Communal egg-laying by the Frontier Bow-fingered Gecko Altiphylax stoliczkai (Steindachner, 1867) in Ladakh, India

Abstract

Communal egg-laying behaviour in the Frontier Bow-fingered Gecko Altiphylax stoliczkai was investigated within Ladakh’s Indian trans Himalayan region during the summer of 2019. The findings present the first documented evidence of communal egg-laying in the species. Distinct egg-laying sites were identified with crevices containing between four and 10 eggs. Confirmation of species identity was achieved through post-hatching visual identification and genetic tests. Contrary to prevailing notions of one to two eggs per female gekkonid, the observation suggests that communal egg-laying involves multiple females. This behaviour attributes to the unique environmental challenges of high-altitude mountainous terrain, proposing significant reproductive benefits for the species.