A genus of geckos found mainly in the Palearctic region, from southern Europe to Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
Many of the Central Asian species in former republics of the USSR and adjacent areas are covered in detail in Szczerbak & Golubev, to which this page is indebted.
Due to the need to seek out further sources, this page is an ongoing work.
Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
Cyrtopodion |
C. agamuroides |
Agamuroid Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. amictophole |
Lebanese Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. baigii |
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C. battalense |
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C. baturense |
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C. brachykolon |
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C. brevipes |
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Iran |
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C. caspium |
Ring-Tailed Gecko |
S Russia (S of Volga delta), Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan |
16cm SVL |
Scalation details: 9-14 supralabials; 6-10 infralabials; scales across head 7-11; mental scale always triangular or pentagonal; 2-3 pairs of postmentals (see also subspecies). Dorsal scalation: 13-22 scales around dorsal tubercle; dorsal tubercles large, trihedral, almost always contacted by 1-4 smaller additional tubercles. Ventral scalation: 22-31 ventral scales across midbody; usually 2 rows of scales between femoral pores and vent. Other: 22-32 femoral pores in males, 25-33 in females; 20-29 subdigital lamellae. Coloration: background colour is yellow in males (at least during the breeding season) and greyish in females. Coloration may become lighter or darker due to physiological state. Reproduction: males have somewhat more massive heads, and during the mating season are brighter than females. Heads and limbs of juveniles are relatively larger than in adults but the tail shorter. [Engelmann et al, Szczerbakov & Golubev]. |
C. c. caspium |
Caspian Thin-Toed Gecko |
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Scalation details: 1st pair of postmentals in contact across wide suture. |
C. c. insularis |
Island Rock Gecko |
Vulf Island (Baku Bay of Caspian Sea) |
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Scalation details: 1st pair of postmentals in contact across narrow suture or not at all. |
C. chitralense |
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C. dattanense |
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C. dehakroense |
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Pakistan |
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C. elongatum |
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C. fedtschenkoi |
Turkestan Thin-Toed Gecko |
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?? [ Szczerbakov & Golubev]. |
C. fortmunroi |
Fort Munroy Sandstone Gecko |
Pakistan |
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C. gastrophole |
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C. heterocercum |
Asia Minor Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. h. heterocercus |
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C. h. mardinensis |
Mardin Asia Minor Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. kachhense |
Kachhi Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. k. kachhense |
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C. k. ingoldbyi |
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C. kotschyi |
Kotschyi's Gecko, Mediterranean Thin-Toed Gecko [D: Ägäischer Nacktfinger] |
SE Italy, Greece and Greek Islands in Aegean, Black Sea (Bulgaria and Ukraine) as far as Crimea, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel |
TL approx 13cm: SVL <50% |
One of the few geckos to be found in mainland Europe. Like some other geckos, this species vocalises, usually with a repetitive squeaking sound, in courtship and especially if excited or seized. Szcerbak and Golubev also record that the squeaks may come from their shelters in the daytime. Rather like a leopard gecko about to seize its prey, Kotschyi's gecko may also wave its tail in a serpentine motion. Habitat is very variable and includes cliffs, buildings, dry stone walls and individual rocks. In the north of its range (Crimea) it is not found above 200m, but in the south it can be found at up to 1,400m. Although in the European part of the range Engelmann et al note that the species is quite temperature tolerant, being active at night at temperatures as low as 5 deg C, Szcerbak and Golubev record that in the Crimean summer they were not found at temperatures below 18 deg C - interestingly however in April-May they could be encountered at 12-14 deg C. While mainly nocturnal it can also be active by day, especially in summer and autumn. Diet is overwhelmingly insects and spiders. In turn the geckos are in competition with Podarcis wall lizards alongside whom they often seem to be found, who may become predatory on them. Other predators include snakes of the genera Coluber and Elaphe, and in Crimea domestic cats and possibly owls, European hedgehogs and rock martens. There are a large number of subspecies in this taxon. Szczerbakov & Golubev divided these up into 4 groups, "kotschyi", "danilewskii", "bartoni" and "oertzeni". See also the JCVI database entry. [Engelmann et al, Szczerbakov & Golubev]. Reproduction: sexual maturity is reached in the 2nd year. As normal with geckos, females lay 2 eggs per clutch. In the north of the range, the young hatch in October or may overwinter in the egg and emerge the following spring [Engelmann et al]: Szczerbak and Golubev recorded an incubation time of 50 days in the laboratory, hatching occurring in September. [SOURCES: Arnold, Engelmann et al, Sczerbak & Golubev]. |
C. k. kotschyi |
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Greece (Siros Archipelago) |
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Scalation details: up to 33 longitudinal rows of tubercles across abdomen; 12 rows of dorsal tubercles; 3 tubercles on upper thigh; 6 rows of caudal tubercles; males lack preanal pores. |
C. k. adelphiensis |
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Greece (coast of Sirna Island in Dodecanese) |
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Closely related to C. k. stepaneki but differs as follows. Scalation details: >28 longitudinal rows of tubercles across abdomen; 6 tubercles on upper thigh. |
C. k. bartoni |
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Greece (W Crete) |
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Scalation details: dorsal tubercles twice as long as granular dorsal scales. |
C. k. beutleri |
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SW Turkey inc. adjacent islands |
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Scalation details: 10-12 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles, 25-33 ventral scales across midbody, 1-6 preanal pores, 2-2 postanal tubercles. |
C. k. bibroni |
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Italy (Apulia), Greece (south Balkan peninsula, Kithira and Kithnos Islands) |
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Scalation details: closely related to C. k. saronicus but with 24 longitudinal ventral scales. |
C. k. buchholzi |
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Greece (Siphnos Archipelago) |
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Scalation details: closely related to C. k. saronicus but with 10 longitudinal dorsal tubercles. |
C. k. ciliciensis |
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S Turkey ( Mediterranean coast) |
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Scalation details: head scales keeled; 10-12 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; 23-26 ventral scales across midbody; 2 preanal pores; 1-1 postanal tubercles; 14-18 subdigital lamellae. |
C. k. colchicus |
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Turkey (NE Anatolia), poss. former USSR |
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Scalation details: 12 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; 26-29 longitudindal ventral rows; 3-4 longitudinal subcaudal rows; 2-4 preanal pores. Coloration: ventrally yellowish, subcaudal surface orange (latter possibly a juvenile trait). |
C. k. danilewskii |
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Ukraine (Crimea), Bulgaria (Black Sea coast south of Varna), W & SW Turkey |
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Scalation details: 3 nasal scales, of which 1st contact each other or are separated by 1-2 scales. 5-8 supralabials; 7-10 infralabials; 12-19 scales across head; mental scale triangular or pentagonal; 2-3 (usually 3) pairs of postmentals, of which scales in 1st pair are in contact or separated by 1 scale. Dorsal scalation: 10-13 longitudinal rows of oval keeled dorsal tubercles. Ventral scalation: 22-30 ventral scales across midbody. Other: 2-15 preanal pores; 1-1 postanal tubercle; upper surfaces of limbs smooth or with slight keels. Coloration: overall dorsally ash or sandy grey, with 5-8 (usually 6) dark M-shaped bands on the body and 10-12 on the tail; abdomen laterally light yellowish green or dirty white; caudal underside reddish ochre or orange; regenerated tail is grey-blue or grey-brown. Juveniles have ochrish or light orange piping on caudal bands and brighter caudal undersurface. |
C. k. fitzingeri |
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Cyprus |
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Scalation details: 10-12 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles, strongly keeled and elongated; 20-25 ventral scales across midbody; 2-3 preanal pores, or may be absent; 2 rows of cycloid scales on original tail, replaced by small scales on regenerated tail. |
C. k. fuchsi |
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Greece (northern chain of northern Sporades islands) |
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Closely related to nominate subspecies, except as follows. Scalation details: 34-40 longitudinal rows of tubercles across abdomen. |
C. k. kalypsae |
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Greece (Gavdos Island off Crete) |
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Scalation details: 6 longitudinal rows of tubercles on tail base, 26-29 longitudinal rows of ventral tubercles. |
C. k. karabagi |
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Greece (Fener Island in Marmara Sea) |
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Scalation details: ³12 longitudinal rows of tubercles; 30-34 ventral scales across midbody; 3-4 preanal pores; 2-2 postanal tubercles. |
C. k. oertzeni |
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Greece (Carpathos Archipelago in Dodecanese) |
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Scalation details: 7-8 longitudinal rows of tubercles on tail, 23-27 ventral rows across midbody. Coloration: grey background. |
C. k. orientalis |
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Syria, Lebanon, Palestine |
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Scalation details: 10 somewhat irregular longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles that are keeled and heart-shaped; 26-30 ventral scales across midbody. |
C. k. ponticus |
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N & C Turkey |
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Scalation details: 10-14 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; 26-31 ventral scales across midbody; 2-5 preanal pores; 1-2 postanal tubercles; 17-21 subdigital lamellae. |
C. k. rumelicus |
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SW Bulgaria |
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Scalation details: closely related to C. k. saronicus but subcaudal plates on regenerated tail are divided. |
C. k. saronicus |
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Greece (W. & C. Cylades, Saron Islands and Seriphos, Mykonos, Naxos and Ikaria in northern Cyclades) |
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Closely related to C. k. tinensis except as follows. Scalation details: similar to C. k. tinensis but tubercles on upper thigh are separated. |
C. k. schulzewestrumi |
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Greece (Valaxa Island in Siros Archipelago) |
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Closely related to nominate subspecies, except as follows. Scalation details: 12 longitudinal dorsal rows of tubercles; 6 tubercles on upper thigh; 30 ventrals; males 3-5 preanal pores. |
C. k. solerii |
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Greece (southern Cyclades, Astipalaia) |
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Scalation details: closely related to T. saronicus but dorsal and upper thigh tubercles three times longer than granual dorsal tubercles. |
C. k. skopjensis |
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N Macedonia |
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Scalation details: closely related to C. k. saronicus but dorsal tubercles in 10 longitudinal rows. |
C. k. stepaneki |
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Greece (Megali Sofranow Island in Dodecanese) |
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Closely related to C. k. oertzeni but differs as follows. Coloration: red background. |
C. k. syriacus |
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N Syria |
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Scalation details: 10-14 longitudinal rows of large keeled dorsal tubercles; 24-26 ventral scales across midbody; 4-5 preanal pores; original tail covered ventrally by 2 scales close to vent and 1 row of enlarged scales on the remainder. |
C. k. tinensis |
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Greece (northern Cyclades) |
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Scalation details: up to 33 longitudinal rows of tubercles across abdomen; 12 rows of dorsal tubercles; 3 tubercles on upper thigh; 6 rows of caudal tubercles; males lack preanal pores. |
C. k. wettsteini |
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Greece (coast of E Crete) |
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Scalation details: dorsal tubercles 3 times longer than granular dorsal scales. |
C. longipes |
Long-Legged Thin-Toed Gecko |
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?? [Szczerbakov & Golubev]. |
C. l. longipes |
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C. l. microlepis |
Small-Scaled Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. l. voraginosus |
Southwest Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. montiumsalsorum |
Salt Range Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. russowi |
Grey Thin-Toed Gecko [D: Transkaspischer Nacktfinger] |
Russia, Transcaucasus region, N & E Iran, Central Asia inc. Kazakhstan, to NW China |
TL 11cm; SVL approx 5½cm |
This species differs from its congenerics by having a shorter tail and the head and body being less flattened. As with other Cyrtopodion species, it is more day active in spring and autumn than in summer. More terrestrial than its relatives, it may move up to 100m or more from its shelter during nocturnal activity. Scalation details: 3 nasals, of which 1st separated from each other by 1-3 (usually 2) scales; 8-11 supralabials; 6-10 infralabials; scales across head 15-24; mental scale triangular or pentagonal; 1-3 (usually 2) pairs of mentals, of which 1st pair usually in contact, or separated by 1-3 (usually 2) scales. Dorsal scalation: 10-12 rows of oval or oval-triangular dorsal tubercles, keeled; additional dorsal tubercles usually present. Ventral scalation: 23-34 rows across midbody. Other: fairly well-developed smooth subcaudal plates; scales of tail (except tuberlces) and limbs smooth, except occasional separate scales on forearm may be feebly keeled; 15-24 subdigital lamellae; 2-6 preanal pores. Coloration: variable according to conditions and habitat, but generally lighter if conditions are favourable: dorsally ashen- or brownish-grey with narrow, dark M-shaped or transverse bands; top of head covered with small dark spots; dark longitudinal stripe on sides of head, often with light edges, continuing onto sides of neck and sometimes onto body. See Szczerbak & Golubev for details of coloration, conditions and habitat. Reproduction: females larger than males and lack preanal pores. Given favourable circumstances, females may lay several clutches in summer. [SOURCES: Szczerbak & Golubev, Engelmann et al]. |
C. r. russowi |
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Scalation details: 1st pair of postmentals usually in contact; Ventral scalation: 100-130 ventral transverse rows from chin to vent; 25-34 longitudinal ventral rows. |
C. r. zarudnyi |
Zarudnyi's Thin-Toed Gecko |
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Scalation details: 1st pair of postmentals always separated by 1-2 scales. Ventral scalation: 94-105 transverse rows from chin to vent; 23-26 longitudinal ventral rows. |
C. sagittiferum |
Bampur Thin-Toed Gecko |
Iran |
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C. scabrum |
Rough Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. spinicaudum |
Spiny-Tailed Thin-Toed Gecko |
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C. tibetanus |
Tibetan Thin-Toed Gecko |
China (Xizang/Tibet) |
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C. turcmenicum |
Turkmenian Thin-Toed Gecko |
S Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan |
??cm SVL |
?? [Szczerbakov & Golubev]. |
C. watsoni |
Pakistani Thin-Toed Gecko |
Afghanistan, Pakistan |
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