This shy little gecko is fittingly economical with its bold colouring. Only the males of Gonatodes timidus – such as the top two lizards in the photo above – get the high-vis paint job, and then only on their heads. No surprise, then, that the species was scientifically named just two years ago after Philippe Kok of the Free University of Brussels, Belgium, came across it in Iwokrama Forest Reserve, Guyana.
Now it's a poster reptile for the Amazon Species Report 2010-2013 from conservation organisation WWF. The report compiles all the new Amazon rainforest species named during those years – an impressive total of 441 plants and animals. With rainforest habitat continually being lost, though, biologists had better keep catching them while they can.
More extraordinary lizard colour schemes are on show in "Fighting iguanas are real-life Game of Thrones dragons".
Journal reference: Zootaxa, vol 3018, p 1
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.
Have your say
Only subscribers may leave comments on this article. Please log in.
Only personal subscribers may leave comments on this article
All comments should respect the New Scientist House Rules. If you think a particular comment breaks these rules then please use the "Report" link in that comment to report it to us.
If you are having a technical problem posting a comment, please contact technical support.
