Common name: Gardner’s Leaf-toed Gecko
Scientific name: Asaccus gardneri
Family: Phyllodactylidae

Size:
SVL (snout-to-vent length): up to 71 mm
Total length: approximately 14–17 cm

Identification:
The largest Arabian leaf-toed gecko. It has a thin, flattened body, exceptionally long limbs, large eyes, and expanded leaf-shaped toe pads adapted for climbing on rock surfaces. Coloration is typically pale grey to sandy brown with darker mottling that provides excellent camouflage against cliffs and boulders. Juveniles are distinctive, possessing white-banded tails.

Habitat:
Rocky mountain habitats, cliffs, wadis, boulder fields, and steep slopes throughout the Hajar Mountains.

Status in the UAE:
Endemic to the Hajar Mountain range of the United Arab Emirates and northern Oman. Well distributed and locally abundant across the northern Hajar Mountains.

Diet:
Insectivorous — feeds on insects, spiders, and other small arthropods.

Behavior:
A highly agile nocturnal gecko that emerges after sunset to forage on rock faces and boulders. It is an excellent climber and can jump between rocks with remarkable ease. During the day it remains hidden within rock crevices and sheltered cracks.

Conservation Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)

Endemism:
Endemic to the Hajar Mountains of the UAE and northern Oman.