Indian Golden Gecko

The Indian golden gecko, also known as Beddome’s golden gecko, is an endemic reptile of the Eastern Ghats in India. First described in 1870 by R. H. Beddome, the species remained unseen for more than a century until its rediscovery in the 1980s near present-day Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the most distinctive geckos of peninsular India, notable for its unique morphology, communal nesting behaviour and restricted geographic range.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

Calodactylodes aureus belongs to the family Gekkonidae.The genus name Calodactylodes derives from Calodactylus, meaning “beautiful fingers”, a reference to the specialised digital structures characteristic of the group.The species is often linked with Beddome due to his original description, and its rediscovery rekindled scientific interest in the reptile diversity of the Eastern Ghats.

Physical Description

The Indian golden gecko exhibits several distinctive anatomical features:

• Digits: Slender at the base, expanding into broad, trapezoidal pads with square scales beneath. Each pad is composed of two large plates separated by a longitudinal groove. All digits bear retractile claws, although the inner digit lacks the penultimate expansion.
• Body and scales: The dorsum is covered with small granular scales interspersed with larger rounded tubercles. Ventral scales are smooth, flat, square and juxtaposed, arranged like bricks.
• Head: Large, oviform and clearly distinct from the neck, with pronounced supraorbital and canthal ridges. The head bears several depressions including frontal, postnasal and loreal concavities. The snout is longer than the distance between the eye and ear opening, approximately 1.3 times the orbital diameter.
• Labials: Typically 12–13 upper and an equal number of lower labials. Chinshields are absent, with polygonal scales grading into granular throat scales.
• Tail: Long, cylindrical and slender, with large square scales beneath.
• Colouration: Dorsal surfaces are brownish white with golden tones, often vermiculated or dotted with darker brown. Ventral surfaces are pale and whitish.

These characters collectively give the gecko its distinctive appearance and justify its common name.

Geographic Range

The species is confined to rocky slopes and ravines of the Eastern Ghats in India. Important localities include:

• Tirupati Hills, Andhra Pradesh
• Mukurthi National Park, Tamil Nadu
• Other scattered, rocky landscapes throughout the Eastern Ghats

Its range reflects a strong association with ancient geological formations such as the Eparchaean Unconformity, where shaded crevices and rock faces offer ideal microhabitats.

Habitat

The Indian golden gecko favours:

• Dark, shaded ravines
• Rocky escarpments
• Moist areas near hill streams

These environments provide both shelter and humidity essential for survival. The species often remains concealed within narrow rock fissures during the day.

Behaviour and Ecology

The species is primarily rock-dwelling, using its expanded digits to cling to vertical surfaces. Its movement and agility reflect adaptations to rugged terrain.
One of the most remarkable aspects of its biology is communal egg laying. Mature females deposit their eggs—often over 300 eggs in a single communal nest—in moist, sheltered cavities near water. This behaviour suggests site fidelity and may provide protection from predation and environmental fluctuation.

Reproduction

Eggs are typically attached to substrates such as rock surfaces in clusters. The communal nature of nesting is a notable ecological strategy, with many females contributing to the same egg site. Moisture-rich environments, such as areas near streams, are preferred.

Scientific Importance

Because the species was overlooked for more than a century after its first description, its rediscovery in the 1980s prompted renewed interest in the reptile diversity of the Eastern Ghats. Subsequent studies have examined its reproductive ecology, digital morphology and habitat requirements.

Conservation Significance

Although detailed assessments are ongoing, the Indian golden gecko’s restricted distribution and reliance on specialised rocky habitats make it vulnerable to:

• Habitat disturbance
• Quarrying
• Deforestation and land-use change