Hemiphyllodactylus cattien

Hemiphyllodactylus cattien (Hemiphyllodactylus cattien) is a gecko recorded for Vietnam in the project inventory. The supporting occurrence note is “Expert range list”. Retaining the exact scientific name is especially important because Vietnam has exceptional gecko diversity, many species are known from very small areas, and taxonomic revisions continue to separate close-looking populations. The account therefore distinguishes confirmed identity and occurrence from broader natural-history context (project species data; Reptile Database taxonomy).

Hemiphyllodactylus are very small, slender geckos with reduced digits and expanded terminal pads, usually active at night on trees, rocks or cave walls in humid forest. They feed on tiny arthropods and hide beneath bark or in narrow crevices. Many Vietnamese species are locality endemics diagnosed by pattern, scale counts and genetics. These are genus-level traits rather than exact species-specific natural-history measurements (general Hemiphyllodactylus ecology; Reptile Database).