New species of bent-toed gecko found at Agasthyamalai

Context:

Recently, a group of researchers has discovered a new species of bent-toed gecko from Agasthyamalai hills in the Western Ghats. 

• The species has been given the common name Aravind’s ground gecko after noted malacologist N.A. Aravind.
  
  

About Geckos

• Geckos are reptiles and are found on all the continents except Antarctica. 
• These colourful lizards have adapted to habitats from rainforests, to deserts, to cold mountain slopes.
• Over a long period of time, geckos have developed special physical features to help them survive and avoid predators.
• Gecko tails serve many purposes. They help balance their weight as they climb branches; they act as fuel tanks to store fat, and as camouflage to help them disappear into their environment. 
  • Geckos are also able to shed their tails if a predator grabs them.
• Most geckos are nocturnal, which means they are active at night, but day geckos are active during the day and depend on insects, fruits, and flower nectar.
• Geckos are spread across six families-
  • Carphodactylidae 
  • Diplodactylidae 
  • Eublepharidae 
  • Gekkonidae
  • Phyllodactylidae
  • Sphaerodactylidae
• There are many species of geckos. Depending on the species, their endangered status can range from least concern to critically endangered.

About bent-toed gecko

• Bent-toe geckos are scientifically known as
• It is a diverse genus of Asian geckos. 
• This genus has about 300 described species as of 2020. 
  • Thus, it is the largest of all gecko genera.