gecko does striptease to avoid becoming lunch
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Gecko does 'striptease' to avoid becoming lunch

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Gecko does 'striptease' to avoid becoming lunch

A newly-discovered gecko, the Geckolepis Megalepis, is a resident of Madagascar and uses an ingenious tactic to evade capture
Paris - AFP

A newly-discovered gecko uses a weird but ingenious tactic to evade capture: it strips down to its pink, naked skin and flees, leaving its attacker with a mouthful of scales, scientists have revealed.

The hard, dense flakes come off with "exceptional ease" and grow back in a matter of weeks, a team of researchers reported in the journal PeerJ this week.

Dubbed Geckolepis megalepis, the little lizard was previously confused with another member of the family of fish-scale geckos, known for their large, sheddable scales.

But closer scientific scrutiny revealed it is a species quite apart -- boasting the largest scales of any gecko. And it is more skilled than any other at shedding them at even the slightest touch.

G. megalepis is resident in Madagascar.

"This remarkable ability has made these geckos a serious challenge to scientists who want to study them," said a statement from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

"One of the main ways reptile species can be told apart is by their scale patterns, but these geckos lose their scales with such ease that the patterns are often lost," added study co-author Mark Scherz.

Methods have included trying to catch them with bundles of cotton wool or luring them untouched into plastic bags.

"You have to think outside the box with Geckolepis," said Scherz. "They are a nightmare to identify."

Without its scales, the matchbox-sized critter is not much to look at -- resembling a piece of pink, raw chicken. But alive.

Apart from noting the exceptionally large scales, the team used micro-CT scanning to examine skeletons for other distinguishing characteristics, such as skull width and length.

Among G. megalepis' unique traits is a smaller "attachment area" -- where the scales meet the skin -- than other fish-scale geckos. This is what allows the flakes to tear from the skin so easily, without leaving a scar.

The creature's name was derived from the Greek megas for "very large", and lepis for "scale."

It is the first new gecko species to be described in 75 years. 

Reptiles, including geckos, are known for the ability to shed a body part, often all or part of the tail, to escape predator attack.

Few geckos survive to adulthood with their original tails intact, the study authors said.

Scientists are interested in the regeneration ability of lizards for restorative medicine, possibly re-growing lost limbs for accident survivors one day. 

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

gecko does striptease to avoid becoming lunch gecko does striptease to avoid becoming lunch

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

gecko does striptease to avoid becoming lunch gecko does striptease to avoid becoming lunch

 



GMT 12:47 2016 Thursday ,01 September

'La La Land' musical masterpiece dazzles Venice film fest

GMT 12:42 2017 Monday ,20 February

Dalia al-Behairy begins 'Yawmiyat Zoga Mafrosa'

GMT 19:01 2017 Wednesday ,30 August

Oil prices down as US reels from Harvey

GMT 04:19 2017 Monday ,08 May

National forces attack mercenaries in Taiz

GMT 19:21 2017 Sunday ,07 May

Iranian Film Week opens in Baghdad

GMT 21:33 2017 Sunday ,30 July

Arab Quartet meeting kicks off in Bahrain

GMT 17:17 2016 Friday ,07 October

Aleppo bleeds as US and Russia spar

GMT 12:03 2015 Monday ,21 December

Nepal protester killed in constitutional crisis clash

GMT 09:47 2016 Thursday ,22 December

Trump vows to cut F-35 spending, as leaked memo

GMT 21:44 2017 Friday ,15 December

King establishes Hawar Development Committee

GMT 20:57 2017 Tuesday ,16 May

Naval Forces rescue 23 tourists in Hurghada

GMT 12:56 2017 Monday ,11 December

Lyon leave it late, Balotelli with Nice winner

GMT 06:18 2017 Thursday ,19 October

Russian delegation meets with Julphar chairman

GMT 21:20 2017 Monday ,23 October

Nasr, delegation of London Stock Exchange

GMT 14:40 2012 Saturday ,10 March

Magdy Al-Galad steps down

GMT 09:47 2017 Sunday ,12 March

Cat Camp in New York attracts cat lovers

GMT 14:57 2016 Friday ,09 September

Madonna, Ritchie settle child custody dispute

GMT 23:52 2017 Monday ,18 September

UAE economic growth boosting logistics sector
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday