''Calodactylodes illingworthorum'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of gecko, a lizard in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Gekkonidae Gekkonidae (the common geckos) is the largest family of geckos, containing over 950 described species in 64 genera. Members of the Gekkonidae comprise many of the most widespread gecko species, including house geckos ('' Hemidactylus''), tokay g ...

. The species is known only from the island of Sri Lanka. Common names for ''C. illingworthorum'' include the golden gecko, Illingworths' gecko, Illingworths' golden gecko, and the Sri Lankan golden gecko.

Etymology

The specific name, ''illingworthorum'', which is genitive plural, is in honor of Margaret and Percy Illingworth.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Calodactylodes illingworthi'', p. 129).

Habitat and geographic range

A large, rock-dwelling gecko from the dry zone of Sri Lanka, ''C. illingworthorum'' is distributed in the monsoon forests of the eastern parts of the country, such as Namadagala,

Monaragala Monaragala ( si, මොනරාගල, translit=Monarāgala; ta, மொணராகலை, translit=Moṇarākalai) is a town located in Monaragala District, Uva Province, Sri Lanka. It is the largest town in Monaragala District and is locate ...

Nilgala Nilgala is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province. See also * List of towns in Central Province, Sri Lanka External links * {{KandyDistrict-geo-stub Populated places in Kandy District ...

Gal Oya National Park Gal Oya National Park in Sri Lanka was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka. Senanayake Samudraya was built under the Gal Oya development project by damming the Ga ...

Buttala Buttala (බුත්තල) is a town in Sri Lanka. It is located in Monaragala District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka. History The history of Buttala goes back to the time of King Dutugamunu in the 2nd century BC, when it was known as Guthala. The ...

, and Ampara.

Description

The head of ''C. illingworthorum'' is wider than the body. The pupil of the eye is vertical. There are two pairs of enlarged, nearly rectangular lamellae under each finger and toe. The tail has 27 segments. The dorsum is a yellow-ochre color with dark brown spots. The throat is either bright yellow or orange. The chest and venter are pale gray or yellow. There are 4 pre-anal pores and 4 to 10 femoral pores.

Ecology and diet

''C. illingworthorum'' inhabits rocky biotopes, such as granitic caves within savannah and monsoon forests. A single cave may house up to 50 individuals. Its diet comprises large insects, such as

dipterans Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced m ...

coleopterans Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 described ...

, their larvae, glow-worms, and other arthropods. Its call uttered throughout the day, and more commonly at dusk, is a harsh, chuckling note. It leaves its rock habitat by dusk to the adjoining vegetation for

foraging Foraging is searching for wild food resources. It affects an animal's fitness because it plays an important role in an animal's ability to survive and reproduce. Foraging theory is a branch of behavioral ecology that studies the foraging behavi ...

and returns in the morning.

Reproduction

''C. illingworthorum'' is oviparous. Eggs, measuring 14.9 x 8.2 mm (0.59 x 0.32 inches) are produced at communal nesting sites, glued to rock surfaces. Over 100 eggs are produced at a time. Each hatchling measures in total length (including tail).

References

External links

*http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Calodactylodes&species=illingworthorum *https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229429001_Natural_history_and_conservation_status_of_Calodactylodes_illingworthorum_Deraniyagala_1953_(Sauria_Gekkonidae)_in_south-eastern_Sri_Lanka

External sources

*http://www.bioacoustics.info/article/call-sri-lankan-golden-gecko-calodactylodes-illingworthorum-ecological-parallel-fan-toed *http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Calodactylodes_illingworthorum/classification/