As with other Philippine Cyrtodactylus, this species is nocturnal, and can often be encountered on the butresses of trees, exposed root bundles, and rocky outcrops along river drainages.
Cyrtodactylus gubaot is the third member of the C. agusanensis Species Complex, and is similarly colored and patterned to other members of the complex. It has a blue-gray dorsal ground color overlain with medium to dark brown transverse body bands with moderate longitudinal projections. The tail coloration is similar to other Philippine Cyrtodactylus,with darker bands overlaying a light brown ground color.
Cyrtodactylus gubaot is extremely common at and around its type locality
We have evaluated this species against the IUCN criteria for classification, and find that it does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened status. Cyrtodactylus gubaot has been documented to have a broad geographic distribution and is quite abundant at all sampled localities. We therefore classify this species as Least Concern, LC (IUCN, 2010).
Cyrtodactylus gubaot generally exhibits a medium brown ground color overlain with dark brown blotches and transverse bands. This species has indistinct head patterning, except for the presence of a medium brown canthal stripe, extending from the nostril to the anterior margin of the orbit, continuing from the eye into the nuchal region. The canthal stripe is often bordered ventrally by a dark or medium brown longitudinal stripe. The labial scales are conspicuously patterned with irregular light cream to white spots. The remaining portions of the head are generally patterned with irregular dark brown mottling over a medium brown ground color. Occiput patterned with subtriangular dark blotch, followed posteriorly by dark brown longitudinal stripes, laterally through mid-nuchal region; nuchal region characterized by continuation of dark lateral stripes, bordered by partial, ground-colored stripe ventrally, then by ventrolateral region of mottled dark and medium brown region; trunk generally with four dark brown transverse bands, characterized by moderately severe anterior and posterior longitudinal elongations on either side of vertebal column, conferring a vague "bow-tie_ shape; dorsal bands occasionaly connected by irregularly broken dark brown longitudinal stripe laterally; light colored dorsal bands with two or three conspicuous dark brown spots, occuring in alternation with longitudinal elongations of dorsal bands;
Cyrtodactylus gubaot can be distinguished from other members of the C. agusanensis Species Complex by vaious combinations of: (1) snout–vent length; numbers of (2) midbody dorsals; (3) paravertebrals; (4) postclacal lateral tubercles; (5) tuberculate caudal annuli; (6) ventral coloration; (7) the presence of a canthal stripe; (8) the severity of longitudinal elongation of dorsal body bands; (9) dark dorsal body ands fully enclosing light bands; and (10) the relative size of cephalic tubercles. This species can be diagnosed from all other Philippine congeners by combinations of: (1) ventral coloration; (2) cephalic tubercle size; (3) presence of a canthal stripe; (4) number of subdigital lamellae beneath Toe IV; (5) the presence of femoral pore-bearing scales; (6) number of midbody tubercle rows; (7) dark dorsal body bands fully enclosing light bands; (8) snout–vent length; (9) number of post-cloacal lateral tubercles; (10) number of subdigital lamellae beneath Finger III; (11) number of tuberculate caudal annuli; (12) severity of longitudinal dorsal band projections; and the number of (13) midbody ventrals; and (14) paravertebrals.
Cyrtodactylus gubaot has only been documented in forested habitats on the western side of Leyte Island, but is likely distributed throughout the island, as well as on several of the smaller adjacent islands.
Like all Philippine Bent-toed gekkos, Cyrtodactylus gubaot prefers exposed roots overhanging stream banks, from trunks of trees bordering flowing water, and from large boulders in river and stream beds.
The specific epihet for Cyrtodactylus gubaot is a combination of the Leyte dialect (Waray-waray) terms guba (forest) and buot (spirit, essence) in reference to our observation that the new species is one of the most abundant and commonly observed reptiles from the forests of central Leyte Island.
Mindanao Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex
Cyrtodactylus gubaot has been encountered in riparian, stream side habitats in well-regenerated secondary growth forests through heavily disturbed habitats.
This species will most likely be confused with other members of the Cyrtodactylus agusanensis Species Complex, but can be discerned by a variety of morphological and distributional characteristics.
As with other Philippine Bent-toed gekkos, Cyrtodactylus gubaot relies on riparian habitat corridors, gallery forests, and vegetation a few meters from the banks of rivers and streams. Preservation of this habitat is essential for maintaining this species in the future.
The mostly likely threats to this species come from habitat alteration and loss. As with all Philippine Cyrtodactylus, upland riparian corridors and karst outcrops are preferred habitats, and essential to the preservation of this species.
Cyrtodactylus gubaot is a species of gecko that is endemic to Leyte in the Philippines.[1]
