Ptychozoon
Template:Short description Template:Italic title Template:Automatic taxobox
Ptychozoon was a genus of arboreal geckos, endemic to Southeast Asia, known commonly as flying geckos, gliding geckos, or parachute geckos.<ref name="RM">Malkmus R, Manthey U (2002). Amphibians & Reptiles of Mount Kinabalu (North Borneo). Germany: A.R.G. 424 pp. Template:ISBN. (Ptychozoon, pp. 32, 267-268).</ref> They all are now placed in the genus Gekko in the family Gekkonidae. The biogeographic history of the genus Ptychozoon was deeply nested within that of the genus Gekko, the center of diversity of which is within Southeast Asia. Since dispersing into Southeast Asian rainforests, Pytochozoon, like other forest-dwelling vertebrates, adapted to facilitate gliding.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> All species in the genus Ptychozoon are characterized by cryptic coloration and elaborate webs surrounding the neck, limbs, trunk, and tail.<ref name="RM"/> These membranes help to conceal the gecko against trees. When the gecko leaps into the air, the flaps are used to generate lift and allow the gecko to control its fall. It can glide up to Template:Convert. Also it does a swoop at the end of its glide to land softly. A similar adaptation is found in geckos of the genus Cosymbotus. There were thirteen described species in the genus Ptychozoon.
SpeciesEdit
The following species were recognized as being valid.<ref>"Ptychozoon ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.</ref>
- Ptychozoon bannaense Template:Small – Banna parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon cicakterbang Template:Small – Malaysia parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon horsfieldii Template:Small – Horsfield's flying gecko, Horsfield's parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon intermedium Template:Small – intermediate flying gecko, Philippine parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon kabkaebin Template:Small – Lao parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon kaengkrachanense Template:Small – Kaeng Krachan parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon kuhli Template:Small – Kuhl's flying gecko, Kuhl's parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon lionotum Template:Small – smooth-backed gliding gecko, smooth-backed flying gecko, Burmese flying gecko, Burmese parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon nicobarensis Template:Small – Nicobar gliding gecko
- Ptychozoon popaense Template:Small – Mt. Popa parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon rhacophorus Template:Small – Sabah flying gecko
- Ptychozoon tokehos Template:Small – Cambodian parachute gecko
- Ptychozoon trinotaterra Template:Small
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Ptychozoon.