‘Large' camouflaged creature found on Angola rocks. It's a ‘cryptic' new species
It turned out to be a new species.
A team of researchers spent several years doing 'extensive' wildlife surveys 'in some of the less explored coastal regions of southern Angola,' according to a study published June 27 in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. Some of their searches focused on a 'poorly understood' group of lizards known as Namib day geckos.
Between 2020 and 2025, researchers found a dozen 'large' camouflaged geckos that didn't look like any known species, the study said. Intrigued, scientists took a closer look at the lizards, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Rhoptropus crypticus, or the cryptic Namib day gecko.
Cryptic Namib day geckos are considered 'large sized,' reaching just under 4 inches in length, the study said. They have 'elongated' fingers and toes.
Photos show the tan-gray coloring of the new species. Its back has orange and gray markings with a scattering of darker brown blotches.
Researchers named the new species after the Latin word for ''hidden' or 'concealed'' because of its 'cryptic or camouflaged nature.'
Cryptic Namib day geckos are rock-dwelling lizards 'found moving among vertical surfaces of large boulders in the spiny arid savanna,' the study said. Much about their lifestyle and behavior remains unknown.
Researchers suspect the new species lives in 'high isolation' because its preferred habitat is 'quite rare in the area.'
So far, cryptic Namib day geckos have been found in a 'very restricted area' of Namibe Province, a coastal region of southwestern Angola that borders Namibia. Angola also borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Zambia.
The new species was identified by its size, scale pattern, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 16% genetic divergence from other related geckos.
The research team included Javier Lobón-Rovira, Matthew Heinicke, Aaron Bauer, Werner Conradie and Pedro Vaz Pinto.
The team also discovered two more new species: the large-spotted Namib day gecko and the miniature Namib day gecko.
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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
‘Large' camouflaged creature found on Angola rocks. It's a ‘cryptic' new species
In a savanna of southwestern Africa, a 'large' creature climbed along some boulders. Its remote home and camouflaged coloring helped it go largely unnoticed — until it caught the attention of visiting scientists. It turned out to be a new species. A team of researchers spent several years doing 'extensive' wildlife surveys 'in some of the less explored coastal regions of southern Angola,' according to a study published June 27 in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. Some of their searches focused on a 'poorly understood' group of lizards known as Namib day geckos. Between 2020 and 2025, researchers found a dozen 'large' camouflaged geckos that didn't look like any known species, the study said. Intrigued, scientists took a closer look at the lizards, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Rhoptropus crypticus, or the cryptic Namib day gecko. Cryptic Namib day geckos are considered 'large sized,' reaching just under 4 inches in length, the study said. They have 'elongated' fingers and toes. Photos show the tan-gray coloring of the new species. Its back has orange and gray markings with a scattering of darker brown blotches. Researchers named the new species after the Latin word for ''hidden' or 'concealed'' because of its 'cryptic or camouflaged nature.' Cryptic Namib day geckos are rock-dwelling lizards 'found moving among vertical surfaces of large boulders in the spiny arid savanna,' the study said. Much about their lifestyle and behavior remains unknown. Researchers suspect the new species lives in 'high isolation' because its preferred habitat is 'quite rare in the area.' So far, cryptic Namib day geckos have been found in a 'very restricted area' of Namibe Province, a coastal region of southwestern Angola that borders Namibia. Angola also borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The new species was identified by its size, scale pattern, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 16% genetic divergence from other related geckos. The research team included Javier Lobón-Rovira, Matthew Heinicke, Aaron Bauer, Werner Conradie and Pedro Vaz Pinto. The team also discovered two more new species: the large-spotted Namib day gecko and the miniature Namib day gecko.
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
‘Large' creature seen running ‘rapidly' on rocks in Angola. It's a new species
In a remote region of southwestern Africa, a 'large' patterned creature perched on some rocks until something spooked it. It ran 'rapidly to escape' but couldn't avoid the attention of nearby scientists — and for good reason. It turned out to be a new species. A team of researchers spent eight years doing 'extensive' surveys of 'the less explored coastal regions' of southwestern Angola in search of reptiles, according to a study published June 27 in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. The surveys focused on a 'still poorly understood' group of lizards known as Namib day geckos. Sure enough, between 2017 and 2025, researchers found roughly a dozen 'large' and unfamiliar-looking geckos, the study said. They took a closer look at the animals, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Rhoptropus megocellus, or the large-spotted Namib day gecko. Large-spotted Namib day geckos are considered 'large sized,' reaching about 3.5 inches in length, the study said. They have 'raised' scales around their nostrils forming an 'inflated nostril rim' and 'elongated' fingers and toes. Photos show the tan-brown geckos and their spotted pattern. Some of the blotches 'on the neck may be in contact, giving a collar-like appearance,' the study said. Researchers said they named the new species after the ancient Greek word for 'large' and a Latin word meaning 'eye spot' because of its 'distinctive large' markings. Large-spotted Namib day geckos are 'strictly rock-dwelling, always found on large, flattened granitic boulders, where (they) can run rapidly to escape,' the study said. The geckos were 'frequently found hiding under' rock flakes. So far, large-spotted Namib day geckos have been found at several sites in Namibe Province, a coastal region of southwestern Angola that borders Namibia. Angola also borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The new species was identified by its size, scale pattern, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 13% genetic divergence from other related geckos. The research team included Javier Lobón-Rovira, Matthew Heinicke, Aaron Bauer, Werner Conradie and Pedro Vaz Pinto. The team also discovered two more new species: the cryptic Namib day gecko and the miniature Namib day gecko.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Miami Herald
‘Leaf-toed' creature found ‘wandering' at night in Cambodia. It's a new species
Night stretched across western Cambodia, coaxing a 'leaf-toed' creature from its hiding place and onto the boulders. Its 'reddish'-gold eyes scanned the surrounding landscape, but it wasn't the only one searching. Nearby scientists noticed the spotted animal — and discovered a new species. A team of researchers visited some poorly known karstic rock formations in Battambang Province in March 2024 to survey reptiles and amphibians. Karstic habitats generally have high levels of biodiversity so the team expected to find some interesting animals, according to a study published June 30 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. During their visit, researchers encountered over a dozen unfamiliar-looking geckos, the study said. Intrigued, they took a closer look at the lizards, analyzed their DNA and quickly realized they'd discovered a new species: Dixonius noctivagus, or the Battambang leaf-toed gecko. Battambang leaf-toed geckos are considered 'small,' reaching just over 4 inches in length, the study said. They have 'flat' snouts and 'moderate'-sized eyes with a 'reddish'-gold mosaic-like pattern. Its 'short' fingers and toes have 'expanded,' 'leaf'-like pads. Photos show the new species' coloring. Overall, its body is light brown with darker brown blotches almost resembling leopard spots. Battambang leaf-toed geckos were found on karstic boulders, 'a cement wall' and on the ground nearby, the study said. Several female geckos were found pregnant with 'two eggs, indicating that breeding probably occurs in February and March.' Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin words for 'night' and 'vagrant or wandering' because of its 'nocturnal activity.' The new species' common name refers to the site in Battambang Province where it was first discovered and, so far, the only place where it has been found. The range of these geckos 'undoubtedly extends farther in all directions,' researchers said. Battambang Province is in western Cambodia and along the border with Thailand. Cambodia also borders Laos and Vietnam. The new species was identified by its scale pattern, coloring, pores and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 7% genetic divergence from other related geckos. The research team included L. Lee Grismer, Pablo Sinovas, Evan Quah, Sothearen Thi, Phyroum Chourn, Sophea Chhin, Seiha Hun, Anthony Cobos, Christian Ching, Matthew Murdoch, Jeren Gregory, Eddie Nguyen, Alex Hernandez, Amanda Kaatz and Jesse Grismer. The team also discovered two more new species of gecko in the same rocky habitat: the Kamping Poi bent-toed gecko and Khpoh slender gecko. 'Small and cryptic species like these newly described geckos often escape notice,' study co-author Sinovas said in a June 30 news release from Flora & Fauna. 'Bringing them to light is just the beginning of an exciting journey, one we hope will lead to the protection of these remarkable karst landscapes.' 'Cambodia's karst landscapes remain largely uncharted, their vast biodiversity still underreported, yet they face increasing pressure from human activities — from tourism development to industrial-scale destruction caused by mining for building materials,' Sinovas said in the release. 'We must prioritise the protection of these fragile karst ecosystems before rare species are lost forever.'
