Kingdom Animalia Class Sauropsida Family Gekkonidae Genus Geckoella Order Scaled reptiles | Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Scleroglossa Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
Similar Geckoella, Cyrtodactylus deccanensis, Scaled reptiles, Kandyan day gecko, Rough‑bellied day gecko | ||
The Blotched Ground Gecko (Geckoella yakhuna), also known as the Northern Sri Lanka Gecko, is a species of gecko endemic to Sri Lanka.
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Habitat and distribution
A dainty, ground-dwelling gecko from the dry plains of the north, below 300m of Sri Lanka. Known areas of occurrence lies in NOrth East and North Central Provinces (ssp. yakhuna) and North West Provinces (ssp. zonatus), in localities such as Manar, Puttalam, Puliyankulam, Polonnaruwa, Giritale, Sigiriya, and Menikdena.
Description
Body is stout, cylindrical, and covered with small, granular scales. Scales on venter overlapping. Tail heavy, tapering, and regenerated tail is turnip-shaped. Supralabials 9-10. Infra-labials 7-9. Subcaudal scales not distinctly enlarged. Dorsum with two cross rows of dark blotches. In subspecies G. y. yakhuna, blotches consisting two sub-rectangular marks, where the intervening light areas with numerous black spots. In subspecies G. y. zonatus, blotches are with two dark brown transverse rows of large cross bands, which are equal to or shorter than the light interspaces. Tail is with dark bands.
Ecology and diet
Inhabits deciduous and scrub forests. Crepuscular, hiding under rotting timber and leaves during the day and emerging at dusk to forage on small arthropods, such as termites.
Reproduction
Four eggs are laid at a time, in the month of January. Incubation period is 95 days.