Cyrtodactylus brevidactylus is one of the nine new species of geckos that has been described as a result of the Academy's recent work in Myanmar. Photo: Hla Tun Map: Michelle Koo.
In the past, the geckos of Myanmar have not garnered much attention. Although scientists have been hoping to study these creatures for decades, the political climate following World War II has made it very difficult to conduct research in Myanmar. However, in 1997, the Academy began sending scientists over to Myanmar to document the country's rich biodiversity. Since the project started, Academy herpetologists have discovered 58 new species of frogs, toads, snakes, and lizards, increasing the country's known diversity of reptiles and amphibians by over 21%. Among these new finds are nine new species of geckos in the genus Cyrtodactylus. Although most geckos have microstructures on their toe pads that allow them to scale smooth surfaces, the geckos in this genus lack these structures. Of the nine new species in this genus, one was named in honor of the late CAS curator, Joe Slowinski; another was named in honor of the Academy's Golden Gate Park home (C. chrysopylos, which means literally "Golden Bridge").
