Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Scaly gecko (Hemidactylus scabriceps), recorded as Endangered
Scaly gecko (Hemidactylus scabriceps). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Scaly gecko

Hemidactylus scabriceps

Scaly gecko is a gecko in the family Gekkonidae — Hemidactylus scabriceps, recorded as Endangered.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Hemidactylus scabriceps
Taxonomy
Squamata · Gekkonidae · Hemidactylus

Appearance

Adults of this species are relatively short and stout. Forehead appears convex; snout, blunt and rounded, larger than the eyes; limbs short; a cylindrical tail, tapers towards the tip. Dorsal surface of head and neck covered with overlapping scales that are small, rounded and granular. Mental scale large. Eyes laterally placed, large having a vertical pupil; iris brown; small yellow scales surrounding the eyes.

Range and habitat

This species predominantly occupies semi-arid and open habitats that are dry and sometimes sandy. The scaly gecko is a nocturnal, terrestrial, insectivorous gecko found in South India and northern Sri Lanka.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Habits

Typical geckos hunt after dark on vertical surfaces. Day geckos in some genera are the exception — bright and diurnal.

In crisis

Scaly gecko is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Scaly gecko, Wikidata item Q963174. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Dragon Tree Half-toed Gecko (Hemidactylus dracaenacolus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Dragon Tree Half-toed Gecko

Hemidactylus dracaenacolus
Photograph of Satara gecko (Hemidactylus sataraensis), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Satara gecko

Hemidactylus sataraensis
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus

Quick answers

What is Scaly gecko?
Scaly gecko is a gecko in the family Gekkonidae — Hemidactylus scabriceps.
What is the conservation status of Scaly gecko?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Hemidactylus scabriceps. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Scaly gecko live?
This species predominantly occupies semi-arid and open habitats that are dry and sometimes sandy.
Why is Scaly gecko in crisis?
It is Endangered on Wikidata. Read the official Red List assessment for the criteria.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Hemidactylus scabriceps?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Scaly gecko a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.