Madagascar’s Latest Microendemic Gecko Discovery

Local⁣ community-managed reserves play a crucial ​role in ‌preserving endangered species like P. tsaranoro.

Teh finding of a New Gecko ​Species in Madagascar

A team of international‍ herpetologists has recently identified a new⁤ gecko species that has‍ been‍ hiding in plain sight among the granite boulders on ⁢the western side of the‌ Andringitra Massif, located in south-eastern⁤ Madagascar. The newly discovered species, named Paragehyra tsaranoro after ⁣the Tsaranoro ⁤valley where it⁢ was frist observed, is not only endemic to Madagascar but also⁤ considered a microendemic species due to its extremely limited range.

The researchers published their findings​ in the journal ZooKeys and explained that the species has only been found in ⁤three small forest fragments within a range of approximately fifteen kilometers. These‍ patches are remnants of what ​was once a larger and continuous forest that has been destroyed due to widespread⁤ deforestation in Madagascar.