Imphal: A rare dark brown and purple bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus sp.) was recently sighted in the forested areas of Marongkhui and Hunphun villages in Manipur’s Ukhrul district, near the Myanmar border.
Ramshim Zimik and Shimreisa Ragui, residents of the district, discovered the reptile near a rivulet in the Tuira farmland, where it was found living in decaying wood.
According to a 2024 report by Lasota et al. on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, this species is classified as threatened. Recognizing its uniqueness, Zimik captured and later released the gecko back into its natural habitat.
The creature is approximately 25 cm in length and weighs about 100 grams, featuring four legs and sticky toe pads. Shimreisa Ragui identified its local name as Chirang haipho.
The gecko has a whitish belly with dark transverse blotches on its back. It is nocturnal, and its habitat includes secondary forests, bamboo groves, small rocky streams, and waterfalls.
Ersilia Jajo of the Department of Zoology, Pettigrew College, Ukhrul, stated that the species is rarely observed in the area.
This sighting follows the 2021 recording of a similar species, Cyrtodactylus namtiram (Namtiram bent-toed gecko), in the Tamenglong district of Manipur.