In March 2026, the description ofΒ Luperosaurus alvarezi, a new species of fringed forest gecko from the Philippines, was published in PeerJΒ by Camila G. Menesesβ and Rafe M. Brown.
ππͺπ₯ππ§π€π¨ππͺπ§πͺπ¨ ππ‘π«ππ§ππ―π
Distribution/habitat: Sibuyan Island, Romblon Province, central Philippines
Endemic: Yes
Distinctive traits: Described based on two specimens, Luperosaurus alvarezi has some observable characteristics that are similar or comparable to otherΒ LuperosaurusΒ species (southern Luzon’s L. cumingii, northern Luzon’s L. angliit, L. corfieldiΒ from Panay and Negros, and L. macgregori from the Babuyan and Batanes island groups), but it has enough distinct physical traits to be classified as a species of its own. From the tip of its snout to its vent (near the base of its tail), L. alvarezi‘s length varies from 66.1 mm (male) to 78.3 mm (female). Its skin has a “rough, sparse, and uneven dark brownish color pattern,” and its underside is lighter in color. It has yellow rings around its eyes and light gray to blue irises.
Conservation status: Unspecified
Etymology: Luperosaurus alvarezi was named after the late Filipino taxonomist-ecologist James Alvarez, in recognition of his “scientific contributions and demonstrated personal commitment to furthering knowledge of the natural history of Philippine chiropteransβin particular, the ecology and diversity of bats in Sibuyan Island.”
Significance
Luperosaurus alvareziΒ is only known to exist in a protected forested area surrounding Mt. Guiting-Guiting National Park, in Romblon’s Sibuyan Island. Given how it is geographically isolated from otherΒ LuperosaurusΒ species (and thus, the possibility of finding other similarly unique species in the area), the discovery and description of L. alvareziΒ stresses the urgency of making the remaining forests of the Romblon Island Group a conservation priority.βMF
Reference: Meneses CG, Brown RM. 2026. A new species of fringed Forest Gecko, genus Luperosaurus (Squamata:
Gekkonidae), from Sibuyan Island, Central Philippines. PeerJ 14:e20504 http://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20504
Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco
Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.
