Eastern Sand Gecko \ Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes

The Eastern Sand Gecko (Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes) is a native, non-venomous ground gecko of the United Arab Emirates, where it lives in arid desert areas from sea level up to about 400 m. It is a medium-sized, sturdy gecko with a large, broad head, big eyes with vertical pupils, and slender toes that lack adhesive pads. Its back is pinkish or light brown, dotted with small dark brown spots and larger blotches or bands, and its short, rounded tail carries three to five bands that stop before the tip. Young animals look different, with a dark tail ending in a white tip. Most of the UAE's ground-dwelling geckos favour sand, but this species chooses firm ground: compact soils such as the gravel plains between dunes and the plains along the edge of the Hajar Mountains, as well as consolidated sand and alluvial plains. It closely resembles its relative the Dune Sand Gecko (Stenodactylus doriae). That species keeps to soft dune sand, which the Eastern Sand Gecko avoids, so the ground underfoot is a useful clue when telling them apart. It is active at night and spends the day hidden in burrows it digs itself, coming out after dark to hunt insects and other arthropods. Females lay clutches of two hard-shelled eggs. The species also occurs in Oman and southeastern Yemen, and the UAE National Red List classes it as Least Concern. Searching flat gravel ground with a torch after sunset is a rewarding way to find and photograph it.