Strange Nocturnal Critter With Triangular Head Found Clinging to Rocks in Thailand
Researchers conducting wildlife surveys in eastern Thailand discovered a previously unknown gecko species living among rocky cave formations in a recognized biodiversity hotspot.
The species has been formally named Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis, or the Khlong Hat bent-toed gecko. Its name honors Khlong Hat District, the only location where the creature has been found so far.
The discovery was made during fieldwork conducted in 2022 and 2023. The findings were published in the journal ZooKeys in 2024.
Khlong Hat District sits roughly 150 miles east of Bangkok, near the Cambodia border. The area is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, meaning it supports an unusually high concentration of plant and animal life.
The geckos were found living around karst rock formations — a type of landscape shaped by the dissolution of soluble rock, typically characterized by dramatic caves, crevices and rugged rocky terrain.
These geological features provide the small reptiles with hiding spots and surfaces to navigate during their active nighttime hours and restful daytime retreats.
The new species of gecko measures just over 7 inches long. Its most striking features are a triangular-shaped head and large, slightly protruding brown eyes that give it a distinctive, almost startled appearance suited to life in low-light conditions.
The gecko has a slender body covered in bumps and is equipped with short claws, features that help it grip and move across rocky and vegetated surfaces.
Its coloring is notable: a light brown body marked with dark brown bands edged in white running across its back, with a U-shaped band wrapping around the head connecting the eyes.
These physical characteristics were central to how researchers identified it as a distinct species.
The Khlong Hat bent-toed gecko is nocturnal. During the night, the species is active on a variety of surfaces, including rocks, vegetation and the karst terrain that defines its home territory.
Researchers observed the geckos in a range of specific locations. Some were spotted on cave walls and tucked into rocky crevices. Others were found on dry vines and logs along trails.
In one observation, a juvenile gecko was discovered clinging upside down on a shrub.
These varied observation points suggest the gecko is adaptable within its habitat, making use of the many nooks and surfaces that karst landscapes provide.
Identifying a new species requires meticulous comparison with known species using physical and genetic criteria. Researchers identified the Khlong Hat bent-toed gecko as new primarily based on its body size, scale patterns, coloration, finger and toe structure and skin texture.
The team also turned to DNA analysis to confirm their findings.
Genetic testing revealed at least 5% genetic divergence from related gecko species — a significant enough gap to classify it as a distinct species rather than a variant of an already known one.
The combination of visible physical differences and measurable genetic distance provided strong evidence for the classification.
The discovery was the work of a six-member research team: Natee Ampai, Attapol Rujirawan, Siriporn Yodthong, Korkhwan Termprayoon, Bryan Stuart and Anchalee Aowphol.
Their fieldwork across 2022 and 2023, followed by detailed laboratory analysis, culminated in the formal description published in ZooKeys in 2024.
The confirmation of the Khlong Hat bent-toed gecko underscores the ecological richness of eastern Thailand’s karst landscapes and highlights how much remains to be discovered even in areas already recognized as biodiversity hotspots.
The fact that the species has been found only in Khlong Hat District so far raises questions about how widespread the gecko may be — and what other undocumented creatures might be sharing its habitat, waiting to be found on a cave wall or clinging to a shrub in the dark.
BOTTOM LINE: The gecko has been documented only in a single Thai district so far, and researchers say the find highlights how much undiscovered wildlife may still exist in the region’s cave-riddled landscapes.
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
