Gekko monarchus ( Schlegel, 1836 )

Karin, Benjamin R., Stubbs, Alexander L., Arifin, Umilaela, Bloch, Luke M., Ramadhan, G., Iskandar, Djoko T., Arida, Evy, Reilly, Sean B., Kusnadi, Agus & Mcguire, Jimmy A., 2018, The herpetofauna of the Kei Islands (Maluku, Indonesia): Comprehensive report on new and historical collections, biogeographic patterns, conservation concerns, and an annotated checklist of species from Kei Kecil, Kei Besar, Tam, and Kur, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 66, pp. 704-738 : 717

Gekko monarchus ( Schlegel, 1836)

Type locality. Ambon, Indonesia .

Distribution in the Kei Islands. We found no Gekko monarchus on the Kei Islands, though it was previously reported present by Roux (1910) and de Rooij (1915). The WAM expedition collected G. monarchus from Kei Besar, and Roux (1910) collected it from Kei Dulah.

Natural history. This is a common human commensal across Southeast Asia. Found at night on human structures with dim lighting, feeding on insects and other geckos.

Field identification. This species is distinguished from Gekko vittatus populations in Maluku by its more mottled colouration and lack of a white dorsal stripe bifurcating at the neck. Dorsal colouration mottled grey to tan. All digits possess a claw, have little to no webbing, are slightly dilated, and possess undivided scansors. Tail cylindrical, sometimes with dark bands especially pronounced in juveniles. Across its range, males possess a series of 32–40 femoral pores, SVL to 95 mm, tail to 110 mm ( de Rooij, 1915, p. 54–55).