Gekko romblon is one of ten currently recognized, endemic species of Gekko in the Philippines. This species has been found on karst outcrops and cave systems at low elevation on the islands of Romblon, Tablas and Sibuyan, all members of the Romblon Island Group in the central Philippines. The recent discoveries of several species of limestone microhabitat specialist geckos (including Gekko carusadensis and Gekko gigante) emphasize the need for focused surveys throughout limestone forests in the Philippines. Gekko romblon is currently known from the major islands of the Romblon Island Group.
Recent studies and increased survey efforts throughout the Philippines have resulted in a dramatic increase in the diversity of gekkonid lizards in the country. The archipelago is now known to support ten genera and at least 48 described species in the genera Cyrtodactylus (9 species), Gekko (12–13), Gehyra (1), Hemidactylus (5; including platyurus, a species formerly assigned to Cosymbotus), Hemiphyllodactylus (2), Lepidodactylus (6), Luperosaurus (8), Pseudogekko (4), and Ptychozoon (1) (Taylor, 1922a,b; Brown and Alcala, 1978; Brown and Diesmos, 2000; Brown et al., 1997, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2009, in press; Gaulke et al., 2007; Linkem et al., 2010; Welton et al., 2009, 2010a, b; Zug, 2010).
Ten species of Gekko are considered endemic to the archipelago (Brown et al., 2009; Linkem et al., 2010) and two additional species with broad geographic distributions (G. gecko, G. monarchus) are also known from the country (Taylor, 1922a, b; Brown and Alcala, 1978; Ota et al., 1989). The ten endemic Philippine species are G. athymus, G. carusadensis, G. crombota, G. ernstkelleri, G. gigante, G. mindorensis, G. palawanensis, G. porosus, G. romblon, and G. rossi. These species represent a considerable range in body size, general appearance, and ecological attributes, but all possess the following combination of morphological traits: (1) body size moderate, with relatively long, slender limbs; (2) near complete absence of interdigital webbing or cutaneous body expansions; (3) dorsal tubercles arranged in longitudinal rows on the dorsum (except for G. athymus, in which dorsal tuberculation is absent); (4) scales of dorsum between tubercle rows minute, non-imbricate; (5) scales of venter enlarged, imbricate, flat; (6) differentiated postmentals elongate; and (7) subcaudals enlarged, plate-like (Brown and Alcala, 1978; Brown et al., 2007, 2008, 2009).
Gekko romblon can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters (1) medium body size (SVL 62.7–89.2 mm for adult males; 58.6–72.5 for females); (2) vertebral coloration light with dark vertebral blotches; (3) supralabials 11–14; (4) preanofemorals 71–84; (5) Toe IV scansors 12 or 13; (6) internasals contacting rostral 1 or 2; (7) scales contacting nostril 5; (8) midbody ventral scales 37–42; (9) midbody dorsal scales 102–108; (10) midbody tubercle rows 12–15; (11) vertebral tubercles in axilla–groin distance 18–24; (12) paravertebral scales in axilla–groin distance 175–195; (13) ventral scales in axilla–groin distance 63–66.
Gekko romblon, as currently recognized, is known from Tablas, romblon, and Sibuyan islands in the romblon Island Group located in the central Philippines.
Gekko romblon is recognized to occur in the romblon Island Group in the central Philippines.
SVL 62.7–89.2 mm for adult males; 58.6–72.5 for females
Tablas Island, romblon Island Group, central Philippines.
Gekko romblon, also known as the Philippine gecko or the Romblon narrow-disked gecko, is a species of gecko. It is found in the Philippines.[2]
Gekko romblon, also known as the Philippine gecko or the Romblon narrow-disked gecko, is a species of gecko. It is found in the Philippines.
