VietNamNet Bridge - Scientists have discovered a species of gecko based on samples collected in the limestone area in the northern province of Cao Bang, Vietnam and also in China.

Photo: Nguyen Quang Truong.

The scientific name of the new species is Gekko Adleri Nguyen, Wang, Yang, Lehmann, Le, Ziegler & Bonkowski, 2013. The new species is named after Professor Kraig Adler, a famous American researcher of reptiles and amphibians.

The discovery of new species is the result of collaborative research between scientists in Vietnam, China and Germany. The results are published this month in the Zootaxa journal.

Adleri gecko is characterized with the head and body length of 75 mm, the tail length of 83 mm. The color of the body and head is gray-brown or dark gray with four stripes on the back.

The new gecko species lives in limestone areas. The foods found in their stomachs includes crickets, bees and termites.

Scientists have recorded 12 species of gecko in Vietnam. It should be noted that the limestone mountains in Ha Lang and Trung Khanh districts of Cao Bang province is not a nature reserve but it has a high value on biodiversity.

The research team of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources has discovered three new species in this area in the past two years.

Vncreatures