‘Giant’ creature with ‘baggy’ skin found in Papua New Guinea. It’s a new species
Near a village in Papua New Guinea, a “giant” creature with “baggy” skin perched on a branch, its “tan” eyes scanning the surrounding forest. Something about the animal caught the attention of locals — and for good reason.
It turned out to be a new species.
Villagers in East Sepik Province captured the “large” lizard in 2009 and gave it to Fred Kraus, a scientist studying the area’s reptiles, he wrote in a study published Sept. 19 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.
Intrigued, Kraus studied the lizard and tracked down several similar archive specimens from the 1960s, the study said. He soon realized he’d discovered a new species: Gehyra aquilonia, or the northern four-clawed gecko.
Northern four-clawed geckos are considered “large,” reaching almost 7 inches in length, the study said. They have “fairly robust” bodies with extra skin folds on their sides and arms, giving them a “‘baggy’ appearance.” Their heads are “long” and “wide” with a “rounded” snout.
A photo shows the brown coloring of the new species. Darker brown patches dot its head, back and tail. Its sides are a lighter brown. The mixture of colors helps it blend in with its surroundings.
Like other related geckos, the “giant” new species has four claws on each hand, Kraus wrote.
Northern four-clawed geckos live in forested areas near villages in mountain foothills, the study said. They were often found near streams.
Kraus said he named the new species after the Latin word “aquilonia,” meaning “northern,” because it’s found along Papua New Guinea’s northern coastal mountains.
So far, the new species has been found at five locations along the northern coast of Papua New Guinea, a region that includes East Sepik Province, the study said.
The new species was identified by its toes, skin folds, size, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. A DNA analysis was not included in the study.
Kraus also discovered three more new species of gecko: one with pale, “baggy” skin; one “banded with spots” and another with “tan” eyes.
This story was originally published September 25, 2024 at 9:35 AM with the headline "‘Giant’ creature with ‘baggy’ skin found in Papua New Guinea. It’s a new species."
