Hemidactylus bowringii (Gray, 1845)

Scientific Naming

This species has the scientific name Hemidactylus bowringii (Gray, 1845).

Description Authorship

Boulenger provided the following formal description of H. bowringii in 1885:

Snout and Head Shape

The snout is longer than the distance between the eye and the ear-opening, measuring 1.4 times the diameter of the orbit. The forehead is slightly concave, and the ear-opening is small and roundish.

Body and Limb Structure

The body and limbs are moderate in size, with a slight fold of skin running along the flank.

Digit Structure

The digits are free, moderately dilated, and the inner digits are well developed.

Infradigital Lamellae Count

The infradigital lamellae are obliquely curved: 5 lamellae lie under the thumb, 7 or 8 under the fourth finger, 5 or 6 under the first toe, and 9 or 10 under the fourth toe.

Dorsal Scale Characteristics

Upper body surfaces are covered in uniform small granular scales, which are largest on the snout and smallest on the occiput.

Rostral Scale Features

The rostral scale is four-sided, twice as broad as it is deep, with a median cleft above it.

Nostril Scale Arrangement

The nostril is pierced between the rostral, the first labial, and three or four nasal scales.

Labial Scale Count

There are 9 to 11 upper labials and 7 or 8 lower labials.

Mental and Chin Shield Structure

The mental scale is large and triangular, followed by a pair of chin-shields, with an additional outer pair of much smaller chin-shields.

Abdominal Scale Characteristics

Abdominal scales are moderate in size, cycloid, and imbricate.

Preanal Pore Characteristics

Males have a mesially interrupted series of preanal pores, with 13 pores on each side.

Tail Structure and Scaling

The tail is depressed, rounded, and oval in cross-section; it is covered above with uniform small scales, and has a median series of transversely dilated plates beneath.

Dorsal Body Coloration

The upper body is light brown with darker spots, which sometimes tend to form four longitudinal bands on the back. Small whitish spots are frequently present on the body and limbs.

Head and Tail Markings

A dark streak passes through the eye, and the upper surface of the tail bears small chevron-shaped markings.

Ventral Coloration

Lower surfaces are whitish.

Body and Tail Length

The total length from snout to vent is 1.3 inches (3.3 cm), and the tail is 2 inches (5.1 cm) long.

Geographic Distribution

Hemidactylus bowringii is distributed across East Asia, with recorded populations in Bhutan, Nepal, southern China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam (specifically Hanoi and Hon Thom Island), and Japan (specifically the Ryukyu Islands, also called Okinawa).

Forest Habitat and Altitude Range

The preferred natural habitat of H. bowringii is forest, at altitudes ranging from sea level up to 1,250 m (4,100 ft).

Anthropogenic Habitats

The species has also been found in plantations and around man-made structures in urban areas.

Reproductive Mode

Hemidactylus bowringii is oviparous.

Clutch and Incubation Details

It produces clutches of 2–3 eggs, which hatch after 30 days of incubation.