| Geckolepis megalepis | |
|---|---|
| |
| A & B: Adults with scales intact C: Adult without scales | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Gekkonidae |
| Genus: | Geckolepis |
| Species: | G. megalepis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Geckolepis megalepis Scherz, Daza, Köhler, Vences & Glaw, 2017
| |
Geckolepis megalepis is a species of gecko found in the limestone karst formations of northern Madagascar. It is the first addition to the Geckolepis genus since 1942.[1] This species of gecko has the largest scales of any known gecko and can detach them as a defence mechanism when a predator attacks, leaving the predator with a mouthful of scales rather than itself;[1] a character it shares with all other members of the genus Geckolepis. Its scales were reported to come away with greater ease than its congeners.[1]
- ^ a b c Scherz, Mark D.; Daza, Juan D.; Köhler, Jörn; Vences, Miguel; Glaw, Frank (2017). "Off the scale: a new species of fish-scale gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Geckolepis) with exceptionally large scales". PeerJ. 5: e2955. doi:10.7717/peerj.2955. PMC 5299998. PMID 28194313.