Painted Leopard Gecko

Painted Leopard Gecko

News: Recently, researchers have identified a new colorful species of leopard geckos named Eublepharis pictus, also known as the Painted Leopard Gecko, earlier it was thought to belong to a known species.

About:
• The new species differs from all members of the genus Eublepharis except for E hardwickii. Eublepharis is a genus of terrestrial geckos native to eastern and southwestern Asia.
• The new species lives in dry evergreen forests mixed with scrub and meadows. It is strictly nocturnal, actively foraging along trails in the forest after dusk.
• Researchers had initially identified the specimen as an East Indian Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis hardwickii). This new species appears to be common in the forests of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
• The gecko genus Eublepharis now has 7 species. Based on IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) conservation prioritization criteria, the researchers suggested it to list as Near Threatened (NT).