Ota’s Bent-toed Gecko – Cyrtodactylus otai – Nguyen, Le, Van Pham, Ngo, Hoang, The Pham & Ziegler, 2015

Science name: Cyrtodactylus otai – Nguyen, Le, Van Pham, Ngo, Hoang, The Pham & Ziegler, 2015

Taxonomic:  Animalia>> Chordata>> Reptilia>> Squamata >> Gekkonidae >> otai

Species status: Endemic ; IUCN status: EN (Endangered Species)

Description: Physical characteristics:
Cyrtodactylus otai is a medium-sized gecko with a snout-vent length (SVL) reaching up to 90.6 mm. The body is slender and elongated, with a narrow, depressed head and large, round eyes with vertical pupils. The snout is long and rounded, wider than the eye diameter, and covered with small granular scales.
The body features 12–13 rows of conical tubercles along the back, with smooth, overlapping ventral scales arranged in 42–43 rows at midbody.
The tail is longer than the body and features slightly enlarged subcaudal scales, while the digits lack webbing. Males have 7–8 precloacal pores arranged in a continuous row, whereas females lack these pores.
Coloration and Appearance:
Coloration:
The body is grayish-cream to light brown with a series of dark brown, irregular transverse bands along the back. There are typically five or six dark bands between the limbs, bordered by lighter-colored edges.
The head has dark brown blotches with a prominent dark brown stripe extending from the eye to the tympanum. A discontinuous dark nuchal loop is present on the neck.
The limbs and tail are also marked with dark brown bands, with the tail showing nine dark brown bands alternating with lighter bands. The ventral side is creamy white with no significant markings.

Distribution and habitat: Elevation: Found at elevations between 980 and 1,230 meters above sea level.
Area: Cyrtodactylus otai is endemic to northwestern Vietnam, specifically recorded in the karst forest near Hang Kia Village in Hoa Binh and Son La provinces.
Habitat: This species inhabits limestone cliffs and rocky crevices surrounded by disturbed evergreen forests and agricultural lands, such as cornfields in valleys. It is found at night on limestone outcrops and tree branches near cliffs.

Behaviour and ecology: Lifestyle: Cyrtodactylus otai is a nocturnal gecko, actively foraging at night on cliffs and tree branches. During the day, it hides in rock crevices and under leaf litter.
Reproduction: The species is oviparous, with females laying two eggs during the early rainy season. The eggs are deposited in crevices or under rocks.
Diet: It feeds primarily on small insects found in its forested and rocky habitat.

Conservation and status: IUCN Red List Category and Criteria: Listed as Endangered under criteria B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) due to its restricted range and habitat degradation.
Threats: Habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion, deforestation, and human activity, particularly in limestone areas, poses significant threats to this species.
Remarks:
Cyrtodactylus otai was named in honor of Professor Dr. Hidetoshi Ota from the University of Hyogo, Japan, for his contributions to gecko systematics. The species was first described in 2015 from specimens collected in northwestern Vietnam.