Thai National Parks

Species of Thailand

Kuhl's parachute gecko

Gekko kuhli

Leonhard Hess Stejneger, 1902

In Thai: ตุ๊กแกบินหางเรียบ

Ptychozoon kuhli, commonly known as Kuhl's flying gecko or the common flying gecko, is a species of Asian gecko.

Etymology

The specific name, kuhli, is in honor of German zoologist Heinrich Kuhl.

Description

P. kuhli has adaptations to its skin, including flaps on either side of its body, webbed feet, and a flattened tail to allow it to glide over short distances. These geckos have a remarkable camouflage. The flaps of skin along their sides help them blend with tree bark. Often, the eyes are the only way to see them.

Flying geckos, like many other gecko species, have evolved intricate toe pads with microscopic hairs that can adhere to nearly any surface, including glass.

Geographic range

P. kuhli is found in Southern Thailand (Nakhon Si Thammarat, Satun, Pattani), Myanmar, northeastern India, Malaysian Peninsula (incl. Pulau Tioman, Johor: Pulau Besar), Nicobar Islands, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Simalur), and Singapore.

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Scientific classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Subphylum
Vertebrata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Suborder
Lacertilia
Family
Gekkonidae
Genus
Gekko
Species
Gekko kuhli

Common names

  • German: Kuhls Faltengecko
  • English:
    • Kuhl’s parachute gecko
    • Gliding gecko
    • Kuhl's flying gecko
  • Thai: ตุ๊กแกบินหางเรียบ

Synonyms

  • Ptychozoon kulhli sic, Eric Rodger Pianka & Laurie Joseph Vitt (2003)
  • Ptychozoon kuhli, Tanya Chan-Ard et al. (1999)
  • Ptychozoon kuhlii, Merel J. Cox et al. (1998)
  • Ptychozoon kuhli, Arnold Girard Kluge (1993)
  • Ptychozoon kuhli, Edward Harrison Taylor (1963)
  • Ptychozoon homalocephalum, Nelly de Rooij (1915)
  • Ptychozoon kuhli, Leonhard Hess Stejneger (1902)
  • Ptychozoon homalocephalum, George Albert Boulenger (1885)
  • Ptychozoon homalocephalum, Albert Charles Lewis Günther (1864)
  • Platydactylus homalocephalus, André Marie Constant Duméril & Gabriel Bibron (1836)

Conservation status

Not Evaluated (IUCN3.1)

Not Evaluated (IUCN3.1)

Range Map

Distribution map of Kuhl's parachute gecko, Gekko kuhli in Thailand
  • Betong District, Yala
  • Khao Phanom Bencha National Park
  • Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Thale Ban National Park
  • Yan Ta Khao District, Trang
Range map of Gekko kuhli in Thailand