct patterns of pigment development underlie convergent hyperpigmentation between nocturnal and diurnal geckos (squamata: gekkota). Bmc Evolutionary Biology, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-020-01604-9
  4. Flying Geckos - Facts Archived 2011-07-08 at the Wayback Machine, Pet Supplies Comparison Shopping. Awesome Pet Library. Retrieved January 14, 2011. "As with most tree dwelling or arboreal geckos, it is best not to touch or handle these geckos frequently. Their skin is sensitive and can be damaged easily."

Further reading
  • Brown, Rafe M.; Ferner, John W.; Diesmos, Arvin C. (1997). "Definition of the Philippine Parachute Gecko, Ptychozoon intermedium Taylor 1915 (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae): Redescription, designation of a neotype, and comparisons with related species". Herpetologica 53 (3): 357–373.
  • Brown, Rafe M. (1999). "New species of parachute gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: genus Ptychozoon) from northeastern Thailand and central Vietnam". Copeia 1999 (4): 990–1001.
  • Mertens, Robert; Senfft, Walter (1929). "Aus dem Leben des Faltengeckos (Ptychozoon kuhli Stejneger)". Natur und Museum 59 (4): 218–224. (in German).
  • Stejneger L (1902). "Ptychozoon kuhli, a new name for P. homalocephalum ". Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 15: 37.
  • Griffing, A. H., Gamble, T., & Bauer, A. M. (2020). Distinct patterns of pigment development underlie convergent hyperpigmentation between nocturnal and diurnal geckos (squamata: gekkota). Bmc Evolutionary Biology, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-020-01604-9
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