Cnemaspis psychedelica
| Psychedelic Rock Gecko | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Infraorder: | Gekkota |
| Family: | Gekkonidae |
| Genus: | Cnemaspis |
| Species: | C. psychedelica |
| Binomial name | |
| Cnemaspis psychedelica Grismer, Ngo & Grismer, 2010 | |
Cnemaspis psychedelica, also known as the psychedelic rock gecko (Tac ke duoi vang in Romanized Vietnamese), is an endangered species of gecko, only scientifically described in 2010, and is endemic to Hon Khoai Island and adjacent Hon Tuong Isle in Vietnam. It is up to ~7.5 cm (3 in) in snout–vent length, and (as suggested by its name) it is quite brightly colored in yellow, orange, black and grey-blue.
This diurnal gecko inhabits granite boulders in densely vegetated landscapes where it retreats into crevices or under the rocks if startled. These locations also used for sleeping at night. Each female typically lays two white eggs that are attached 0.3–3.5 m (1–11.5 ft) above the ground to the underside of a rock ledge (in captivity, they will use various elevated surfaces, not just rocks) and several females may use the same location, forming a communal nest with up to ten eggs. Newly hatched young are quite dull, but the adult colours are already evident when two months old.